by Chris Maher | Jun 12, 2015
Canary Wharf
The Championship took a twist in Canary Wharf, when Tom Stewart (Madison Genesis) crashed early-on in round eight.
Dropping back by around half a lap, Stewart had put Series Leaders Madison Genesis under pressure, as close rivals ONE Pro Cycling, took advantage of the situation.
Being a five man team event this year, meant that all the riders finishing positions, accounted for the final tally on the day.
Madison Genesis took a gamble and sent the rest of their team back to help pace Stewart and themselves back into contention for the overall title.
ONE Pro Cycling turned up the heat, and all five team-members turbo-charged their way to victory for Round Eight. NFTO Pro Cycling’s Steele Von Hoff took the individual win.
This seemed like a great opportunity at the time, but had detrimental effect on the points tally for the evening. Because Madison Genesis has chased hard as a team to get back into the race, the other teams were less fortunate, as their men had been blown out of the race and ended the evening a lap behind.
Madison Genesis, hadn’t lost the leadership after-all. But ONE Pro Cycling had ebbed a little closer.
Peterborough
Going into the penultimate round in Peterborough, ONE Pro Cycling had closed the gap in the leadership battle to with-in one point.
The race got underway on a flat, fast 1.1Km circuit in Cathedral Square at 7.30pm.
ONE Pro Cycling’s Marcin Bialoblocki started the nights action after the two neutral laps and clipped off the front of the peloton, where he stayed, taking the first of the Chain Reaction Points that were on offer.
Pedal Heaven’s Alex Paton took-up the lead soon after, but didn’t get too far either.
The race settled down after that, where Team Raleigh GAC’s Morgan Kneisky took the next set of Chain Reaction Points with Jon Mould second, then former title holder Tom Stewart third.
Team Raleigh GAC then controlled the latter part of the race, with Steve Lampier gaining a hundred or so metres, as his team-mates defended Kneisky’s Points Jersey challenge sweeping up most of the points between them.
As the race approached the final five laps, a seven man group formed including Track Olympic Champion Ed Clancy, who’s team had won last seasons Tour Series.
Team Raleigh GAC’s Morgan Kneisky went for a long one, covering a couple of laps before been caught by Chris Lawless and Dave McGowan. The chasers then re-formed with a lap and a half to go.
Pedal Heaven’s Dave McGowen broke free once more, and looked like he would go all the way to the end. But JLT Condor presented by Mavic’s Ed Clancy had other ideas and sprinted past McGowan with only fifty metres to go. Clancy claimed his second win of this series, his third in Peterborough.
NFTO’s Steel Von Hoff took second, with Madison Genesis’s Tobyn Horton third.
ONE Pro Cycling’s Marcin Bialoblocki took the bunch sprint over half a minuet down.
A considerable amount of time went by before confirmation of the Championship lead was announced. It became evident that the top two positions were on equal points, so a count-back was in process to decide who would wear the Leaders Jerseys going in-to the final battle in round ten, in Bath.
ONE Pro Cycling were the new Championship Leaders.
Individual Classification
1 Ed Clancy JLT Condor presented by Mavic
2 Steele Von Hoff NFTO
3 Tobyn Horton Madison Genesis
4 Yanto Barker ONE Pro Cycling
5 David McGowan Pedal Heaven
6 Morgan Kneisky Team Raleigh GAC
7 Chris Lawless Team WIGGINS
8 Marcin Bialoblocki ONE Pro Cycling
9 Mark McNally Madison Genesis
10 Jon Mould ONE Pro Cycling
Team Classification Overall
1 ONE Pro Cycling 102
2 Madison Genesis 102
3 Pedal Heaven 84
4 Team Raleigh GAC 70
5 NFTO Pro Cycling 60
6 SportGrub Kuota 52
7 Velosure Starley Primal 48
8 JLT Condor presented by Mavic 45
9 Team WIGGINS 31
Costa Express Fastest Lap, Yanto Barker, ONE Pro Cycling in 1:20.990
Chain Reaction Cycles Points Classification Overall
1 Morgan Kneisky Team Raleigh GAC 71
2 Tom Stewart Madison Genesis 60
3 Jon Mould ONE Pro Cycling 46
4 Kristian House JLT Condor 46
Bath
The epic battle for the Championship Win was over before the race had really began in Bath.
ONE Pro Cycling’s Yanto Barker’s mechanical failure saw him retire from the race soon after, in effect, relinquishing the Title to Madison Genesis.
Marcin Bialoblocki went on to win the race on the night, giving ONE Pro Cycling something out of the days racing.
Bath has proven to be a difficult and hard circuit to race around, with a beautiful backdrop for the Series finale. Should the Series return for another round next year, then a different approach may be required.
Mike Bennett, the race director said that he was pleased with the overall Series and new format. Saying that the team managers would need to re-think their strategy’s for overall contention.
