by Anna Magrath | Aug 9, 2014
Team Wiggle Honda retained the Prudential RideLondon Grand Prix title this evening thanks to Giorgia Bronzini who pipped the world and Olympic road race champion Marianne Vos in a thrilling sprint finish on The Mall in central London at the end of the greatest women’s criterium ever held in the UK.
The Italian timed her effort to perfection to snatch victory by less than a quarter of a wheel over the Dutchwoman who won Olympic gold on the same street two years ago.
Vos led off the final corner from Horse Guards Parade at the end of 15 laps of the 1.3-mile circuit around St James’s Park, but Bronzini was dragged into contention by her teammates Laura Trott and Peta Mullens, and launched herself to the line alongside the world number one.
Bronzini threw her arms in the air and Vos stretched out her hand in congratulations, but it was so close that at first the announcers weren’t sure who would get the verdict.
When the result was confirmed, Bronzini beamed with delight, relieved that she had made amends for her last appearance in London when her chances of an Olympic medal were ruined by a flat tyre.
“That felt so good,” said Bronzini [a former world champion] who celebrated her 31st birthday last Sunday. “Any time you beat Marianne in a sprint you know you’re going to win.”
Twelve months ago it was Trott who snatched victory for Wiggle Honda, but this time the 22-year-old Londoner played a supporting role, aiding Bronzini’s last-lap bid for the line, an effort the Italian was swift to acknowledge after the race.
“In the middle of the race I asked my teammates to make it hard and put in attacks to take the sting from Vos,” said Bronzini.
“What I did today was because of the support of my team.”“I think we made her tired by attacking as a team. That was our tactic today, and in the end it was a great sprint into a headwind.”
“She was ahead until 100 metres to go when I passed her, but she came back and I had to push hard in the final 50 and lunge for the line.”
“The last time I was here for the Olympics it was not a good day, so this time I wanted to win badly. It is so amazing to win here in such a historic city and in front of these amazing buildings.”
“I really like racing in the sun, and today was a beautiful day.”
Vos had come to London in great form after winning the Women’s Tour of Britain in May and the La Course race for women at the Tour de France last month. Wearing number one on her jersey, the team Rabo Liv rider was the pre-race favourite and looked a certain winner when she kicked off the final bend at the head of a large bunch, but later admitted that she couldn’t respond to Wiggle Honda’s determined teamwork.
“It was a hard race with a lot of breaks,” agreed the much-medalled 27-year-old. “On the last lap I was in the right position but you never know in a bunch sprint and I just couldn’t hold it at the end. I launched my attack early, maybe too early, but I am happy with second.”
“Today Giorgia was faster on the line. I knew I couldn’t make any mistakes so it was always going to be close. At the end she was just very fast.”
“It was so amazing to race here again, especially in such a great race,” she added. “To be part of a criterium with all the world’s top riders was an amazing feeling.”
Behind the two tearaway leaders, Lizzie Armitstead stole third place for Boels Dolmans from Eileen Roe of Starley Primal Pro Cycling as Trott took fifth ahead of her arch rival, Hannah Barnes of UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling, last year’s runner-up.
Many had predicted Armitstead would be Vos’s closest rival, but the Briton admitted she was happy with third just a week after winning the Comonwealth Games road race gold in Glasgow.
“I had not really prepared for this because I’ve been concentrating on road races,” said the 26-year-old from Yorkshire. “For me it was not about winning today but about having some fun.”
The first day of the world’s greatest festival of cycling came to a fitting end with two criterium races for youth riders, the next generation of cycling champions racing over the same iconic course as the pros.
Ethan Hayter produced an impressive home win in the boys’ race for London, winning a sprint finish ahead of the South region’s Alex Joliffe after what he described as the perfect lead-out from his teammates.
“That was the greatest win of my life,” said the 15-year-old from the VCL club. “I didn’t expect to win because I wasn’t feeling that well but I knew if we worked it out I would have a chance.”
“It was great to race on these streets though. It was so noisy with loads of people all the way round the course.”
Tom Pidcock from Yorkshire was third.
