by Anna Magrath | Mar 23, 2016
Lizzie Armitstead – British Cycling National Road Race Championships 2015 ©www.chrismaher.co.uk / CyclingShorts.cc
- Asda unveiled as the title sponsor of the hugely expanded event
- There will be full TV coverage of the race
- Organisers have secured a prize fund of over £50,000 (€63,623), making this the most lucrative race in the world
- UCI ranking means a mix of international and domestic teams will compete
Yorkshire’s own World Champion Lizzie Armitstead is the first rider to announce she will compete in the Asda Women’s Tour de Yorkshire on Saturday 30 April.
The race has secured title sponsorship with Asda supermarkets and will take place on exactly the same course as the men’s race being held later that day, on a 135km route from Otley to Doncaster.
Race organisers Welcome to Yorkshire and A.S.O have also announced that the prize fund makes it the most lucrative women’s cycle race in the world, with a total of £50,000 on offer to individuals and teams.
The first prize for this one day race will be £15,000, second will be £10,000 and third, £5,000, with prize money down to 20th place.
Otley born Armitstead, who currently tops the women’s world rankings after a series of impressive wins in the season so far, said:
“The Asda Tour de Yorkshire Women’s race will be my first race in the UK in my World Champions jersey and it’s an absolute dream to be starting in my home town.”
Speaking of the sponsorship and reasons to support women’s racing, Andy Clarke, Asda President and CEO said:
“It’s a privilege to be supporting the Tour de Yorkshire women’s race and helping to raise the profile of women’s sports. In 2014 Asda was the official partner of the Tour Makers for the Yorkshire Grand Départ, which was a resounding success. We’re incredibly proud of our Yorkshire roots and wanted to remain part of this exciting legacy that works to bring communities together in celebration of an amazing sport set against the backdrop of an unbeatable county.”
The series of announcements continued today with news that the Asda Women’s Tour de Yorkshire will be broadcast live, on ITV4 and Eurosport.
Sir Gary Verity, Chief Executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, said:
“Today is a hugely significant milestone for women’s racing. We’ve come good on our promise to expand the women’s race and rather than rest at bringing parity in terms of the men’s route and broadcast coverage, we’ve gone further to offer the world’s most lucrative prize fund.
“Together with our sponsors, we’re bringing women’s racing the respect it deserves and I can think of no better way to start our race in Otley than with our very own World Champion on the start line.”
The Asda Women’s Tour de Yorkshire Race will see a ceromial start at 8.15am in Otley before the race begins at 8.30am. The riders are expected to finish between 11.59am and 12.22pm in Doncaster.
Teams for both the men’s and women’s races were also unveiled in York today.
As the women’s race is ranked 1.2 by the world governing body, UCI, it has been able to attract some of the world’s best riders as well as domestic teams. Armitstead will race with the Great Britain Cycling Team.
Race timings were announced last week for the TDY 2016 you can download them below:
Further sponsors will be unveiled in the coming weeks.
by Anna Magrath | Mar 20, 2016
©www.amwphotography.co.uk
Team Ford Ecoboost are proud to announce the KALAS Sportswear will be the team’s clothing partner for 2016. KALAS have been working closely with the team to produce a striking blue and orange design thats takes elements from Ford’s racing heritage and coupled with the latest materials has delivered a design that stands out in the peloton. The team have been issued a complete range of race and leisure wear that will ensure they can perform to the top of their game whatever the British weather can throw at them.
Team Manager Nick Yarworth
“I first looked at the KALAS range back in September at the Cycling Show at the NEC. I was impressed with the KALAS women’s collection, the variety, the technology used and of course the quality of the product . KALAS have been very helpful from the start, guiding us through the design phase through to the selection of garments. As a team manager I really could not asked for more”.
Team Captain and current National Criterium Champion Nikki Juniper.
“I’m really pleased that we will be using KALAS this year. The company have a great reputation in the industry and their Women’s range is second to none. It was obvious to us that their women’s range was not an afterthought and they have spent a significant amount of time developing that range of products. Its good to see an equal selection of both Women’s and Men’s kit”.
