Talent made in Britain, starts at home

Train. Race. Rest. Repeat.

 

Olympic and world champion Laura Trott OBE is heading up a new partnership between DFS and Team GB – Being one of the standout cyclists of London 2012, Laura Trott admits that the sometimes out of control attention paid to her can be an added strain to the already gruelling training and conditioning regime that Olympic athletes have to undergo.

While she loves training, Laura loves her house and being at home, enjoying nothing more than curling up on her sofa in front of the TV –
and watching her favourite, EastEnders. Hubby Jason Kenny even proposed on the sofa. Down time is extremely important to her.

Relaxation and concentration are interacting mental skills in that each enhances the other which is why it’s important for athletes to relax and recover, this was something DFS felt they could help with, which is why they are partnering with Team GB and their athletes for the 2016 Olympics.

I absolutely love training, don’t get me wrong it’s really difficult – and the stuff we put our bodies through, I guess to the outside world would just look unbelievable.

Laura Trott OBE

At DFS, we know the importance of home. The value of proper rest and relaxation can be sometimes overlooked, but it has the power to make us truly great.

The athletes we’ve been working with have shown us that, and we can’t wait to bring that ‘home’ feeling to Rio for all of Team GB.

DFS

DFS have taken the athletes needs into account; recently unveiling The Britannia, a specially designed limited edition sofa that celebrates Team GB and will provide a centre piece and much needed comfort to British House: the home from home for Team GB in Rio.

The Caledonian Revolution

Revolution 42 | Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome - Glasgow - Image ©www.ChrisMaher.co.uk

Revolution 42 | Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome – Glasgow – Image ©www.ChrisMaher.co.uk

St Andrews Day 2013 and the much awaited Revolution Series rolled back into Glasgow.  Would racing to a home crowd give the Scots some extra firepower?  Given the depth of talent on the start sheet, a fiercely fought battle was guaranteed.

Both the afternoon and evening sessions started with a sombre and respectful minutes silence following Friday night’s tragic helicopter crash in Glasgow.

With the temperature inside the velodrome definitely on the warm side, the afternoon session got underway with both men’s and women’s UCI Sprint Qualifiers.  Dani Khan (GB) once again showed she meant business.  Setting a time of 11.604 in the women’s 200m time trial.  Seeding her in third and comfortably taking her through to the Quarter Finals, where she won her heat against Helen Scott (GB).  In the men’s 200m time trial, Callum Skinner (Scotland) topped the seeding with a 10.346.  Up against Matt Rotherham (GB) in the Quarter Finals, Skinner showed his dominance winning the heat.

The UCI Points Races threatened to be savage and they certainly lived up to the hype.  In the men’s 40km points race Jake Ragan (GB) shone brightly.  Lapping the field twice and finishing with 49 points.  A truly gritty performance.  However, Kalz (Rudy Project RT), Stroetinga (Telegraph Allstars) and McCallum (Rapha Condor JLT) weren’t giving up easily and fought till the end for all available points [finishing with 45, 41, 36 points respectively].

The women’s 25km points race was just as thrilling.  With Ciara Horne (Team USN), Eileen Roe (Scotland) and Nina Kessler (Boels-Dolmans) taking a lap early on.   A few sprints later and Amy Hill (Team USN) pinged off the front taking a lap, placing her at the top of the standings going into the final stages of the race.  With one sprint to go Kessler, Roe and Horne took another lap, scooping up more points [finishing with 54, 52, 51 points respectively].

Khan and Scott once again showed their good form in the 1st round of the women’s UCI Keirin.  Both successfully going through to the final.   In the men’s round John Paul, Callum Skinner and Chris Pritchard (all Scotland) qualified for the final.  Leaving Matt Rotherham (GB) and Kenny Ayre (Scotland) to contest the minor final with Thiele and Kanter (both Germany).

