Anna Henderson Win’s Inaugural Women’s East Cleveland Klondike GP

Anna Henderson win’s the inaugural Women’s East Cleveland Klondike GP

Women’s National Road Series 2019 – Round 1 | Klondike GP

Picking up from where she left off last Season with a win at the Rydedale, Henderson [Brother UK – Tifosi p/b OnForm] out-sprinted Joscelin Lowden [Brother UK – Fusion RT] along Westgate in Guisborough to take the victory in this first of 8 races in the Women’s calendar in just over 3 hours.

Setting off earlier in the morning on the 2-circuit course of 111.6kms the peloton rode steadily around to the official start before the racing began. Sarah King [Dama Bianchi] was the first attacker to clear the peloton as they made their way on-to the that main circuit, before it all came back together.

The cold stiff coastal breeze made riding difficult for those left exposed to the elements as riders began to drop-off heading out towards the Moors including Dame Sarah Storey [Storey Racing] amongst others before they turned & returned back down towards the coast and the first Queen of the Mountains prime in Saltburn-by-the-Sea.

Joscelin Lowden took maximum points in both QOM’s to claim the title.

With around 30kms remaining, Christina Wiejak [Team Jadan-Weldtite p/b Vive le Velo] made the first significant attack of the remaining 30-odd riders from a 75-rider field as the race began to ignite.

Brought back into the group, Lowden counter attacked as they climbed Loftus Bank & Carlin How Bank with Henderson joining her. Eight more riders tried to bridge the gap but the strong climbing ability of Lowden kept the chasers at bay as they had an almost 2-minute advantage running into the final few kilometres leaving a bunch sprint for the remainder of the chasing group with team-mates Leah Dixon, Becks Durell & Jess Finnay taking the 3rd-5th places.

This is a bit of a surprise considering going around the course – a little bit windy – a little bit lumpy. I wasn’t feeling great halfway through.

I saw Jos (Lowden) go and you know-what. I might as well give-it-a-kick and see what I have left in my legs. Yeh! It paid-off obviously.

Jos kicked with 20-to-go and I though, she’s so strong I’ll go with her and see what happens. If I get caught as you saw, I’ve got about 5 team-mates behind me. We were a strong unit today.