KALAS UK Manager Andrew Crocker
“KALAS have been around for 25 years, however 2016 promises to be our most exciting year to date, both in the UK and across the globe. Being involved with such a talented team of dedicated riders is a privilege. Its great to see a blue chip company such as Ford taking the opportunity to use cycle sport as a vehicle for promotion. Personally I can not wait to see the team battling in the televised crit series”.
by Anna Magrath | Mar 16, 2016
I have some exciting news…
Our sub Editor Heather Bamforth has been shortlisted for the Ambassador of Women’s Sport Award (#BeAGameChanger Awards 2016) organised by the Women’s Sports Trust. Thanks to all our readers for nominating her. Heather is fighting our corner and flying the banner for women in sport [particularly cycling] and business. Heather is the founder [and trustee] of The Racing Chance Foundation, she is working hard to get women to compete at the grass roots level of cycling while holding down careers, and using the sport to enhance and compliment skill sets that can be utilised in our day to day lives and at work.
The shortlist for 2016 is an extremely strong field, Heather lines up with 6 other women; Judy Murray (Tennis Coach) being the high profile name that jumps out at first glance. They’re joined by, Annie Zaidi (previous winner of the Helen Rollason Award and Muslim Women’s Football Coach), Ebony Rainford-Brent (the first black woman to play Cricket for England, now the first woman to be appointed Director of Surrey County Cricket Club), Liz Dimmock (Founder of Women Ahead), Maureen McGonigle (founder of Scottish Women in Sport), Vicky Huyton (founder of The Female Coaching Network).
I spoke to Heather shortly after she got the news and asked how she felt, “Wow! I’m blown away, it’s great to know so many people support and value what you do. It’s a tough shortlist, but if it helps raise the profile of women’s cycling and the work of my charity; The Racing Chance Foundation, what more would I want? Thank you to everyone to voted for me, I am humbled.”
We’ve got our fingers crossed for Heather in the final. We shall keep you posted!
To learn more about the shortlist and the Women’s Sports Trust visit their website: www.womenssporttrust.com
Twitter: @WomenSportTrust
Follow the #BeAGameChanger on Twitter.
by Holly Seear | Mar 10, 2016
Most riders are obsessed with numbers in this Strava crazy world! We are always checking the data, the power, heart rate, time or speed for a session and obviously physical training is vitally important to becoming a successful road racer, but what about the other elements of racing that are often neglected?
Psychology
Can you manage your emotions, your thoughts, your pre race nerves, your confidence levels?
Professor Steve Peters rose to fame with his Chimp Paradox Mind Model and is credited with much of the success of British riders in the past few years. Mental skills, like physical skills need time and effort to develop, how much time do you spend on them?
Simple things such as positive self talk to increase confidence and maintain focus, focused breathing techniques to control nerves and using imagery to visualise successful performances can make a significant difference.
Confidence also comes from setting SMARTER goals that include process goals. It is wonderful to have a goal of winning a specific race or completing a certain TT in a set time (an outcome goal), but often other factors outside your control influence these goals i.e. who else turns up for the race, how hard they have trained and the weather. You therefore need to set other goals or milestones that contribute to your overall goals for the season, or year. Ones that you are in control of, that will contribute to your long term goals and that you can be proud of achieving i.e. to have increased average cadence by X amount by X date, to have developed an effective warm up protocol by Spring or to have increased threshold power by X watts by X date, to have learnt to corner effectively in a bunch by Summer or to increase speed over a known course by X%. Achieving these milestones will bring confidence as you see your progress.
Pre race I recommend all my riders follow a set routine that works for them, I even ask them to write it down and plan it out along with a list of kit they need. This ensures there are no last minute panics. Using a set pre race routine and set warm up enables a rider to control their anxiety which in case is too much, experts recommend to use cbd hemp flowers.
During a race the mental skill most required is concentration and the ability to remain focussed at all times, a lapse in concentration could result in disaster. Post race it is vital to identify not just the areas for improvement, but all the things that went well. Try identifying 10 things that you did well each race i.e. did you complete a successful warm up, did you start in a good position, did you maintain a good position in the bunch, where you aware of the attacks, did you find a safe wheel to follow, did you hydrate well etc etc. Look for the positives; this is where confidence comes from! Always following the same process allows an athlete to get into the racing mindset. The British Cycling 20 minute warm is perfect for most events.
