by Anna Magrath | Sep 6, 2015
Elia Viviani of Team Sky wins stage 1 of the Aviva Tour of Britain in a final sprint against Mark Cavendish and Andre Greipel. Elia talks to CyclingShorts.cc and the assembled media after the race.
Elia Viviani of Team Sky wins stage 1 of the Aviva Tour of Britain in a final sprint against Mark Cavendish and Andre Greipel.
Elia talks to CyclingShorts.cc and the assembled media after the race.
by Heather Bamforth | Aug 27, 2015
The Racing Chance Foundation and Team 22 are very pleased to announce a joint venture that will enhance the opportunities available to Under 23 and Junior Women riders within the UK.
A true pathway for success
From 2017, Team 22 will act as the Under 23 and Junior development squad for The Racing Chance Foundation (“Racing Chance”). This will allow Racing Chance to offer a complete development pathway for riders. This pathway will cover and support progression for riders from novice-focused intro- to-racing days and race skills development sessions for more advanced riders, through to a development squad (Team 22). Then beyond that, there will be the opportunity to race overseas through organised racing trips, as introduced and run by Racing Chance in 2015.
(c) Dan Monaghan Photography
Talent identification and development
Within this partnership structure, Team 22 will continue to operate as a separate team and will be supported as it is now through commercial sponsorship, thus ensuring that there is no drain on existing Racing Chance funds. Riders joining Team 22 will be supported through its existing structure of coaching and financial support, but will also have access to the additional opportunities available from Racing Chance. Both Racing Chance and Team 22 are already putting in place a scouting network that will allow us to identify and offer places to some of the brightest young bike racing talent in the UK, providing opportunities to riders not on an existing development pathway.
(c) Dan Monaghan Photography
What does this mean?
Team 22 owner Colin Batchelor says: “This is an amazing opportunity for everyone involved in this partnership. For us, it’ll be great to be part of a true development pathway and the level of support and opportunity we will be able to offer riders is something everyone involved in Team 22 is very excited about.”
Racing Chance Foundation Chair Heather Bamforth says “By creating an alternative road based pathway, we hope to be able to encourage Youth A riders to continue racing once they leave that age category by easing the transition into road racing with the junior and senior women. This development can only be seen as a positive for all people who are keen to see numbers participating increasing, and the Foundation hopes to offer training opportunities for all young women in the junior and under-23 categories regardless of whether they go on to race for Team 22.”
(c) Dan Monaghan Photography
About RacingChanceFoundation.com
The Racing Chance Foundation is a charity registered in England and Wales which was set up in April 2014 to provide an alternative pathway for women in competitive cycling. They focus on road-based events, providing training and racing opportunities from novice through to elite level.
Racing Chance have membership opportunities available, where you can join for £5. They will have a membership area up and running on their website shortly, but in the meantime, they are affiliated with British Cycling, you can sign up here. Not only will you be supporting a charity dedicated to women’s cycling, but the Foundation is also affiliated to Cycling Time Trials and the Manchester & District Ladies Cycling Association for those of you who want to have a go at time trialling but are not sure about what it is all about. So, whether you are already a member of a club or are currently riding on your own, why not sign up today? Men are welcome as much as women! In return you get exclusive access to their members and coaching area on the website (launching shortly), a discount off all purchases in the Racing Chance Shop for the duration of your membership (more benefits to be announced soon). You can also book and attend the charity’s heavily subscribed training events, for details of the latest events click here or why not visit the Racing Chance Foundation shop to purchase some stylish race kit, all profits from sales are put straight back in to the charity to provide more cycling opportunities for members. Even the smallest donation make a huge difference.
The Racing Chance Foundation is a not for profit registered charity: 1156835.
by Chris Maher | Jul 9, 2015
All images ©www.chrismaher.co.uk / CyclingShorts.cc
Bunch Sprint Along The Riverside in Stockton-On-Tees Gives Victory For ONE Pro Cycling’s Chris Opie.