Anna Henderson

Winner - East Cleveland Klondike GP, Brother UK - Tifosi p/b OnForm

Results

1 -15 Anna Henderson Brother UK – Tifosi p/b OnForm 3:02:50

2 – 22 Joscelin Lowden Brother.uk Fusion RT st

3 -13 Leah Dixon Brother UK – Tifosi p/b OnForm +1:41

4 -14 Rebecca Durrell Brother UK – Tifosi p/b OnForm st

5 -16 Jessica Finney Brother UK – Tifosi p/b OnForm st

6 – 59 Lauren Dolan Torelli-Assure st

7 -1 Elinor Barker MBE Drops st

8 – 61 Niamh Fisher Black Torelli-Assure st

9 – 32 Fiona Hunter Johnston Campinense – Velo Performance st

10 – 23 Molly Patch Brother.uk Fusion RT st

11 – 12 Illi Gardner Brother UK – Tifosi p/b OnForm st

12 – 56 Christina Wiejak Team Jadan Weldtite-Vive le Vel +1:47

13 – 3 Anna Christian Drops +1:51

14 – 19 Emily Wadsworth Brother UK – Tifosi p/b OnForm +3:50

15 – 17 Gabriella Shaw Brother UK – Tifosi p/b OnForm st

16 – 34 Jo Tindley Campinense – Velo Performance st

17 – 28 Elizabeth Bennett Campinense – Velo Performance st

18 – 60 Jennifer George Torelli-Assure st

19 – 46 Ellen McDermott Team Boompods st

20 – 62 Sophie Thackray Torelli-Assure st

21 – 40 Chanel Mason Storey Racing st

22 – 37 Corinne Side Cycle Team OnForm st

23 – 82 Jayati Hine University of Sheffield CC st

24 – 45 Hannah Larbalestier Team Boompods st

25 – 21 Emma Lewis Brother.uk Fusion RT st

26 – 20 Jennifer Hudson Brother.uk Fusion RT st

27 – 9 Jennifer Powell Bianchi Dama st

28 – 26 Claire Steels Brother.uk Fusion RT st

29 – 39 Kelly Murphy Storey Racing +5:42

30 – 27 Ruth Shier Brother.uk Fusion RT +5:43

31 – 57 Mary Wilkinson Team Jadan Weldtite-Vive le Vel +7:31

32 – 25 Rebecca Richardson Brother.uk Fusion RT +7:41

33 – 50 Sophie Enever Team Jadan Weldtite-Vive le Vel +12:37

34 – 24 Fiona Russell Brother.uk Fusion RT +13:21

35 – 4 Emma Cockcroft Bianchi Dama +13:24

36 – 5 Charlotte Colclough Bianchi Dama st

37 – 72 Molly Weaver Orbea Racing Team +13:27

38 – 80 Amy Gornall The Racing Chance Foundation st

39 – 2 Megan Barker Drops +13:28

40 – 6 Sarah King Bianchi Dama +14:55

 

 

Interview – Anna Henderson – Klondike GP Winner – Round 1 – National Road Series 2019 by Cycling Shorts

Anna Henderson of Team OnForm talks to the media after her win in the first ever Women’s Klondike GP – Round 1 of the National Road Series. Audio & Image ©Chris Maher / CyclingShorts.cc

 

GRN Presca Teamwear Queen of the Mountains

1 – 22 Joscelin Lowden Brother.uk Fusion RT 10

2 – 15 Anna Henderson Brother UK – Tifosi p/b OnForm 4

3 – 32 Fiona Hunter Johnston Campinense – Velo Performance 3

4 – 14 Rebecca Durrell Brother UK – Tifosi p/b OnForm 2

5 – 59 Lauren Dolan Torelli-Assure 2

6 – 61 Niamh Fisher Black Torelli-Assure 1

Team Classification after Round 1

1 Brother UK – Tifosi p/b OnForm 80

2 Brother.uk Fusion RT 40

3 Torelli-Assure 39

4 Drops 26

5 Campinense – Velo Performance 23

6 Team Jadan Weldtite-Vive le Vel 9

7 Team Boompods 2

Chris Maher

Chris Maher

Photographer & Writer

Based in the North East of England; photographer Chris Maher specialises in sports photography with his main interests in Cycling and Super Bikes. Chris has covered sports events from local and national level right up to the Olympics for CyclingShorts.cc.
Website: www.ChrisMaher.co.uk

Coryn Rivera wins OVO Energy Women’s Tour

Coryn Rivera was crowned overall winner of the OVO Energy Women’s Tour in Colwyn Bay as Britain’s five-day UCI Women’s WorldTour event came to a close on the North Wales coast.

Rivera (Team Sunweb) held on to her overnight lead, reduced to 11 seconds by WaowDeal Pro Cycling’s Marianne Vos thanks to time bonuses, on the 122-kilometre leg from Dolgellau won by Cervélo Bigla’s Lotta Lepistö in a bunch sprint from Giorgia Bronzini (Cylance Pro Cycling) and Vos.

“Being in the leader’s jersey is all about being in control, having everything cool and under control,” said Rivera following her first UCI Women’s WorldTour stage race victory. “The girls and I did really well at that.  We set a really good pace on the climbs, there were a few attacks but eventually they came back.”

“I’m really proud to have taken the win, the jersey belongs to the whole team.”

Coryn Rivera

Winner - 2018 OVO Women's Tour, Team Sunweb

We can be super proud of the team. What they showed today and through the whole week is outstanding. They controlled the whole race and paced on the climbs; they were so strong that no one could attack. It’s really amazing and the win can only be for the whole team, they were super strong and executed the plan to perfection in the end.

Hans Timmermans

Coach, Team Sunweb

The stage once again boiled down to a sprint, albeit from a significantly reduced peloton, with Finnish national champion Lepistö coming out on top. Marta Bastianelli and Roxane Fournier placed fourth and fifth in the finish alongside Porth Eirias.

A number of riders had tried to escape in early moves as the race headed through Gwynedd in overcast conditions but none were a significant threat to the overall lead of Rivera, as Team Sunweb continued to control the race.


Lucinda Brand of the Dutch team led the race over the first SKODA Queen of the Mountains climb at Bwlch-y-Maen, with former World Road Race Champion Marta Bastianelli (Alé Cipollini) leading the race over the main climb at Nant Gwynant below Snowdon.


