Ryedale GP Women’s Road Race 2014

by Chris Maher | Jul 24, 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.

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Race Results

1. Nicola Juniper – Team Echelon Rotor
2. Laura Massey – Epic Cycles Scott WRT
3. Bethany Haywood – Matrix Fitness Vulpine (J)
4. Emma Grant – Tibco To The Top
5. Elizabeth Holden – RST Racing (J)
6. Rebecca Womersley – Wyndymilla Reynolds
7. Rebecca Rimmington – Merlin Cycles
8. Amy Gornall – RST Racing (J)
9. Jane Barr – Velocity 44 Stirling
10. Jennifer Hudson – VC ST Raphael
11. Elizabeth Malins – Fusion Development RT
12. Ellie Campbell – Fusion RT Gearclub Bike Science
13. Alexie Shaw – Epic Cycles Scott WRT
14. Gabriella Nordin – Pedal Power RT
15. Sophie Falkner – Fusion RT Gearclub Bike Science(J)
16. Eve Dixon – Team 22
17. Abigail Dentus – Team De Ver (J)
18. Natalie Grinczer – Fusion RT Gearclub Bike Science
19. Rebecca Nixon – Dundee Thistle CC
20. Abby Mae Parkinson – RST Racing (J)
21. Vanessa Whitfield – VC ST Raphael
22. Karen Poole – GB Cycles
23. Chloe Fraser – Deeside Thistle CC
24. Cassie McGoldrick – Fusion RT Gearclub Bike Science
25. Louise Burnie – Loughborough Students CC
26. Maisie Duckworth – Wolverhampton Wheelers (J)
27. Lauren Obrien – RST Racing (J)
28. Iona Sewell – GB Cycles
29. Nicola Soden – GB Cycles
30. Helen McKay – Look Mum No Hands!
31. Ashleigh Fraser – Deeside Thistle CC (J)
32. Emily Middleditch – Deeside Thistle CC
33. Clover Murray – Braintree Velo Cycle Racing Club
34. Lucy Harper – Bike Pure LeMond Aspire (J)
35. 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.