After three and a half hours and ten circuits out of town, the peloton returned for the final six Riverside laps and the conclusion of the fifth Stockton-On-Tees Festival of Cycling Grand Prix.
The race burst into life with one final lap, around four miles remaining, as the long time two man breakaway of NFTO’s Ian Bibby and ONE Pro Cycling’s George Aitkins looked like it would possibly stay away, slowly began to fade.
There was plenty of attacking out on the main course, many of the top riders breaking free, but never got much further than around thirty seconds.
At one point thirteen riders gained some momentum, and all the big teams were represented.
Approaching the final few main laps, Madison Genesis formed on front of the peloton, and the chase got underway.
Heading back into town, it still looked like the two leaders would stay away, having around thirty seconds advantage.
With half the Riverside circuits complete, No-one team had took-up the challenge of finally closing the gap.
An arrowhead formed on the front of the peloton, with JLT Condor leading them along. The gap had been reduced to fifteen seconds.
Team Raleigh GAC’s Evan Oliphant made a bid for a long one with two laps left, but JLT Condor’s Richard Handley marked the move. News came that the leading pair Atkins and Bibby had been caught around the backside of the course.
As the riders returned onto the Riverside Road for the bell lap, the teams once again formed into lead-out trains, battling for position, with George Atkins of ONE Pro Cycling in the front position.
The pace increased significantly, shelling all but the strongest riders.
It wasn’t long before the leaders where back in sight crossing the river for the final push.
Opie took the honors, with NFTO’s Jonny McEvoy taking second. Team Raleigh GAC’s Sam Lowe took third.
Team Raleigh GAC’s Steve Lampier started the race in the leaders red jersey and has extended his lead to one-hundred and twenty-eight points with Team Wiggin’s Andrew Tennant second at seventy-nine points. Third overall a point behind is ONE Pro Cycling’s Yanto Barker.
Raleigh GAC lead the Team Points Standing by a narrow margin from ONE Pro Cycling. NFTO are in third position.
Top Ten Results
1 Chris Opie One Pro Cycling
2 Jonathan McEvoy NFTO
3 Sam Lowe Raleigh GAC
4 Evan Oliphant Raleigh GAC
5 Graham Briggs JLT Condor
6 David McGowan Pedal Heaven RT
7 James Lowsley-Williams NFTO
8 Steve Lampier Raleigh GAC
9 William Bjergfelt SportGrub KUOTA Cycling Team
10 Ian Wilkinson Raleigh GAC
Elite Road Series 2015
Spring Cup
- Chorley GP 04 April 2015
- Tour of the Reservoir Two Day 11-12 April 2015
- Cycle Wiltshire 10 May 2015
Grand Prix Series
- Stafford Kermesse 04 July 2015
- Stockton Festival of Cycling 12 July 2015
- Ryedale GP 19 July 2015
- Grand Prix of Wales 09 August 2015
- Leicester Castle Classic Kermesse 16 August 2015
Full Results can be found on British Cycling Website
Stockton-On-Tees has put a successful bid in for the 2016 National Road Race Championships. Further details will be released in the near future.
My photos are regularly updated on https://www.flickr.com/photos/23913935@N07/
by Chris Maher | Jun 29, 2015
Peter Kennaugh and Lizzie Armitstead took the road race titles at today’s British Cycling National Road Championships in Lincolnshire.
Peter Kennaugh took his second successive British men’s road title in a remarkable race while Lizzie Armitstead delivered a stunning solo effort to win the women’s title.
Team Sky’s Kennaugh finally distanced a courageous Mark Cavendish on the ninth and final climb of Michaelgate in Lincoln. Ian Stannard completed the podium behind Cavendish.
After crosswinds saw the peloton ripped apart in the early stages, Kennaugh and Team Sky colleague Stannard escaped leaving Mark Cavendish, Luke Rowe, Scott Thwaites and Adam Blythe in pursuit.