All-in-all, the points system has proven to add additional impetus to the race dynamics and I think it will be retained for the 2016 Championship Battle!
Individual Classification
1 Marcin Bialoblocki ONE Pro Cycling
2 Tobyn Horton Madison Genesis
3 Kristian House JLT Condor presented by Mavic
4 Steele Von Hoff NFTO Pro Cycling
5 Morgan Kneisky Team Raleigh GAC
Team Classification Overall & Pearl Izumi Tour Series Championship Title Holder 2015
1 Madison Genesis 112
2 ONE Pro Cycling 108
3 Pedal Heaven 93
4 Team Raleigh GAC 78
5 NFTO Pro Cycling 62
6 SportGrub Kuota 57
7 Velosure Starley Primal 55
8 JLT Condor presented by Mavic 49
9 Team WIGGINS 34
Costa Express Fastest Lap, ED Clancy, JLT Condor presented by Mavic, 1:53.864
Chain Reaction Cycles Points Classification Overall
1 Morgan Kneisky Team Raleigh GAC 84
2 Tom Stewart Madison Genesis 64
3 Kristian House JLT Condor 54
4 Jon Mould ONE Pro Cycling 48
5 Marcin Bialoblocki ONE Pro Cycling 40
Full Official Race Results http://www.tourseries.co.uk/home.php
by Anna Magrath | Jun 5, 2015
Celebrations as a new pavilion for the Herne Hill Velodrome is given the green light
Cyclists across London and the South East are celebrating this week following the approval of plans to build a new pavilion at the historic Herne Hill Velodrome.
At Tuesday’s meeting of Southwark Council’s planning committee, councillors voted unanimously to approve the Hopkins Architects design for the new building, which will replace the existing one, which has been out of use for nearly a decade despite the track itself being very popular and in constant use.
Hillary Peachey of the Herne Hill Velodrome Trust said “We’re over the moon. This has been a long time coming and I want to thank each and every person who has played a role in getting planning permission this week. For far too long, visitors and riders at Herne Hill have had only basic facilities that do not do justice to the site. Herne Hill has been vital to the cycling history of Great Britain and now, with this final piece of the jigsaw secured, will play a role in the future”.
The Herne Hill Velodrome Trust, who submitted the plans, was established in 2011 to ensure the regeneration and continued use of the Herne Hill site, which has hosted a velodrome since 1891. The first ‘win’ of the campaign was to secure a medium term lease on the land, thereby unlocking funding from British Cycling to enable the total refurbishment of the track surface, which had become dangerously unsafe to race on. The second success came with funding from Southwark Council’s Olympic legacy project, to install trackside flood lighting and create a new, junior track inside the existing one, as well as much needed hard standing for use in coaching, training and events. This was completed in 2013 and has allowed the Herne Hill Velodrome Trust to increase participation from around 15,000 riders a year to a staggering 34,000 a year from a range of schools, community groups and regional cycling clubs.
The design is by Mike Taylor of Hopkins Architects, who was also the architect of the 2012 Velodrome. He said “After over 4 years hard work by the local and cycling community, this approval is great news for the long-term future of Herne Hill. To complement the 2012 Velodrome in Stratford, south east London can now have decent facilities to support the already popular outdoor track at Herne Hill. In combination these two venues will really help promote cycling in London. After our experience delivering the Olympic venue we are delighted to be able to help out at Herne Hill too.”
The Herne Hill Velodrome, where Sir Bradley Wiggins first rode a track bike while still at primary school, has hosted some of the world’s greatest track riders, and continues to be a hive of activity from balance bike sessions for toddlers to elite level training and racing. Until the completion of the Stratford velodrome for the 2012 Olympic & Paralympic Games, Herne Hill was the only velodrome in the whole of London.
Bob Howden, President of British Cycling, said; “This is fabulous news for cycling in London. The planning consent for the new pavilion will allow the completion of the final phase of the comprehensive improvement programme and ensure that cycling’s rich history continues in the long term. As one of the only surviving venues of the London 1948 Olympic Games the future has never looked brighter for Herne Hill”.
Tessa Jowell, who as local MP was vocal in her support for the campaign since the very start, said; “I’m delighted that Southwark Council has granted planning permission for Herne Hill Velodrome, and I know how much this will mean to the community. The new pavilion will ensure this fantastic asset remains as popular as ever, and as Patron of the Herne Hill Velodrome Trust I look forward to helping plan for a successful future for the track”.
The approved plans, which have been developed and (subject to completion of funding agreements) will be delivered thanks to Sport England, the London Marathon Charitable Trust and Southwark Council, will allow for a multi-sports room, training and office space as well as reconfigured bike storage. It is proposed to begin work and have the new building ready to celebrate the track’s 125th birthday in 2016.
by Chris Maher | May 28, 2015
Images ©www.chrismaher.co.uk / CyclingShorts.cc
JLT Condor presented by Mavic clinch the 1-2 on the cobbled streets of round 5 in Durham.