A select group of five, containing Rivera, Sunweb team-mate Brand, Amy Pieters, last year’s winner Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon//SRAM)  and SKODA Queen of the Mountains Elisa Longo Borghini (Wiggle HIGH5) went clear with 20 kilometres remaining, but were reeled in with 10 kilometres remaining by in the WaowDeals team of Vos and Dani Rowe, who had missed the move.

“Today there was nothing to lose,” said Lepistö following her second OVO Energy Women’s Tour win – her previous victory came in 2016’s final stage into Kettering. “We gave everything on the road and ended up with the victory, so I’m even more happy than yesterday. There was a strong wind. It was hectic final because no one really wanted to be in the front and use their best power.”

Lotte Lepistö

Stage 5 Winner - OVO Women's Tour 2018, Cervelo - Bigla Pro Cycling Team

Interview – Coryn Rivera – Winner – OVO Women’s Tour 2018 by Cycling Shorts

Coryn Rivera talks to the media after her domination and well deserved win of the OVO Women’s Tour 2018. All content ©www.cyclingshorts.cc | www.chrismaher.co.uk

Finishing third overall – her best ever finishing position in the OVO Energy Women’s Tour – and the Adnams Best British Rider was Dani Rowe, whose WaowDeals Pro Cycling team took the team prize in the race.

“I feel really proud to be a part of this team. It’s been a really special week,” said Rowe who was suffering the effects of injury following a Stage Four crash on Saturday. “I was suffering out the saddle so I just tried to conserve as much energy as possible, riding on the drops up the climb to be as aero as possible and stay in contact with the bunch. After that I got more and more confident that I would be there at the finish. Marianne went for the intermediate sprint to help defend my third place from the two Boels [Dolmans] girls who were just three seconds behind me.

“I had my doubts [getting over the two SKODA Queen of the Mountain climbs], but my team and team-mates didn’t. They believed in me. When I survived the two climbs there was a big chance that it would end in the sprint so I tried to focus on it and try my best.”

Dani Rowe

Best British Rider - OVO Women's Tour 2018, WaowDeals Pro Cycling Team

Interview – Lotte Lepisto – Stage 5 Winner – OVO Women’s Tour 2018 by Cycling Shorts

Lotte Lepisto talks to the media after sprinting to win stage 5 of the OVO Women’s Tour 2018. All content ©www.cyclingshorts.cc | www.chrismaher.co.uk

 

Interview – Dani Rowe – Best British Rider – OVO Women’s Tour 2018 by Cycling Shorts

Dani talks to the media after taking the Best British Rider Jersey in the OVO Women’s Tour 2018. All content ©www.cyclingshorts.cc | www.chrismaher.co.uk

 

In addition to the overall title, Rivera also took the Eisberg Sprints Jersey, while Vos kept hold of the Breast Cancer Care Points Jersey that she took on Stage Four. Longo Borghini confirmed her hold on the SKODA Queen of the Mountains climbers’ jersey, with Maaike Boogaard (BTC City Ljubljana) taking the race’s Overall Combativity Award.

Chris Maher

Chris Maher

Photographer & Writer

Based in the North East of England; photographer Chris Maher specialises in sports photography with his main interests in Cycling and Super Bikes. Chris has covered sports events from local and national level right up to the Olympics for CyclingShorts.cc.
Website: www.ChrisMaher.co.uk

Anna Magrath

Anna Magrath

Editor & Writer

Anna Magrath founded CyclingShorts.cc in 2008 and invited some of her cycling friends; coaches, photographers, writers and pro cyclists of different disciplines to join her, bringing you all things cycling related.

Over the years Anna has supported grass roots cycling events, riders and teams. Anna has a particular interest in Track, Road, womens cycling, recreational cycling and cycling related art. She has reported from the top cycle races on the world calendar including the Tour de France, Olympics, World Cups & World Championships.

Want to get involved? Why not get in touch.

CyclingShorts.cc are official sponsors of The Racing Chance Foundation, Team22 WRTTeam Jadan and cyclists Amy Gornall & Fraser Martin.

Tour Win – The Best Birthday Present – Women’s Tour de Yorkshire 2018

Barnsley to Ilkley, Friday May 4th 2018 – Birthday girl Megan Guarnier produced a climbing masterclass on the Côte de Cow and Calf to win the 2018 Asda Tour de Yorkshire Women’s Race. The American Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam rider – celebrating her 33rd birthday – left her rivals behind on the iconic Yorkshire climb and was given a rapturous reception by the large crowd as she wrapped up the stage and overall victory.

