by Chris Maher | Jun 24, 2014
All images ©www.chrismaher.co.uk
Pre Race
Round Five of the Women’s Road Series returned to Northumberland for the third edition of the Curlew Cup. Won initially by Dame Sarah Storey in 2012, then Hannah Barnes in 2013, it follows the course of the Men’s Beaumont Trophy, but usually only on the smaller of the two circuits of Thirteen miles.
This year the Women’s event incorporates one of the larger twenty-two mile circuits that take’s in the double stepped Ryals climb on the last of the four circuits. If the race reaches here in a group, then it’s surely going to be the key point in the race. After the climb, it’s then a flat final run of around four miles to the finish line in Stamfordham.
Race
A sunny 9.15am start for the girls in Stamfordham. Only forty or so riders took to the start line (out of seventy-six registered).
Series Leader Nicola Juniper (Team Echelon) and her closest rival Katie Archibald (Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International) were the focus for the day. No Wiggle Honda ladies present in this round, but still plenty of quality riders from Matrix Fitness Vulpine, Epic Cycles Scott WRT and Velosport Pasta Montegrappa to name but a few.
Team Jadan continue their development with Sam Thoy and Annabel Sill riding the course and the National Series for the first time.
A neutralised first climb out of Stamfordham, saw the girls safely away. Sat on the back where Pearl Izumi’s Katie Archibald & Dame Sarah Storey.
Forty minutes later the group returned and were still all intact. Archibald and (Charline) Joiner headed the group, and series leader Nicola Juniper close at hand.
It was clear that Juniper’s objective was to mark any moves by Archibald, whose Pearl Izumi team mates including Joiner (returning to road racing for the first time since her training accident in Spain), were going to make it hard and use their numbers to control the race. Joiner took the first prime of the race.
On the third climb out of Stamfordham, Epic Cycles started to make a move but nothing really came of it. Joiner once again took the prime.
On the final small lap out of Stamfordham, it was Velosport Pasta Monegrappa’s turn to escape from the group and try and form a working group. But once again they were brought back together. Joiner took the final prime in the race.
Around the backside of the course as the pace increased, the field then began to split, and coming back into Stamfordham for the final large Ryals lap, the group had split in half with smaller pockets of riders trailing behind. This was where the race began to form.
With the main contenders all in the leading group, now down to about twenty, Pearl Izumi began to take control.
As the Ryals approached, the field were reduced further, to around eight riders.
It was Dame Helen Storey that cranked the pace to full gas, for the last run into Stamfordham. This left team-mate and GC contender Archibald a clear path to sprint for the finish line.
Series leader Juniper wasn’t going to let her get away easily and followed her in to a close second. Third on the day went to Matrix Fitness Vulpine’s Jessie Walker, just ahead of both Gemma Neill and Gabby Shaw.
Reflection
Things nearly went horribly wrong for Series Leader Nicola Juniper who’s car broke-down on route, and left her One-Hundred and Fifty miles short of where she wanted to be!
I spoke to Nicola after the race and asked her about her thoughts on the season so far.
She had won the first Series race, the Alexandra Tour of the Reservoir in a two girl sprint, up to the finish line, against Alexi Shaw (Epic Cycles Scott WRT), she had come fourth, in round two; the Cheshire Classic with another climb to the finish.
She spoke about being pleased that she still had the lead. She had done her homework and knew that there was a two point difference between first and second positions, so her objective was to mark her closest rival (Archibald) today. It’s no secret that the Pearl Izumi girls and the Wiggle Honda girls want to use their team tactics to take the overall series, Nicola said they would have to work for it, if that’s what they wanted to do. She was going to chip away at the remaining rounds, but wouldn’t be disappointed if one on the younger girls took away the lead.
She has great admiration for both Katie and Laura, her closest rivals. They’re both “World Class” athletes she pointed out, “They both ride the track, and the road”. “I’m getting older,” she laughed. “As long as I’m riding my bike, I’m quite happy”. And when talking to the other girls about racing, they all show the same passion.
Nicola told me her objectives this year were to do a ten, and a twenty (Time Trial, that is), and the Nocturne that she won a week or so ago! So has good reason to be ‘quite happy’ with things at the moment.
Nicola is down to ride the Otley GP on Wednesday 2nd July for round six. It looks like she will be up against Laura Trott who’s lying third so far, no Katie Archibald on the entry list yet.
