Ryedale GP Women’s Road Race 2014
All images ©chrismaher.co.uk / CyclingShorts.cc
Round Eight in the Women’s Road Race Series – Ryedale Grand Prix incorporating the BC Junior Women’s National Road Race Championship.
Pre Race
Round Eight of the Women’s Road Series is the Ryedale Grand Prix, based around the Ampleforth Abbey Grounds, in North Yorkshire. The course has been used over the years for the National Championships and consists of two loops that pass through the grounds of the Sport College and the Start/ Finish area, allowing the spectators to follow the progression of the race as it develops.
This year’s edition incorporates the British Cycling Junior Women’s Road Race Championships with-in the senior race, and covers around thirty-nine miles.
Race
A nine-thirty start on a muggy, misty and slightly damp course saw the girls away safely up the switch-back climb in-front of the Abbey and onto the main road. A two kilometre neutralised zone got the girls through the town of Ampleforth where they swung left and onto the main climb across the Yearsley Moor to start the race. A high pace up the first ascent saw four or five girls dropped straight away. The course then turned to the right before Yearsley, and the girls headed out towards Oulston for the first of two large circuits.
It wasn’t long before a couple of minor falls split the peloton, and as the pace was kept high, the peloton once again fragmented.
Heading left at Gilling East and back through to the Sports Grounds at the Abbey for the first circuit, Series Leader Nicola Juniper made a small attack and gained four or five seconds lead. The peloton had strung-out on the approach to the Rugby Fields, but at the right, then left-hand pinch point, the slippery surface brought panic to the chasing girls as several slid across the surface and brought the group to an almost stand-still.
Chains un-tangled, and a quick brush-down, it was going to be a hard chase for the peloton to catch Juniper, who had ridden up through the start/ finish area un-aware of the hold-up behind her and to a lead of around sixty-seconds.
Looking back, further around the course, Juniper had realised that no-one was there, and decided to dig-in and time trial the rest of the race.
The peloton chased hard, but Juniper’s lead grew, and in the end, she rode to a solo victory.
Eyes were then on the sprint to the line and more importantly the first three Juniors, vying for the National Championships Jersey. It was no surprise to see Bethany Haywood, Matrix Fitness Vulpine glued to the wheels of Laura Massey, Epic Cycles who lead the bunch in for second place. Emma Grant rode in to forth, Elizabeth Holden in to fifth and Silver for the juniors. Amy Gornall, RST Racing rode in to eighth place to secure her Bronze Medal.
Race Results
- Nicola Juniper – Team Echelon Rotor
- Laura Massey – Epic Cycles Scott WRT
- Bethany Haywood – Matrix Fitness Vulpine (J)
- Emma Grant – Tibco To The Top
- Elizabeth Holden – RST Racing (J)
- Rebecca Womersley – Wyndymilla Reynolds
- Rebecca Rimmington – Merlin Cycles
- Amy Gornall – RST Racing (J)
- Jane Barr – Velocity 44 Stirling
- Jennifer Hudson – VC ST Raphael
- Elizabeth Malins – Fusion Development RT
- Ellie Campbell – Fusion RT Gearclub Bike Science
- Alexie Shaw – Epic Cycles Scott WRT
- Gabriella Nordin – Pedal Power RT
- Sophie Falkner – Fusion RT Gearclub Bike Science(J)
- Eve Dixon – Team 22
- Abigail Dentus – Team De Ver (J)
- Natalie Grinczer – Fusion RT Gearclub Bike Science
- Rebecca Nixon – Dundee Thistle CC
- Abby Mae Parkinson – RST Racing (J)
- Vanessa Whitfield – VC ST Raphael
- Karen Poole – GB Cycles
- Chloe Fraser – Deeside Thistle CC
- Cassie McGoldrick – Fusion RT Gearclub Bike Science
- Louise Burnie – Loughborough Students CC
- Maisie Duckworth – Wolverhampton Wheelers (J)
- Lauren Obrien – RST Racing (J)
- Iona Sewell – GB Cycles
- Nicola Soden – GB Cycles
- Helen McKay – Look Mum No Hands!
- Ashleigh Fraser – Deeside Thistle CC (J)
- Emily Middleditch – Deeside Thistle CC
- Clover Murray – Braintree Velo Cycle Racing Club
- Lucy Harper – Bike Pure LeMond Aspire (J)
- Alexandra Sheehan – Merlin Cycles (J)
British Cycling Junior Women’s National Road Race Championships
Gold: Bethany HaywoodMatrix Fitness Vulpine
Silver: Elizabeth HoldenRST Racing Team
Bronze: Amy GornallRST Racing Team
Women’s Road Race Standings after Round Eight
1 Nicola Juniper – 274 – Team Echelon
2 Gabriella Shaw – 140 – Pearl Izumi-Sports Tours International
3 Katie Archibald – 135 – Pearl Izumi-Sports Tours International
4 Dame Sarah Storey – 110 – Pearl Izumi-Sports Tours International
5 Laura Trott – 101 – Wiggle Honda
6 Molly Weaver – 96 – Epic Cycles – Scott WRT
7 Laura Massey – 93 – Epic Cycles – Scot WRT
8 Hannah Walker – 77 – Epic Cycles – Scott WRT
9 Bethany Hayward – 76 – Matrix Fitness Vulpine
10 Danielle King – 64 – Wiggle Honda
11 Gillian Taylor – 62 – Fusion RT Gearclub Bike Science
11 Rebecca Womersley – 62 – Wyndymilla Reynolds
13 Grace Garner – 58 – RST Racing Team
14 Alexie Shaw – 57 – Epic Cycles – Scott WRT
15 Elinor Barker – 55 – Wiggle Honda
15 Rebecca Rimmington – 55 – Velosport – Pasta Montegrappa
17 Lydia Boylan – 50 – Velosport – Pasta Montegrappa
17 Jessie Walker – 50 – Matrix Fitness – Vulpine
19 Elizabeth Holden – 48 – RST Racing Team
20 Abigail Dentus – 46 – Team de Ver
Nicola Juniper (Team Echelon) is the 2014 Women’s Road Race Series Champion.
Results by British Cycling
The final race in the current season is the Stafford GP and Kermesse, on Friday 1st – Saturday 2nd August.