Sophie Capewell from the West Midlands came out on top after a dramatic end to the girls’ race, the 15-year-old edging out Eleanor Dickinson from the North West by centimetres on the line with another North West rider, Henrietta Colborne, third.
“I loved the ride,” said Capewell, a member of the Lichfield City Cycling club. “It was a massive opportunity to come down here and race on The Mall where so many great champions have raced before.”
“It was a tough race with a lot of good girls in it. It was very fast but I felt quite strong at the end. The roar from the crowds was amazing pushing us on and when I saw the finish I just went for it.”
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.
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.
by Chris Maher | Jul 19, 2014
The inaugural Women’s Circuit Race around the cobbled circuit of Beverley Town Centre got underway, thanks to local sponsor Jadan Press of Hull.
Around twenty four women took to the start-line on an idyllic summers evening. The crowds swelling, and a couple of sighting laps brought them quickly around to a rolling start, flagged away by Jadan Press owner Pam Wainman.
The pace picked up sharply and several of the girls including Team Jadan’s Olivia Tomlinson found themselves out of the back.
Setting the pace, out front, was Team GBCycles Iona Sewell, who gained a few seconds in the early stages of the race. Eleven girls were left in the chasing group, and Team GBCycles had another three teammates in-there for support.
Team Jadan’s Sam Thoy and Victoria Hood had both made the move along with Flora Gillies, Sinead Burke and Ruth Taylor to name a few, but the pace was too high for Victoria, having rode the previous night. The persistent pacing had also been too high for another Team Jadan rider; Annabel Sill was dropped into a smaller group.
The pressure was kept up by Team GBCycles who had closed the gap bizarrely, but team-mate Brit Tate had taken over the pace setting, and now had a six second lead. The group shed a few more girls, and were beginning to lap back markers.
Tate increased her lead to thirteen seconds, where fellow team-mates had left her hanging out with thirteen laps left to race.
A couple of digs were made to bridge the gap by several of the other riders including Team Jadan Sam Thoy, but nothing seemed to work.
Approaching seven laps remaining, Team GBCycles once again rode hard on the front and Tate found herself back in the bunch.
With only a couple of laps left to ride GBCycles again increased the pace on the front, where three members broke free, but Iona Sewell once again rode away from the group.
As the bell lap approached, Sewell had put over twenty seconds between herself and the chasers.
An easy win then for Team GBCycles Iona Sewell, that had left the remaining girls sprinting for the final podium places.
With prize offerings all the way down to fifteenth place, it was Flora Gillies, Speg – Project 51 who took second place marginally from Brit Tate, Team GBCycles who had recovered sufficiently to contest it.
I asked Sam Thoy, Team Jadan about how the race unfolded for her. She said: ” It was a good race and there was a great turn out. The girls had come out to race, so it was competitive.”
“I was expecting to take it steady for a couple of laps, but it was a hot race from the start, after one lap the girls were chasing down. The break went sooner than I thought. I had a couple of goes at bridging the gap but they didn’t hold. We were gaining, but it ended up being a race within a race in the chasing pack.”
Race Winner Iona Sewell said, “We though we would set the pace high from early on, and keep in control. We had strength in numbers, so when Brit went off early, we left her hanging out there for a bit.”
Results
- Iona Sewell – Team GBCycles
- Flora Gillies – Speg – Project 51
- Brit Tate – Team GBCycles
- Charlotte Colclough – Sleaford Wheelers CC
- Karen Poole – Team GBCycles
- Sam Thoy – Team Jadan
- Ruth Taylor – Manchester Wheelers
- Nicola Moore – Squadra RT
- Sinead Burke – PH MAS Cycling
- Jessica O’Brien – RST Racing
Full results TBC
Results by British Cycling
My photos are regularly updated on https://www.flickr.com/photos/23913935@N07/
by Chris Maher | Jul 12, 2014
All images ©chrismaher.co.uk
Round Two of the British Cycling Elite Circuit Race Series
Pre Race
Round two of the British Cycling Elite Circuit Race Series returned to the Stockton Cycling Festival for the forth year.