Thwaites and Blythe dropped back before Luke Rowe decided to work with Cavendish to shut down the gap on his Team Sky associates with only three laps remaining.
They cut down the 40-second gap on the duo and bridged on Michaelgate – the eighth of nine ascents of the cobbles.
On the final 13-kilometre lap Stannard burst free but was caught before Kennaugh and Cavendish accelerated away leaving Rowe and 2012 champion Stannard to contest bronze.
It was fittingly left for the final climb of Michaelgate for the title to be decided and although Cavendish kept with Kennaugh the 26-year-old eventually pulled away to become the first British male to win back-to-back road titles since Roger Hammond in 2003 and 2004.
Team Wiggins’ Owain Doull impressed to finish seventh and with it take the under-23 men’s championship.
“The atmosphere is incredible and something I’ll never forget,” Kennaugh said.
“Obviously last year it meant everything – it was the first time – I’d been on the podium about four times before that so I really enjoyed this last year.
“I’m over the moon just to stay in white with my white bike and my white accessories!
“It means a lot to me and it gives you that extra motivation with that added pressure of carrying the jersey in the pro peloton – you can’t just get away with sitting at the back and stuff. You’re easily spotted.
“It’s good for the motivation – it’s good for the morale going forward for the rest of the year.”
Armitstead won her third British road title – after victories in 2011 and 2013 – with a solo attack on the penultimate climb of the famous Michaelgate. Alice Barnes, just 19 years of age, was second with Laura Trott third.
No rider was able to match Armitstead’s effort on the fourth of five times up the cobbled climb and the Boels Dolmans Cycling Team rider completed the last lap alone before crossing the finish line to the backdrop of Lincoln Cathedral.
“It means I get to be proud of being British in all the races that I do,” Armitstead said of being able to wear the British champion’s jersey.
“It means a lot – it means new kit for a start! I go to the Giro on Friday so it will be a quick turnaround for them.
“I had some good people around me before the start who told me to believe in myself and I listened.
“It was a difficult race. The longer the race went on the better I started to feel.”
Team Betch NL Superior-Brentjens rider Alice Barnes took a superb second, in her first elite road championships, to win the under-23 women’s champion title with defending champion Laura Trott, of Matrix Fitness, third.
While Armitstead savoured the win, behind her the race for silver and bronze came down to the final corners as Alice Barnes showed her huge potential in holding off the challenge of defending champion Laura Trott.
Full results from the women’s race can be found here and from the men’s race here.
Highlights of the championships will be broadcast on ITV4 at 6pm on Monday 29 June.
Women’s Top Ten
1 Lizzie Armitstead 02.51.14
2 Alice Barnes U23 @1.52
3 Laura Trott
4 Molly Weaver U23
5 Nikki Harris @2.01
6 Katie Archibald U23
7 Hannah Barnes U23
8 Lucy Coldwell
9 Sharon Laws
10 Hayley Simmonds
Men Top Ten
1 Peter Kennaugh 04.27.33
2 Mark Cavendish MBE @0.05
3 Ian Stannard @0.39
4 Luke Rowe
5 Scott Thwaites @3.00
6 Adam Blythe
7 Owain Doull U23 @6.29
8 Yanto Barker
9 Steve Lampier
10 Jonathon Mould
15 Sam Lowe U23 @8.26
18 Matt Gibson U23 @8.45
by Anna Magrath | Jun 21, 2015
All images ©www.chrismaher.co.uk / CyclingShorts.cc
Lisa Brennauer clinched the overall victory in the Aviva Women’s Tour, surviving an attacking final day of racing through the Chiltern Hills from Marlow to Hemel Hempstead, won by Hannah Barnes.
The UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling rider sprinted to victory in the Premier Inn Best British Rider Jersey as the peloton once again caught the day’s break of Claudia Lichtenberg and Audrey Cordon inside the final kilometre.