There are another five rounds to go in the series, a couple of two-days and a couple of circuit races. The next race in the North here, is the Ryedale GP out of Ampleforth, North Yorkshire, on Sunday 20th July. It includes the National Junior Women’s Road Race Championships.
Nicola Juniper retains her lead in the Women’s Road Race Series after round five, but Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International’s Katie Archibald is closing-in, in second place. Wiggle Honda’s Laura Trott remains in third place.
Race Result
1 Katie Archibald 2:24.35 – Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International
2 Nicola Juniper 0.01 – Team Echelon
3 Jessie Walker 0.01 – Matrix Fitness Vulpine
4 Gemma Neill 0.01 – Un-attached
5 Gabby Shaw 0.01 – Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International
6 Alexi Shaw 0.01 – Epic Cylcles Scott WRT
7 Rebecca Rimmington 0.03 – Merlin Cycles
8 Julie Erskine 0.03 – Velosport
9 Anna Ewing 0.03 – VW Breda
10 Jane Barr 0.03 – Velocity
11 Anna Christian 0.04 – WyndyMilla Reynolds
12 Chloe Frazer 0.04 – Deeside Thistle
13 Emma Grant 0.05 – Tibco
14 Lucy Coldwell 0.05 – Velosport
15 Dame Sarah Storey 0.12 – Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International
16 Hannah Walker 0.52 – Epic Cycles Scott WRT
17 Lauren Creamer 0.52 – Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International
18 Elizabeth Holden 0.53 – RST Racing Team
19 Charline Joiner 0.53 – Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International
20 Eve Dixon 0.53 – Team 22
35 Sam Thoy 15.21 – Team Jadan
36 Annabel Sill 15.21 – Team Jadan
Prime Charline JoinerPearl Izumi Sports Tours International
Ave Speed 32.476 Kph
Women’s Road Race Standings after Round Five
1 Nicola Juniper – 139 – Team Echelon
2 Katie Archibald – 135 – Pearl Izumi-Sports Tours International
3 Laura Trott – 101 – Wiggle Honda
4 Gabriella Shaw – 80 – Pearl Izumi-Sports Tours International
5 Danielle King – 64 – Wiggle Honda
6 Grace Garner – 58 – RST Racing Team
7 Elinor Barker – 55 – Wiggle Honda
8 Lydia Boylan – 50 – Velosport – Pasta Montegrappa
9 Alexie Shaw – 49 – Epic Cycles – Scott WRT
10 Abigail Dentus – 42 – Team de Ver
11 Molly Weaver – 40 – Epic Cycles – Scott WRT
11 Lowri Devey – 40 – Abergavenny RC
13 Megan Barker – 37 – M&D Cycles/Scimitar Sports/Fusion Sports RT
14 Jessie Walker – 36 – Matrix Fitness – Vulpine
15 Jo Tindley – 33 – Matrix Fitness – Vulpine
16 Amy Roberts – 31 – Wiggle Honda
16 Chloe Frazer – 31 – Deeside Thistle
18 Hannah Walker – 29 – Epic Cycles – Scott WRT
19 Hayley Jones – 28 – Pearl Izumi-Sports Tours International
19 Harriet Owen – 28 – Matrix Fitness – Vulpine
19 Rebecca Womersley – 28 – WyndyMilla – Reynolds
19 Anna Christian – 28 – Epic Cycles – Scott WRT
Results by British Cycling
Women’s Road Race Standings TBC
The next round of the Women’s Road Race Series is the Otley GP on Wednesday 2nd July.
by Chris Maher | Jun 16, 2014
Images ©chrismaher.co.uk/Cycling Shorts – photos are regularly updated on flicker.com
Round Four in the Women’s Road Race Series was held in Lancashire. Over a two day period the race was split into three events. A one mile individual time trial prologue, A fourty-five minute criterium and an eighty-one kilometre circuit race.
Wiggle Honda’s Laura Trott won both the individual time trial and the criterium to hold the blue leaders jersey over-night. Pearl Izumi’s Katie Archibald was a close second, followed by RST Racing Team’s Grace Garner in third.
A damp start to the final event brought an early end for several riders in the first couple of circuits. This didn’t affect the top placed girls, and a couple of attacks by Archibald, Storey and Dani King split the peleton into three groups. A mechanical for Storey, saw her drop back from a leading group of around thirty girls by lap five.
The main group remained together for a couple of laps, with Storey maintaining her deficit at around two-twenty, but unable to re-join the leaders.