The race began in Barnsley, where the stunning Town Hall provided a perfect backdrop for what would be an amazing day’s racing and it wasn’t far out of the South Yorkshire town that the first test began; the Cote de Blacker Hill.

It was Nicola Juniper (NJC-Biemme-Echelon) who was first over the climb to take the Queen of the Mountains points immediately equalling QoM leader; 17 year old Pfeiffer Georgi of local Team Jadan Weldtite Vive le Velo’s points. Sophie Wright (Torelli-Brother) and Erica Magnaldi (BePink) came over close behind Nicola, but this attack didn’t stick and by the time the sprint at Swinton came around it was a different scene as two top riders from day one rallied to take first and second respectively in the form of overall winner Kirsten Wild (Wiggle High5) and Dani Rowe (Great Britain Cycling Team).

As the race passed into West Yorkshire, Katie Ragusa (BePink) had made a move, managing to put a short distance between herself and the peloton before being joined by Manon Lloyd (Trek-Drops).

The pair did maintain a slender lead for a while but by the time the sprint at Swinton came around they were being reined in.

Lloyd was able to hold on to take maximum points in the sprint but Wild and Rowe managed to ride back on to take second and third.

You only had to listen to the world’s best riders talking after the race to hear how bowled over they had been by the reception – it truly has been on an unprecedented scale.

The peloton was given a great send-off in Barnsley and people lined the entire route as they wound their way to Ilkley for that spectacular finish. We knew the Cow and Calf would provide a magnificent conclusion and we weren’t disappointed. Megan produced a stunning ride and is a more than worthy winner.

Sir Gary Verity

Chief Executive, Welcome to Yorkshire

With around 25km to go, another move was made. This time by world champion Chantal Blaak (Boels-Dolmans) with a smart move up the road to try and set up her team mate Megan Guarnier to take the stage, and the overall win, with two hard climbs approaching, the first of which being Cote de Old Pool Bank.

This 1km climb at a gradient of 10% was taken by Elisa Longo Borghini (Wiggle High5) ahead of Alena Amialusk (Canyon Sram) and Dani Rowe.

Amialusk and Rowe would take second and third once more on the final climb, the Cote de Cow and Calf but it wasn’t Borghini who would take the overall honours. It was birthday girl Megan Guarnier who would power up the climb after a perfectly timed attack to win the 2018 Asda Tour de Yorkshire Women’s race and bring the curtain down on another great sporting spectacle.

Belarussian Alena Amialiusik (Canyon-SRAM Racing) was the next rider home – 14 seconds adrift – with Great Britain’s Dani Rowe just three seconds further behind.

Those results meant Guarnier took the winner’s blue jersey – sponsored by Yorkshire Bank Bike Libraries – with a 17-second advantage over Rowe, with Amialiusik two seconds back in third. Bonus points accrued on the line also meant Guarnier topped the best climber classification sponsored by Virgin Trains.

Stage one winner Kirsten Wild picked up eight points on the day’s two intermediate sprints and that meant she topped the best sprinter classification sponsored by Asda, while Team Sunweb triumphed in the team classification.

 

It’s always nice to be on the podium, and I had goosebumps on that last climb. I really like this race. I have done it twice now and it’s one of the biggest we do all season. It’s been nice to see it grow to two days this year and we have really enjoyed it in Yorkshire.

Kirsten Wild

Green Jersey Winner - Asda Women's Tour de Yorkshire 2018, Team Wiggle High-5

Podium Interviews – Women’s Tour De Yorkshire 2018 by Cycling Shorts

Podium Interviews with 2018 Tour de Yorkshire winner Megan Guarnier and Dani Rowe & Alena Amialiusik (2nd & 3rd respectively). All content ©www.cyclingshorts.cc / www.chrismaher.co.uk

After the race Guarnier was gushing in her praise for the warm Yorkshire welcome she and the rest of the peloton received.

It is a real honour to win this race and it’s my first victory of the year so I’m excited. I have never, ever seen so many people on a finishing climb and so many people cheering us on. That really helped bring me home because I was full gas at the end.