Arguably the toughest round of the Pearl Izumi Tour Series, the cobbled climb is every two minutes or so, and is a circuit you either love or loath!
Ed Clancy “I love the City, but I hate the circuit” he told the crowd after the finish.
Returning to the Cathedral City of Durham for the sixth consecutive year. It’s one of the most popular rounds for the spectators to watch.
The race got underway with two neutral laps, before starting the 30 or so expected ascends of South Street!
Several attempts were made by ONE Pro Cycling, Starley Primal & JLT Condor to make a break stick.
JLT Condor’s Richard Handley made that break, easing away every lap until he started picking up back markers.
Jon Mould, ONE Pro Cycling lead the peloton around, with Madison Genesis also helping to reel-in the escapee, whilst Round Four winner and team-mate Kristian House marshalled the moves.
Team WIGGINS strongest man Chris Lawless, helped chase down Handley, as the group dwindled down to ten.
With three laps left, the back markers were with-drawn, leaving only ten riders on the circuit.
Handley had almost caught the main group on the final lap, but House & Lawless were around half a lap behind.
An easy win for Handley in the end, with House sprinting into second, to make it a JLT Condor presented by Mavic 1-2. Lawless resigned his-self to third, whilst Scully beat Mould to the line for fourth.
Clancy, losing steam early on, in the race, gathered enough strength to blast around the course for the Quickest Lap contest. Whilst Handley had mopped up the Chain Reaction Points leading most of the nights race.
Madison Genesis retain the Pearl Izumi Leaders Jerseys once more going into tomorrows Round Six, in Barrow-in-Furness.
Durham Individual Top Ten Results
1: Richard Handley JLT Condor presented by Mavic
2: Kristian House JLT Condor presented by Mavic
3: Chris Lawless Team WIGGINS
4: Tom Scully Madison Genesis
5: Jon Mould ONE Pro Cycling
6: Marcin Bialoblocki ONE Pro Cycling
7: Tom Stewart Madison Genesis
8: Adria Moreno Sala Velosure Starley Primal
9: Steve Lampier Team Raleigh GAC
10: Stephen WilliamsPedal Heaven
Durham Team Classification
1: ONE Pro Cycling
2: Madison Genesis
3: Pedal Heaven
4: NFTO Pro Cycling
5: Velosure Starley Primal
6: JLT Condor presented by Mavic
7: Team Raleigh GAC
8: SportGrub Kuota
9: Team WIGGINS
Costa Express Fastest Lap: Ed Clancy – JLT Condor presented by Mavic 2:00.560
Chain Reaction Cycles Points: Richard Handley – JLT Condor presented by Mavic
Team Leader board after round 5
1: Madison Genesis
2: ONE Pro Cycling
3: Pedal Heaven
Full Official Race Results http://www.tourseries.co.uk/home.php
by Chris Maher | May 27, 2015
All images © www.chrismaher.co.uk / CyclingShorts.cc
Power “House” Kristian Solos To His First Victory Of The 2015 Series
JLT Condor presented by Mavic’s Kristian House powers his way around the new 1.4Km circuit in Motherwell.
Scotland’s only visit by the Tour Series this season saw a trio of riders break away in the earlier part of the race.
House, Chris Opie – ONE Pro Cycling and Mike Northey – Madison Genesis put a good thirty seconds into the peloton after the first Chain Reaction Sprint, won by Chris Lawless – Team Wiggins.
The pace was high, and the strung out peloton failed to close the escapees down with-in the hour of racing.
House, powered away from Opie and Northey with two laps to go, giving him his first victory of the 2015 Series.
NFTO left it too late to set Steele Von Hoff up for the uphill sprint to the line, but he managed to fend Ed Clancy off, for the best of the bunch sprint.
Motherwell Individual Top Ten Results
1: Kristian House JLT Condor presented by Mavic
2: Chris Opie ONE Pro Cycling
3: Mike Northey Madison Genesis
4: Steele Von Hoff NFTO Pro Cycling
5: Ed Clancy JLT Condor presented by Mavic
6: Chris Lawless Team WIGGINS
7: Jon Mould ONE Pro Cycling
8: Tom Stewart Madison Genesis
9: Richard Hepworth SportGrub Kuota
10:Morgan KneiskyTeam Raleigh GAC
Motherwell Team Classification
1: Madison Genesis
2: ONE Pro Cycling
3: Team Raleigh GAC
4: Pedal Heaven
5: NFTO Pro Cycling
6: Velosure Starley Primal
7: JLT Condor presented by Mavic
8: SportGrub Kuota
9: Team WIGGINS
Costa Express Fastest Lap: Ed Clancy 1.25.745
Chain Reaction Cycles Points: Chris Opie
Team Leader board after round 4
1: Madison Genesis
2: ONE Pro Cycling
3: Pedal Heaven
Full Official Race Results http://www.tourseries.co.uk/home.php
Thanks to Pete & Grace for media access throughout the series… http://www.sweetspotgroup.co.uk/home.php
by Chris Maher | May 26, 2015
All images ©www.chrismaher.co.uk / CyclingShorts.cc
Local girl Katie Archibald rode off the front of the bunch, to win round two of the Matrix Fitness Grand Prix Series.
Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International’s Katie Archibald made her move after the first Sprint in Motherwell. Team-mate Gabby Shaw had begun to stretch the peloton out in the early laps of the race.
Race leader by default, Nikki Juniper had won the Sprint Jersey in Round one. So Jessie Walker (RST Racing Team) will wear the Sprint Jersey in Motherwell.
With round one winner Laura Trott (Matrix Fitness) not present, meant Juniper was the next placed highest rider to wear the Leaders Jersey.
Juniper, Walker and Eileen Roe (Wiggle Honda) made the uphill sprint towards the line for the first three places, with Shaw taking fourth place.
Archibald didn’t contest the sprint, and this gave her the advantage of riding off the front for the bunch as they all recovered from that effort.
Gaining twenty to thirty meters along the top flatter part of the course, Archibald, a supreme pursuiter, rode steadily away. Roe & Juniper were unable to match her pace.
Archibald took the next set of Points, with Emily Nelson (Team USN) and Annasley Park (Team Giordana Triton) taking second and third.
As Archibald approached the finish line, the chasing bunch of eighteen girls where almost a lap down.
Riding over the line with ease, the main bunch where left to sprint it out for the remaining positions.
In a big bunch Sprint, Nikki Juniper took second place with Eileen Roe third. Lydia Boylan (Team WNT) took fourth and Katie Curtis (Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International, fifth.
Nikki Junipers Reaction: “We were only going to attain the Sprints Jersey”, “and we got the first prime”. “But no one heard the klaxon for the next prime”. “We knew Katie had probably got the next one”. “There was a bit of confusion on the Points Jersey”. “But apparently I’m still in it”.
Nikki Juniper of Team Giordana Triton talks to Chris Maher of CyclingShorts.cc about her current lead in the Matrix Fitness GP Series 2015 after round two in Motherwell.
Results: Motherwell
1: Katie Archibald Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International 0:39:33.541
2: Nikki Juniper Team Giordana Triton 0:41:02.815
3: Eileen Roe Wiggle Honda
4: Lydia Boylan Team WNT
5: Katie Curtis Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International
6: Jessie Walker RST Racing Team
7: Emily Kay Team USN
8: Annasley Park Team Giordana Triton
9: Lucy Martin Matrix Fitness
10: Gabriella Shaw Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International
11: Henrietta Colborne Team Jadan
12: Rebecca Nixon Fusion RT Gearclub Bike Science
13: Jennifer George Les Filles
14: Charline Joiner Team WNT
15: Hannah Walker Team WNT
16: Manon Lloyd Team USN
17: Genevieve Whitson WV Avanti
18: Mel Lowther Matrix Fitness
19: Lauren Creamer Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International
20: Emily Nelson Team USN
Overall after Round Two
1 Nikki Juniper 37 Team Giordana Triton
2 Katie Archibald 36 Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International
3 Lydia Boylan 31 Team WNT
4 Jessie Walker 30 RST Racing Team
5 Annasley Park 24 Team Giordana Triton
6 Laura Trott 20 Matrix Fitness
7 Charline Joiner 19 Team WNT
8 Dani King 19 Wiggle Honda
9 Eileen Roe 18 Wiggle Honda
10 Manon Lloyd 18 Team USN
Team Rankings after Round 2
1 Team Giordana Triton 78
2 Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International 72
3 Team WNT 56
4 Matrix Fitness 45
5 Team USN 33
6 Team Jadan 18
7 IKON Mazda 8
Sprint Rankings after Round 2
1 Nikki Juniper 14 Team Giordana Triton
2 Jessie Walker 12 RST Racing Team
3 Katie Archibald 7 Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International
4 Elinor Barker 4 Matrix Fitness
4 Emily Nelson 4 Team USN
Next race in the Matrix Fitness GP Series is on June 02nd in Croydon.
by Anna Magrath | May 26, 2015
Nikki Juniper of Team Giordana Triton talks to Chris Maher of CyclingShorts.cc about her current lead in the Matrix Fitness GP Series 2015 after round two in Motherwell.
Nikki Juniper of Team Giordana Triton talks to Chris Maher of CyclingShorts.cc about her current lead in the Matrix Fitness GP Series 2015 after round two in Motherwell.
Read the race report here.