Technical Skills
Racing Skills Session for 700cc at Hillingdon Cycle Circuit
Last year the Surrey League took the decision to make it compulsory for riders to attend two accredited race training sessions if they were planning to race in the league as a novice/Cat 4 racer. This year the South East Road Race League has done the same and it seems likely that other race organisers will follow suit.
These sessions cover a variety of technical skills for racing before progressing to some tactical skills including mock racing which is followed by a classroom session to discuss racing and training.
Having run a few of these sessions now, including some women’s only sessions, I truly believe riders at all levels can benefit from them. In the outside session we build the confidence to ride in close proximity to other riders, leaning on other riders, touching other riders, being in a bunch and moving through a bunch of riders.
Cornering in a bunch is very different to being cornering solo and being able to choose your line. Sessions like this give the opportunity to practise at speed in a safe environment. British Cycling has a great series of videos called Race Smart including one on Cornering in a Bunch which are well worth a look.
Women Only Session at Redbridge Cycle Circuit
Technique for mass starts and sprint finishes are covered and practised; in a race you only get to do each of these once and they are not the sort of things you should be practising with your mates on the open road! Often the main area for improvement on the mass starts is being able to clip your second foot in quickly without looking down, this is simple to practise on every ride and can make a huge difference to both your confidence on the start line and to the start itself.
All riders enjoy working on their strengths, the things they naturally excel at, but identifying and dedicating time to our weaknesses will pay dividends come race day!
The Sprint for the Line!
Knowledge really is power; do you know the demands of the races you are targeting? What is the circuit like? Is it a narrow circuit with tight corners, a wide circuit, an open road, is it hilly, where is the start/finish. If you are unable to ride the course or circuit pre race can you look at You Tube footage from previous races, look at Google Earth to get an idea of the layout, ask team mates or club mates what the circuit is like or even ask on social media. This will help you decide what skills you need to focus on most i.e. cornering or starts for town centre crits!
The excellent Race Smart videos cover everything from packing your bag to racing in high winds, but of course there is no substitute for getting out and practising so riders of all levels can benefit from this type of session.
Tactical Skills
Tactical skills are developed with experience, in your first few races really focus on observing the race, who did what, when and why? Where were the attacks? Was this a good place to attack? Did it work? Why? What happened in the race? How did you respond? How did others respond?
Watch other races live or on TV and see if you can work out what riders are doing and why? Observe how different tactics are used by individuals versus teams?
Then try some out! It is difficult to plan precisely, but have a strategy for the race or the course. Will you sit in the bunch and conserve energy as you know your strength is sprinting? Will you attack over the crest of a hill when other riders are easing off? Which attacks will you respond too? Where do attacks commonly happen on this circuit or course?
Early season races that are not your top priority for the year are good place to be brave and try out some tactics and see what might just work for you or your team.
So in 2016 will you develop your mental skills, your technical skills and your tactical skills alongside your physical training? You can bet the winners will be…….
by Hayley Davies | Mar 4, 2016
There’s nothing like taking some new kit out of it’s packaging, the smell of new Lycra setting the cycling taste-buds alive and giving it the initial once-over for new features, technical materials and over-all design.
Like a little girl at Christmas, I was excited and very privileged to open the colourful Drops team issue* long-sleeve thermal jersey designed by their kit sponsor for 2016, Prendas Ciclismo and produced by the well known Santini. My wardrobe is actually pretty bare when it comes to seasonal attire (or embarrassingly shows how much of a fair weather cyclist I am!) so it was particularly welcoming to receive some new winter kit.
Deep pockets for the essentials
Just like the new women’s UCI team, the Drops kit makes a bold statement. Their slogan, #colourtheroad is met enthusiastically by the rainbow stripes, featuring predominantly across the back and accents on the sleeves and on the inside of the collar, one of my favourite features. This is no doubt, down to Prendas’ determination to “ensure that the Drops Cycling Team is the best clothed and best dressed women’s team in the UK, if not Europe”.