Megan Guarnier (USA)

Asda Women's Tour de Yorkshire Winner 2018, Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam

Stage 2 Results & Overall Classification

STAGE RESULT
1.     Megan Guarnier (USA) Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam 124km  3:19:50
2.     Alena Amialiusik (Blr) Canyon-SRAM Racing  +14 sec  
3.     Dani Rowe (GBr) Great Britain +17 sec
4 .    Erica Magnaldi (Ita) BePink +22 sec
5.     Ane Santesteban (Spa) Ale Cipollini
OVERALL INDIVIDUAL TIME CLASSIFICATION

1.        Megan Guarnier (USA) Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam  6:48:09
2.        Dani Rowe (GBr) Great Britain +17 sec
3.        Alena Amialiusik (Blr) Canyon-Sram Racing +19 sec
4.        Liane Lippert (Ger) Team Sunweb Women +31 sec
5.        Erica Magnaldi (Ita) BePink +33 sec

Megan Guarnier - Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam

Kirsten Wild - Wiggle High 5

Megan Guarnier - Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam

Dani Rowe - Great Britain

Chris Maher

Chris Maher

Photographer & Writer

Based in the North East of England; photographer Chris Maher specialises in sports photography with his main interests in Cycling and Super Bikes. Chris has covered sports events from local and national level right up to the Olympics for CyclingShorts.cc.
Website: www.ChrisMaher.co.uk

Anna Magrath

Anna Magrath

Editor & Writer

Anna Magrath founded CyclingShorts.cc in 2008 and invited some of her cycling friends; coaches, photographers, writers and pro cyclists of different disciplines to join her, bringing you all things cycling related.

Over the years Anna has supported grass roots cycling events, riders and teams. Anna has a particular interest in Track, Road, womens cycling, recreational cycling and cycling related art. She has reported from the top cycle races on the world calendar including the Tour de France, Olympics, World Cups & World Championships.

Want to get involved? Why not get in touch.

CyclingShorts.cc are official sponsors of The Racing Chance Foundation, Team22 WRTTeam Jadan and cyclists Amy Gornall & Fraser Martin.

Kirsten Wild Rides to Victory – Stage 1 – Women’s Tour de Yorkshire 2018

Doncaster, Thursday May 3rd 2018 – The women got the 2018 Asda Tour de Yorkshire underway in style, with Kirsten Wild sprinting to victory in Doncaster. Wild triumphed in Doncaster when the race last visited in 2016, and proved her dominance once again with an emphatic sprint to take the overall lead on stage one.

Teams and talent from all over the world descended on Beverley for the start of the newly-expanded two-day Asda Tour de Yorkshire Women’s Race, with a host of National, Olympic and World Champions signing on.

 

My team worked so hard to set me up and I just followed them before the sprint. I like this finish in Doncaster and when I heard it was the same finish line as two years ago I was very excited. It was cool to win here.

I don’t think tomorrow’s stage [which finishes on the Cote de Cow and Calf] will be another sprint but my team has strong girls and lots of cards to play. I think it will be an interesting stage and I will try to help my team-mates to win.

Kirstin Wild

Winner - Stage 1- Women's TdY 2018, Team Wiggle High 5

The early stages saw a couple of crashes before two young riders went on the attack; local East Yorkshire team – Team Jadan Weldtite Vive le Velo were represented by 17-year-old Pfeiffer Georgi, she was joined by Meike Uiterwijk Winkel (Parkhotel Valkenberg), the pair quickly got down the road and forced a one-minute lead over the peloton.

It was clear from the tenacious way Pfeiffer was riding that the Team Jadan rider was intent on staying out front until she reached the peak of the sole categorised climb of the day – the Cote de Baggaby Hill – the peloton hauled Winkel back but Georgi held on just long enough to take control of the Queen of the Mountains jersey for the day.

Next up was the first intermediate sprint in Pocklington and Great Britain’s Dani Rowe – fresh from her bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games – took maximum points there.

Shortly after that, Natalie Van Gogh (Parkhotel Valkenburg) and Anna Christian (Trek Drops) broke clear of the bunch and Christian took maximum points in the next intermediate sprint into Howden. The duo worked well together but the peloton came back together on the approach to Doncaster and the expected bunch sprint finish ensued along Bennetthorpe.

All the favourites were in contention but it was Wild who showed her dominance to take an historic second victory in Doncaster.

The 35 year old Wiggle High 5 rider finished ahead of Amalie Dideriksen of Boels-Dolmans in second place, and Alice Barnes (Canyon Sram  Racing) in third.