A chat the evening before amongst the Wiggle girls, had come up with a plan to make a surprise attack from within the group. Mid way through the race, the girls found themselves stuck in the middle, with no-one wanting to attack. So with this game plan in mind they launched a drive up the “Little Rise” on the course. Trott, then King, then Elinor Barker went away from the bunch and this was the decisive move that shaped the final out-come.
Talking to Laura after the race, she said about their game plan, “This is the perfect situation”. “I looked behind an it was just the three of us. I looked behind again and Katie had joined us”. “We just worked then as a Team Pursuit”. “With Dani and Elinor counter attacking (Archibald) all the way to the end, I just got a free ride to the finish”.
The Wiggle Girls then led the race leader into the final sprint for the line, with Archibald chasing them down. Trott had the freshest legs to follow, then lunged for the line, beating Archibald for the third successive time.
Surf & Turf 2Day Final overall.
1 Laura Trott Wiggle Honda 03:00:53
2 Katie Archibald Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International 00:00:12
3 Danielle King Wiggle Honda 00:00:23
4 Elinor Barker Wiggle Honda 00:00:31
5 Grace Garner RST Racing Team 00:02:21
6 Lydia Boylan Velosport – Pasta Montegrappa 00:02:27
7 Nicola Juniper Private Member 00:02:28
8 Jo Tindley Matrix Fitness – Vulpine 00:02:29
9 Megan Barker M and D Cycles/Scimitar Sports/ Fusion Sports RT 00:02:29
10 Rebecca Womersley WyndyMilla – Reynolds 00:02:30
11 Emily Nelson Fusion Development Racing Team 00:02:30
12 Elizabeth Malins Fusion RT Gearclub Bike Science 00:02:30
13 Lauren Creamer Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International 00:02:31
14 Abigail Dentus Team De ver 00:02:31
15 Melissa Lowther Matrix Fitness – Vulpine 00:02:31
16 Gabriella Shaw Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International 00:02:32
17 Lucy Shaw Solihull CC 00:02:32
18 Rebecca Rimmington Merlin Cycles 00:02:33
19 Eve Dixon Team 22 00:02:34
20 Jane Barr Velocity 44 Stirling 00:02:34
Stage two 81 Kms or 13 laps of 6.2 Kms.
1 Laura Trott Wiggle Honda 02:07:08
2 Katie Archibald Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International 02:07:08
3 Danielle King Wiggle Honda 02:07:10
4 Elinor Barker Wiggle Honda 02:07:13
5 Grace Garner RST Racing Team 02:09:08
6 Megan Barker M and D Cycles/Scimitar Sports/ Fusion Sports RT 02:09:08
7 Nicola Juniper Private Member 02:09:08
8 Rebecca Womersley WyndyMilla – Reynolds 02:09:08
9 Abigail Dentus Team De ver 02:09:08
10 Lauren Creamer Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International 02:09:08
Stage one 45 min Criterium.
1 Laura Trott Wiggle Honda 00:51:50
2 Katie Archibald Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International 00:51:55
3 Grace Garner RST Racing Team 00:51:57
4 Danielle King Wiggle Honda 00:52:00
5 Dame Sarah Storey Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International 00:52:00
6 Elinor Barker Wiggle Honda 00:52:00
7 Lydia Boylan Velosport – Pasta Montegrappa 00:52:00
8 Claire Thomas Velosport – Pasta Montegrappa 00:52:00
9 Nicola Juniper Private Member 00:52:00
10 Jo Tindley Matrix Fitness – Vulpine 00:52:00
Prologue Time Trial 1.6Kms.
1 Laura Trott Wiggle Honda 00:02:05
2 Katie Archibald Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International 00:02:07
3 Grace Garner RST Racing Team 00:02:09
4 Danielle King Wiggle Honda 00:02:09
5 Dame Sarah Storey Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International 00:02:10
6 Elinor Barker Wiggle Honda 00:02:11
7 Lydia Boylan Velosport – Pasta Montegrappa 00:02:12
8 Claire Thomas Velosport – Pasta Montegrappa 00:02:13
9 Nicola Juniper Private Member 00:02:13
10 Jo Tindley Matrix Fitness – Vulpine 00:02:14
Results by British Cycling
Women’s Road Race Standings TBC
The next round of the Women’s Road Race Series in the Curlew Cup is in Northumberland on Sunday 22nd June.
by Chris Maher | Jun 16, 2014
Laura Trott talks to Chris Maher about team tactics at the 2014 CDNW Surf & Turf.