Part of a whole weekend of cycling activities, The Elite Circuit Race starts on the Friday Evening around the High Street in Stockton-On-Tees. The Saturday has a number of Sportive Rides that suit most abilities. On Sunday, The Sky Ride runs in conjunction with the Elite Road Series Velo29-Altura Grand Prix. The Grand Prix Series is the second half of the British Cycling calendar, and the Velo29 Altura Stockton Grand Prix resumes the racing season after the National Championships.
Round one of the Elite Circuit Series was held in Otley prior to the Le Tour Yorkshire Grand Depart. Combining a Women’s Event that was won by local girl Lizzie Armitstead (Boels Dolmans), Several Youth & Novice Races, and finishing the evening with Round One of the Elite Circuit Race Series that Adam Blythe (NFTO Pro Cycling) won. Over 10000 spectators lined the course in a carnival atmosphere, and Tour de France Director Christian Prudhomme and Tour de France Legend Bernard Hinault watched the nights racing.
In-between the first two rounds of the Circuit Series, the National Circuit Championships were held in Hull, mid-week. Adam Blythe (NFTO Pro Cycling) went on to win the National Jersey, whilst Eileen Roe (Starley Primal Pro Cycling) took the Women’s Jersey.
Adam Blythe wasn’t down to ride the race tonight, nor second place man Ed Clancy (Rapha Condor JLT) but last years winner here in Stockton, George Atkins (Team Raleigh) is looking to defend his win.
Race
George Atkins out sprints Scott Thwaites (NetApp Endura) to secure his second win in a row here in Stockton. Winning by a bikes length, the evening had started off with a delay from the previous race.
Team Raleigh were the dominant force, but that didn’t stop the other riders from trying to make a break.
The course had been modified from the previous race, cut short, but additional laps were added.
With early breaks from Alex Blain (Team Raleigh) Matt Cronshaw (Velosure Giordana), Dean Downing (NFTO Pro Cycling) and David Lines (Starley Primal Pro Cycling) nothing seem to stick.
Ian Wilkinson, Matthew Boulo and Alex Blains (Team Raleigh) all had a go on the front, but in the later stages, it was Richard Handley (Rapha Condor JLT) that seemed to get the furthest ahead.
As the final few laps were approaching, the leading group were lapping the back riders, and in the final few corners towards the finish line, Hadley took a longer route around these stragglers to come in forth for the sprint. Dean Downing who rode a solid race throughout lead the group in for third position. Whilst the first local rider was Alex Bottomley (Wheelbase Altura) who came in further down on the night.
Result
- George AtkinsTeam Raleigh
- Scott ThwaitesNetApp Endura
- Dean DowningNFTO Pro Cycling
- Richard HandleyRapha Condor JLT
- Alex BlainTeam Raleigh
- David LinesStarley Primal Pro Cycling
- Matt CronshawVelosure Giordana
- Alex PatonPedal Heaven Colbornes RT
- Gruffudd LewisPedal Heaven Colbornes RT
- Matthieu BouloTeam Raleigh
Standings TBC after round two.
Series Rounds
Otley GP
Stockton Velo29-Altura Town Centre Races
Colne Grand Prix
Beverley Grand Prix
Sheffield Grand Prix
Wales Open Criterium
British Cycling Elite Circuit Series Home Page
My photos are regularly updated on https://www.flickr.com/photos/23913935@N07/
by Anna Magrath | Jul 6, 2014
Team Sky’s Geraint Thomas talks post stage 2 of the Tour de France in Sheffield about the new danger to cyclist… selfies!
Image ©Chris Maher / CyclingShorts.cc
by Anna Magrath | Jul 6, 2014
Chris Froome talks to us post stage 2 at Sheffield Tour de France
Image ©Chris Maher / CyclingShorts.cc
“In the middle of the race I asked my teammates to make it hard and put in attacks to take the sting from Vos,” said Bronzini. “What I did today was because of the support of my team.”
Behind the two tearaway leaders, Lizzie Armitstead stole third place for Boels Dolmans from Eileen Roe of Starley Primal Pro Cycling as Trott took fifth ahead of her arch rival, Hannah Barnes of UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling, last year’s runner-up.
You must be logged in to post a comment.