 

Interview – Pfeiffer Georgi – Stage 1 TdY QoM – Team Jadan Weldtite Tour De Yorkshire 2018 by Cycling Shorts

Pfeiffer Georgi of Team Jadan Weldtite talks to Chris Maher of Cycling Shorts after she takes the QoM podium after Stage 1 of the 2018 Tour de Yorkshire. All content ©www.cyclingshorts.cc

Stage 1 Results

STAGE RESULT
1.     Kirsten Wild (Wiggle High 5) 174 km in 3h28’20’’
2.     Amalie Dideriksen (Boels-Dolmans) s.t
3.     Alice Barnes (Canyon Sram Racing) s.t
OVERALL INDIVIDUAL TIME CLASSIFICATION
1.     Kirsten Wild (Wiggle High 5) 174 km in 3h28’20’’
2.     Amalie Dideriksen (Boels-Dolmans) s.t
3.     Alice Barnes (Canyon Sram Racing) s.t

Kirsten Wild (Wiggle High 5)

Kirsten Wild (Wiggle High 5)

Pfeiffer Georgi (Team Jadan-Weldtite Vive le Velo)

Anna Christian (Trek-Drops)

Asda Women's TdY Preview - Stage 2

The Asda Women’s Tour de Yorkshire concludes with stage 2 on Friday morning.

Chris Maher

Chris Maher

Photographer & Writer

Based in the North East of England; photographer Chris Maher specialises in sports photography with his main interests in Cycling and Super Bikes. Chris has covered sports events from local and national level right up to the Olympics for CyclingShorts.cc.
Website: www.ChrisMaher.co.uk

Anna Magrath

Anna Magrath

Editor & Writer

Anna Magrath founded CyclingShorts.cc in 2008 and invited some of her cycling friends; coaches, photographers, writers and pro cyclists of different disciplines to join her, bringing you all things cycling related.

Over the years Anna has supported grass roots cycling events, riders and teams. Anna has a particular interest in Track, Road, womens cycling, recreational cycling and cycling related art. She has reported from the top cycle races on the world calendar including the Tour de France, Olympics, World Cups & World Championships.

Want to get involved? Why not get in touch.

CyclingShorts.cc are official sponsors of The Racing Chance Foundation, Team22 WRTTeam Jadan and cyclists Amy Gornall & Fraser Martin.

Lars Boom retains OVO Energy Green Jersey in Cheltenham

Lars Boom retained the overall lead of the OVO Energy Tour of Britain heading into the final day to Cardiff, surviving an explosive day of racing through the Cotswolds to Cheltenham as his teammate Dylan Groenewegen took the stage win.

Groenewegen outsprinted triple stage winner Caleb Ewan and Brenton Jones but it was only thanks to the hard work of his Lotto NL Jumbo team that the race had come back together for the sprint alongside Cheltenham’s Imperial Gardens having resisted attacks from general classification contenders Tony Martin, Alex Dowsett, Edvald Boasson Hagen among others, the latter of whom was caught within the final 1,500-metres.

The stage was very hard but I survived it. It was a little bit freestyle sprint so I used Caleb Ewan’s wheel and Gaviria’s.

He [Ewan] is in great form so it’s really good that I could beat him.  After the Tour de France I was a little bit tired, but I think the form is good so it’s good for morale.

Dylan Groenewegen

Winner Stage 7 - OVO Tour of Britain, Team Lotto.Nl - Jumbo

After a start under clear blue skies in Hemel Hempstead, the race exploded into life – as did the rain clouds – with an aggressive start to the stage and Cannondale Drapac in particular making several attempts to put riders up the road.

In the end two groups of three riders went away, but with neither a threat to the overall they were allowed to merge and build a four-minute plus lead, with Jacob Scott extending his SKODA King of the Mountains lead as a result.

With the race entering the Cotwolds and the gap just over the three minute mark, Tiago Machado sparked the attacking, going clear of the peloton but not quite making it to the leading six.

Behind him a strong five-rider group made an attempt to work their way across, including his Katusha Alpecin teammate Reto Hollenstein, Michal Kwiatkowski, Sylvian Diller, Ryan Mullen and Dowsett.  The five got 30-seconds clear of the peloton, but with Lotto NL Jumbo alert to the threat to Boom’s lead began to work hard bringing the whole race back together.

This immediately spurred another Katusha Alpecin into action, with World Time Trial Champion Tony Martin driving clear in heavy rain on an impressive, and sustained, solo effort, but one that was ultimately doomed under the Lotto pressure.