Surf & Turf 2Day Final overall.
1 Laura Trott Wiggle Honda 03:00:53
2 Katie Archibald Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International 00:00:12
3 Danielle King Wiggle Honda 00:00:23
4 Elinor Barker Wiggle Honda 00:00:31
5 Grace Garner RST Racing Team 00:02:21
6 Lydia Boylan Velosport – Pasta Montegrappa 00:02:27
7 Nicola Juniper Private Member 00:02:28
8 Jo Tindley Matrix Fitness – Vulpine 00:02:29
9 Megan Barker M and D Cycles/Scimitar Sports/ Fusion Sports RT 00:02:29
10 Rebecca Womersley WyndyMilla – Reynolds 00:02:30
11 Emily Nelson Fusion Development Racing Team 00:02:30
12 Elizabeth Malins Fusion RT Gearclub Bike Science 00:02:30
13 Lauren Creamer Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International 00:02:31
14 Abigail Dentus Team De ver 00:02:31
15 Melissa Lowther Matrix Fitness – Vulpine 00:02:31
16 Gabriella Shaw Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International 00:02:32
17 Lucy Shaw Solihull CC 00:02:32
18 Rebecca Rimmington Merlin Cycles 00:02:33
19 Eve Dixon Team 22 00:02:34
20 Jane Barr Velocity 44 Stirling 00:02:34
Stage two 81 Kms or 13 laps of 6.2 Kms.
1 Laura Trott Wiggle Honda 02:07:08
2 Katie Archibald Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International 02:07:08
3 Danielle King Wiggle Honda 02:07:10
4 Elinor Barker Wiggle Honda 02:07:13
5 Grace Garner RST Racing Team 02:09:08
6 Megan Barker M and D Cycles/Scimitar Sports/ Fusion Sports RT 02:09:08
7 Nicola Juniper Private Member 02:09:08
8 Rebecca Womersley WyndyMilla – Reynolds 02:09:08
9 Abigail Dentus Team De ver 02:09:08
10 Lauren Creamer Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International 02:09:08
Stage one 45 min Criterium.
1 Laura Trott Wiggle Honda 00:51:50
2 Katie Archibald Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International 00:51:55
3 Grace Garner RST Racing Team 00:51:57
4 Danielle King Wiggle Honda 00:52:00
5 Dame Sarah Storey Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International 00:52:00
6 Elinor Barker Wiggle Honda 00:52:00
7 Lydia Boylan Velosport – Pasta Montegrappa 00:52:00
8 Claire Thomas Velosport – Pasta Montegrappa 00:52:00
9 Nicola Juniper Private Member 00:52:00
10 Jo Tindley Matrix Fitness – Vulpine 00:52:00
Prologue Time Trial 1.6Kms.
1 Laura Trott Wiggle Honda 00:02:05
2 Katie Archibald Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International 00:02:07
3 Grace Garner RST Racing Team 00:02:09
4 Danielle King Wiggle Honda 00:02:09
5 Dame Sarah Storey Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International 00:02:10
6 Elinor Barker Wiggle Honda 00:02:11
7 Lydia Boylan Velosport – Pasta Montegrappa 00:02:12
8 Claire Thomas Velosport – Pasta Montegrappa 00:02:13
9 Nicola Juniper Private Member 00:02:13
10 Jo Tindley Matrix Fitness – Vulpine 00:02:14
Results by British Cycling
Women’s Road Race Standings TBC
The next round of the Women’s Road Race Series in the Curlew Cup is in Northumberland on Sunday 22nd June.
by Chris Maher | Jun 2, 2014
All images ©www.chrismaher.co.uk / Cycling Shorts.
Results Women 2/3/4
1. Paige Willmard, bikepure
2. Abby Mae Parkinson, RST Racing
3. Penny Rowson, Matrix Volpine
4. Sam Burman, WNT
5. Lauren O’Brien, RST Racing
6. Rebecca Rimmington, Merlin
7. Sam Thoy, Jadan
8. Alison Kinloch, PH Mas
9. Nicola Moore, Squadra RT
10. Joanne Blakeley, GB Cycles
by Anna Magrath | May 27, 2014
All images ©chrismaher.co.uk / Cycling Shorts.
Mould masters Durham as Raleigh return to podium
Twelve months on and at the same venue as their last team victory, Raleigh returned to the top step of the podium after an impressive Durham showing, but it was Jon Mould’s individual win that took the plaudits.