The duo were finally reeled in by a fast charging peloton on the arrow straight final 500-metres, setting up an exciting finish with Barnes coming through to claim her biggest victory to date, along with both the Premier Inn Best British Rider and SweetSpot Best Young Rider prizes by virtue of her fifth overall.
Behind Barnes Stage Two winner Jolien D’hoore took second with Simona Frapporti third, while General Classification Contenders Brennauer, Majerus and Johansson took fourth, fifth and seventh respectively.
The World Time Trial Champion’s consistent finishing of top six places on all five stages earned her the Chain Reaction Cycles Points Jersey to pair with her Aviva Yellow Jersey, finishing with a six second advantage over D’hoore with Majerus a further second back.
Lisa Brennauer of Team Velocio SRAM talks after her dominant performance and taking the overall win in GC in the 2015 Aviva Women’s Tour. A well deserved Yellow jersey win!
“This Tour is one of the biggest events on the women’s calendar, so this victory means a lot to me. It was a great victory for me, but also for the whole team – big thanks to all my team mates,” said the Velocio SRAM rider afterwards
“I have to thank my team mates, it wasn’t easy today – a tough stage with all the hills and a lot of hard attacks.
“I worked hard yesterday to get the jersey back. I missed some of the intermediate sprints. I wanted to get to the point where I could give back to my team-mates for all their hard work.”
Having started amidst the biggest crowds of the week in Marlow in Buckinghamshire, riders headed into the Chiltern Hills for a stage of attacking racing. A lead group of four riders, including eventual YodelDirect Combativity Winner Gracie Elvin, formed early on but were caught by the top of the first Strava Queen of the Mountains climb of Cryers Hill as the General Classification contenders fought for bonus seconds at the first Chain Reaction Cycles Sprint at Prestwood, which came almost immediately afterwards.
Lichtenberg then attacked on one of the day’s, many, unclassified climbs with many riders trying to cross to her, but Wiggle Honda’s Cordon was the only one to make the junction with thirteen kilometres remaining.
Yet again though in the Aviva Women’s Tour the escape would not prevail, setting up Barnes for a highly popular win in Hemel Hempstead
Hannah Barnes of Team UnitedHealthcare talks to the media after taking the U23 and Best British Rider Jerseys in the 2015 Aviva Women’s Tour and topping it all off with the final stage win!
“This was the biggest aim of the year, so I’m happy to have pulled it off.
“I knew it would be hard in the Chilterns and what to expect. The sprint was crazy, very difficult. I got boxed at 100m to go but thankfully got free. The team are normally used to the American peloton & wide roads,” continued Barnes, before praising teammate Alexis Ryan for protecting her in “the Alexis bubble”.
With breakaway riders sweeping up the big points at both Strava Queen of the Mountains climbs Orica AIS rider Melissa Hoskins extended her lead by a point to keep hold of the orange polka dot jersey ahead of Elise Delzenne.
The Boels Dolmans team added the Aviva Team Classification to their two stage wins with Elisa Longo Borghini claimed the Overall YodelDirect Combativity Award having been at the front of the action on several stages.
An excellent Women’s Tour bring on 2016!
Highlights of Stage Five will be shown by ITV4 at 8pm on Sunday 21 June with a repeat at 11.15am on Monday 22 June and available on demand via the ITV Player for 30-days after broadcast.
Stage 5 Results
Final GC Podium for the 2015 Aviva Women’s Tour
U23: Hannah Barnes
Best British: Hannah Barnes
Points: Lisa Brennauer
Queen of the Mountains: Melissa Hoskins
Team: Boels Dolmans Cycling Team
For full results and final overall standings please click here.
by Anna Magrath | Jun 21, 2015
Lisa Brennauer of Team Velocio SRAM talks after her dominant performance and taking the overall win in GC in the 2015 Aviva Women’s Tour. A well deserved Yellow jersey win!
Lisa Brennauer of Team Velocio SRAM talks after her dominant performance and taking the overall win in GC in the 2015 Aviva Women’s Tour. A well deserved Yellow jersey win!
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