With everyone back together the intermediate Eisberg Sprint at Winchcombe became the new general classification battleground, with BMC’s Stefan Küng grabbing the bonus seconds to elevate him into second overall – between Boom and teammate Victor Campenaerts – while Mark McNally took two points to leap him over Graham Briggs and into the Eisberg Sprints jersey.

On the day’s final SKODA King of the Mountains climb at Cleeve Hill, topping out with less than 10-kilometres remaining five riders went clear including former winners Boasson Hagen and Dylan Van Baarle.

Van Baarle then crashed out on the descent, obstructing Laurens De Plus and leaving Dion Smith, Gorka Izagirre and Boasson Hagen out front.  With the teams of the sprinters sensing the chance of success again – that earlier in the day had seemed highly unlikely – they came to the front on the final five kilometres in Cheltenham, reeling the trio in just before the final kilometre arch.

Interview – Dylan Groenewegen – Winner Stage 7 – OVO Tour of Britain 2017 by Cycling Shorts

Team Lotto.Nl – Jumbo rider Dylan Groenewegen; winner of stage 7 of the OVO Tour of Britain 2017 talks to the media after his victory. All content & Images ©www.CyclingShorts.cc | wwwchrismaher.co.uk

It was quite a hectic start but we controlled it quite well. It was a good situation for us [praising the work throughout the day of this team], Gijs van Hoecke and Primoz Roglic controlled the bunch quite well.

We never had any problems except a small problem with 30, 40 kilometres to go when the group with Dowsett and Kwiato went. I did not react straightaway and Campenaerts had to pull on the front.

There was a small breakaway with Boasson Hagen, which was a bit critical, but I went full downhill to try and keep the gap as small as possible and then the sprinters teams took over.

The main goal was to not allow Boasson Hagen and Kwiato to take seconds as tomorrow if you take all of the seconds – there are 19-seconds in total available if you’re lucky.  But now we are a little bit more comfortable so it’ll be a good day tomorrow.

Lars Boom

Green Jersey Holder after Stage 7, Team Lotto.Nl - Jumbo

Interview – Lars Boom Green Jersey holder after Stage 7 – OVO Tour of Britain 2017 by Cycling Shorts

Lars Boom of Team Lotto.Nl – Jumbo talks to the media after retaining the Green Jersey (GC) after Stage 7 of the OVO Tour of Britain 2017. All content & Images ©www.CyclingShorts.cc | www.chrismaher.co.uk

Heading towards Wales and the final stage Boom leads overall by eight-seconds from Küng, with teammate Campenaerts and Vasil Kiryienka each a further second behind.  Geraint Thomas is the best placed Brit and leader of the Adnams classification heading to his home city of Cardiff in ninth, 20-seconds back.

For full results and standings from Stage Seven, please click here.

 

The final stage of the OVO Energy Tour of Britain sees the peloton racing from Worcester to Cardiff, heading through Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Monmouthshire and Newport before the finish on King Edward VII Avenue in Cardiff.  The 180-kilometre stage begins at 11:00, with live coverage on ITV4 from 10:45 and concludes with three-laps of a city centre circuit in Cardiff taking in the city’s most iconic sights.

Highlights from the sixth stage of the OVO Energy Tour of Britain will be on ITV4 at 8pm on Saturday evening (9 September) with a repeat the following morning.

 

Stage Eight Sunday 10 September Worcester to Cardiff 180km
Chris Maher

Chris Maher

Photographer & Writer

Based in the North East of England; photographer Chris Maher specialises in sports photography with his main interests in Cycling and Super Bikes. Chris has covered sports events from local and national level right up to the Olympics for CyclingShorts.cc.
Website: www.ChrisMaher.co.uk

Anna Magrath

Anna Magrath

Editor & Writer

Anna Magrath founded CyclingShorts.cc in 2008 and invited some of her cycling friends; coaches, photographers, writers and pro cyclists of different disciplines to join her, bringing you all things cycling related.

Over the years Anna has supported grass roots cycling events, riders and teams. Anna has a particular interest in Track, Road, womens cycling, recreational cycling and cycling related art. She has reported from the top cycle races on the world calendar including the Tour de France, Olympics, World Cups & World Championships.

Want to get involved? Why not get in touch.

CyclingShorts.cc are official sponsors of The Racing Chance Foundation, Team22 WRTTeam Jadan and cyclists Amy Gornall & Fraser Martin.