On initial trial, the thermal jersey seems thin and I was sceptical as to how warm it would keep me. Although the sun was finally shining on north Devon and willing me out on my bike, it was still a cool 4 – 6 degrees without the wind chill in consideration. But my arms, back and chest didn’t complain once on my 20km ride and the jersey was surprisingly snug. It didn’t “over perform” as I picked up my heart rate on the sharp Devonshire climbs and kept the wind chill on my chest to a minimum as I whizzed down the other side at 65kmph. This is all thanks to the fleece-backed AcquaZero treated fabric which is also welcomingly water repellent, perfect should you be caught out in the schizophrenic English weather!
Like most, the jersey features the standard 3 pockets across the back. These come a lot higher than most jersey’s I’ve tried before. Given my short body and arms, I did think I’d struggle, however once used to the concept, reaching in to grab my phone, a gel or stuff some gloves or my gillet in was done at ease. The zipped mini pocket was also great to store my British Cycling ID and some emergency money, often used for a cheeky hot chocolate on route.
The sleeves, although slightly long on little me, feature elasticated Jacquard bands as does the waist. These were great at reducing movement and keeping the cool air where it belongs; although I personally could do with losing my winter weight for this to fit perfectly, as noted that the kit does come up small, so consider one size up for a comfy fit if you’re looking to buy.
Overall, not only does this kit look great and the design put a smile on faces of those I passed, it performs fantastically in the cold weather too. I can’t wait now, for the warmer, longer days when I can unzip the packing and get exploring in the new summer kit!
Do you want to #colourtheroad and support Drops too? Get your summer kit orders in on Prendas webshop before it races off the shelves.
*Unfortunately the Drops thermal jersey isn’t available to purchase in team colours. However it is available in generic colours and will still work great with the team issue bibs.
*******************
I wore a size Small. I am 5’2 with a 34cm chest.
Pros:
– Performs well in low temperatures yet still breathable
– Looks great
– Roomy pockets and one to keep valuables safe
Cons:
– Waistband is a little restricting – if I went a size bigger the rest of the fit would be too big
– Arms are long… but then I’m short!
Writer
Riding since Feb 2011 Hayley is a 30 year old female who loves adventures. If she’s not on one of her many bikes or in the water on a bodyboard/surfboard, then Hayley is probably out looking for something new to keep the adrenaline pumping!
Website: www.hjdonline.co.uk
by Holly Seear | Feb 18, 2016
….Well maybe Queen of Richmond Park!
Today I rode out with the lovely Alicia Bamford, founder of Queen of the Mountains, a new women’s performance cycling brand launching via Kickstarter.
Queen of the Mountains is building a strong community of female cyclists, with regular rides on Tuesdays in Regents Park, Thursdays in Richmond Park and a variety of Sunday rides with brunch!
This morning’s ride was super social, with everyone chatting and enjoying the winter sun. The ethos of the rides is to welcome all women (and men), of all abilities. No one is left behind and the chat continues over coffee post ride.
Information about the rides can be found on the website where you can sign up for the newsletter for regular ride updates. A longer ride is planned for Mothers Day from Giro Cafe in Esher; what a perfect way for mums to get some me time!
Alicia told me they have adventurous plans for future cycling events to inspire women to challenge themselves.
“We want to inspire women to ride and to climb their own mountain, to set their own challenge and feel that sense of achievement on the way up, as well as at the summit. We’re introducing more women to the beauty, freedom and sense of achievement that comes with cycling.”
I got a sneak preview of the Spring/Summer collection, inspired by Mont Ventoux, which is available for pre-order on the Queen of the Mountains Kickstarter page. There is only 7 days left, so act swiftly if you are keen to be one of the first to wear this stunning kit.
The first range includes beautiful, technical jerseys, shorts, gilets, socks and more, all designed for women. Manufactured in Italy, using performance technical wicking fabrics, the kit is cut specifically for the female body shape in the riding position. It has well thought out features such as a waterproof zipped jersey pocket for your smart phone and no scratchy labels!
We are hoping to get some kit to try out on a ride soon so watch this space……
You can also find Queen of the Mountains on Facebook and Twitter
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