For the second time in five days the Welsh NFTO rider was involved in a thrilling final sprint with a Rapha Condor JLT rider, but, unlike in Aberystwyth, Mould came out on top, narrowly pipping Graham Briggs for the individual victory, his second of the 2014 Pearl Izumi Tour Series.
The pair had been part of the lead group of riders for much of the race, including perennial Durham favourite Kristian House and Raleigh duo Evan Oliphant and Matthieu Boulo, with all seeming to take their turn off the front at one point or other.
Come the last lap around Durham’s tough South Street circuit it was Mould and Briggs who were left in front, with Mould squeezing past Briggs for the victory, to add to his Round One win in Stoke-on-Trent.
The Newport rider was at the front throughout, winning all three Sprints to extend his lead over Briggs in the Sprints jersey to four points.
But NFTO couldn’t take the team prize, with next best placed rider Josh Hunt down in 16th position, instead it was Raleigh taking the honours thanks to Boulo outsprinting House for third, and Morgan Kniesky in sixth and Oliphant in ninth making sure of the honours.
With Liam Stones just outside the top ten in eleventh is was comfortably the best performance yet for the Heron and enough to give them the win over Rapha Condor JLT.
The men in black, although now far more accustomed to wearing the yellow and red of Pearl Izumi, stretch their Pearl Izumi Tour Series lead to 10-points overall as Madison Genesis had an evening to forget. Kiwi duo Mike Northey and Tom Scully took eighth and twelfth, but their all-important third counting rider was Tobyn Horton, way down in 39th.
As a result Madison Genesis finished sixth on the night as several other teams enjoyed their best performances of the 2014 season.
There was also further success for the young Great Britain team, with Chris Lawless recording the Costa Express Fastest Lap, early on in proceedings.
Highlights of the Durham round are on ITV4 at 10pm on Wednesday 28th May, with a repeat at 6.55am on Thursday 29th May.
Round Six sees The Pearl Izumi Tour Series make its debut in Edinburgh on Thursday 29th May, with the Matrix Fitness GP Series also resuming, for Round Three of the women’s events.
The Pearl Izumi Tour Series
Tuesday 27 May 2014, Durham
Round Five Team Result
1) Team Raleigh
2) Rapha Condor JLT
3) Node4 Velosure
4) NFTO Pro Cycling
5) Metaltek Kuota
6) Madison Genesis
7) Starley Primal Pro Cycling
8) Pedal Heaven Colbornes
9) Great Britain
Round Five Individual Result
1) Jon Mould, GBR, NFTO Pro Cycling
2) Graham Briggs, GBR, Rapha Condor JLT
3) Matthieu Boulo, FRA, Team Raleigh
4) Kristian House, GBR, Rapha Condor JLT
5) Marcin Bialoblocki, POL, Node4 Velosure
6) Morgan Kniesky, FRA, Team Raleigh
7) George Harper, GBR, Node4 Velosure
8) Mike Northey, NZL, Madison Genesis
9) Evan Oliphant, GBR, Team Raleigh
10) Steve Lampier, GBR, Node4 Velosure
Round Five Costa Express Fastest Lap: Chris Lawless, GBR, Great Britain,
Round Five Sprint Winner: Jon Mould, GBR, NFTO Pro Cycling
Overall Team Standings, post-Round Five
1) Rapha Condor JLT, 64pts
2) Madison Genesis, 54pts
3) NFTO Pro Cycling, 48pts
4) Team Raleigh, 47pts
5) Node4 Velosure, 34pts
6) Metaltek Kuota, 29pts
7) Great Britain, 27pts
8) Starley Primal Pro Cycling, 22pts
9) Pedal Heaven Colbornes, 17pts
Overall Sprint Standings, post-Round Five
1) Jon Mould, GBR, NFTO Pro Cycling, 44pts
2) Graham Briggs, GBR, Rapha Condor JLT, 40pts
3) Tom Scully, NZL, Madison Genesis, 22pts
by Chris Maher | May 27, 2014
All images ©chrismaher.co.uk / Cycling Shorts.
Women’s 2014 Milk Race Results
1. Katie Archibald, Pearl Izumi Sports Tour International
2. Laura Trott, Wiggle Honda
3. Charlotte Becker, Wiggle Honda
4. Elinor Barker, Wiggle Honda
5. Katie Curtis, Starley Primal Pro Cycling
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