Caleb Ewan completes hattrick of OVO Energy Tour of Britain stage wins

All images ©SW Pix

Caleb Ewan completed a hattrick of stage wins in the 2017 OVO Energy Tour of Britain, sprinting to victory in Aldeburgh on the Suffolk coast at the end of Stage Six, as Lars Boom finished safely within the pack to retain his overall lead and the OVO Energy Green Jersey.

Ewan hit the front coming out of the final corner, swinging off Maximiliano Richeze’s wheel to power comfortably to the line to add to his wins in Kelso and Scunthorpe.

Fernando Gaviria took second after his lead out was disrupted as Zdenek Stybar pulled his foot out of the pedal through the final corner, while Dylan Groenewegen took third, and with it the final bonus seconds to further help protect his Lotto NL Jumbo teammate Boom’s lead.

Stybar had led into the final right-hander, but took a tighter line and then unclipped, taking Ewan’s teammate Luka Mezgec wide, but at the same time opening the run onto the finish straight for the explosive power of the young Orica Scott man.

We got information that the final corner was very tight and a little bit off camber as well so we wanted to be in a good position there. I was pretty much in a perfect position exactly where I wanted to be then one of the Quick-Step guys went through the corner and took a really bad line, he unclipped and pushed my lead out man Luka out and I lost him through the corner.  I decided I’d just go for it there and it was a little bit longer sprint than I hoped for, but luckily it paid off.

I came here with this as a target race for the back of the season for me and training’s been going well.  I did want to come here in good form so I couldn’t be happier with how it’s started.

Caleb Ewan

Winner Stage 6 - OVO Tour of Britain 2017, Team Orica-Scott

Behind the leading trio Alexander Kristoff and Andrea Pasqualon took fourth and fifth, while there was another top ten finish for JLT Condor’s Brenton Jones in sixth.

The day’s seven rider break took a while to be established in what was the fastest opening hour to any of the five road stages this year, but with Hayden McCormick and James Shaw within the group and both just over a minute down on Boom, their advantage was never allowed to exceed three-minutes.

The break worked well together but unfortunately it was three kilometres too far for us today.

There was a slight glimmer of hope about 15-kilometres to go, they came past with the board showing 1’35” and I thought this is going to be a close one.  They came past us with three-kilometres to go, they must’ve really put the hammer down.

James Shaw

Shaw’s reward for his efforts was a trip to the podium for the HIGH5 Combativity Award, while ONE Pro Cycling’s McCormick moved up three places in the overall to inside the top 30 thanks to bonus seconds collected.

With fourth on the stage Alexander Kristoff of Team Katusha Alpecin moves into the lead of the Wiggle Points Jersey by eight points over Gaviria while Geraint Thomas remains the best placed Brit overall and leader of the Adnams classification, sponsored by the Suffolk brewer.

Both the SKODA King of the Mountains and Eisberg Sprints Jerseys remain on the shoulders of Jacob Scott (An Post Chain Reaction) and Graham Briggs (JLT Condor) respectively going into the penultimate stage.

Briggs lies just one point behind Scott in the climber’s category, with Lukasz Owsian a further four points behind.  The JLT Condor man has just a one point advantage over Mark McNally in the Eisberg Sprints category, sponsored by alcohol free wine brand Eisberg.

For full results and standings from Stage Six, please click here.

Stage Seven of the OVO Energy Tour of Britain crosses Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire as the race heads west from Hemel Hempstead in the borough of Dacorum to Cheltenham for a finish alongside Imperial Gardens. The 185-kilometre stage begins at 11:00, with live coverage on ITV4 from 10:45.
 
Highlights from the sixth stage of the OVO Energy Tour of Britain will be on ITV4 at 8pm on Friday evening (8 September) with a repeat the following morning.

Stage Seven Saturday 9 September Hemel Hempstead to Cheltenham 185km
Stage Eight Sunday 10 September Worcester to Cardiff 180km

 

Anna Magrath

Anna Magrath

Editor & Writer

Anna Magrath founded CyclingShorts.cc in 2008 and invited some of her cycling friends; coaches, photographers, writers and pro cyclists of different disciplines to join her, bringing you all things cycling related.

Over the years Anna has supported grass roots cycling events, riders and teams. Anna has a particular interest in Track, Road, womens cycling, recreational cycling and cycling related art. She has reported from the top cycle races on the world calendar including the Tour de France, Olympics, World Cups & World Championships.

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