Chris Hoy meets his public - Revolution 42 | Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome - Glasgow - Image ©www.ChrisMaher.co.uk

Chris Hoy meets his public – Revolution 42 | Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome – Glasgow – Image ©www.ChrisMaher.co.uk

The final event of the afternoon session was the Elite Championship Flying Lap.  Ross Edgar (Rouleur) set the fastest time 13.836, with Nico Hesslich (Rudy Project RT) 2nd in a time of 13.850.  Chris Latham (WD40) rounding up the top 3 with 14.040.

During the break between afternoon and evening sessions, Sir Chris Hoy was launching his new HOY Bikes track bike.  Several cycling journos had been invited to take a burl round the track with the Big Yin on the new Fiorenzuola.  I had a brief wee look at the newest black beauty, as entry level track bikes go it’s certainly competitively priced with a beautiful understated timeless style and design.  Which is more than can be said for the display of sartorial elegance from many of the lycra clad journos ;)

The evening session started with the UCI Sprint Semi Finals.  Both men’s and women’s events producing nail biting racing.  Elis Ligtlee (Netherlands) and Dani Khan (GB) winning their heats.  In the men’s Semi Finals Callum Skinner (Scotland) and Robert Kanter (Germany) won their heats.

In the women’s UCI Sprint Minor Final, Rosie Blount (GB) and Helen Scott (GB) snapped up the top two spaces with Jenny Davis (City of Edinburgh) taking  4th.  Jeffrey Hoogland (Netherlands) just outgunned Chris Pritchard (Scotland) and Matt Rotherham (GB) to finish 1st, 2nd and 3rd respectively in the men’s UCI Sprint Minor Final in a time of 11.206.

In a thrilling Final, between the excellently matched Khan and Ligtlee, it was not to be Khans day.  The Dutch rider taking the win.  In the men’s Final the showdown between Skinner and Kanter had the Glasgow audience on their feet roaring support for their home boy, Skinner.  And he didn’t disappoint, snatching the win from Kanter in a time of 10.975.

Revolution 42 | Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome - Glasgow - Image ©www.ChrisMaher.co.uk

Revolution 42 | Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome – Glasgow – Image ©www.ChrisMaher.co.uk

Always a crowd pleaser, the women’s Elimination Race engaged and excited the fans.  Emily Kay (Team USN) took a narrow win from Eileen Roe (Scotland).  The Boels-Dolmans rider, Nina Kessler finishing in 3rd.  In the Elite Championship Elimination Race, Jesper Asselman (Madison-Genesis) was victorious against Jacob Scott (HMT-Sportscover).  The 3rd sport taken by Andreas Muller (Madison-Genesis).

For me one of the most exciting parts of the programme are the Future Stars races.  This is such a valuable platform for the development and progression of young talent.

In the Girls 6 Lap Dash, Sophie Capewell (HMT-Sportscover) continued her good form from round 1, finishing 1st.  Lucy Harper and Emily Haycox (both Rouleur) finishing in 2nd and 3rd   – Not bad placing from Emily since she has been battling with ill health and is due to have her pesky tonsils out this week, hopefully she can return to the top of the table after she recovers fully. In the Boys 6 Lap Dash, it was ‘all the J’s’ with Joe Holt (Team USN) taking the win, Joe Truman (Rapha Condor JLT) finishing 2nd and Scotland’s Jack Carlin (Rudy Project RT) rounding up the top 3.

Onto the Girls 5km Points Race and 1st place went to Grace Garner (Team Sky) with Megan Chard (Telegraph Allstars) 2nd and Jessica Roberts (Team USN) 3rd.  Joe Truman (Rapah Condor JLT) finished 1st 4 points ahead of Jack Escritt (WD40) with Matt Walls (Champion System-Club Roost RT) finishing just 1 point down on Escritt in the Boys 5km Points Race.

The Future Stars 5km Scratch race yet again produced some very hard fought aggressive racing.  In the Girls Scratch, Paige Millward (WD40) finished ahead of Jessie Ansell and Lucy Shaw (both Rudy Project RT).  In the Boys Scratch, Joel Partington (Team Sky) took the win from Joe Holt (Team USN) and Tom Rotherham (Rouleur).

The women’s UCI Keirin Minor Final gave the crowds plenty to shout about with two Scottish riders and a GB rider doing battle for places.  In the end it was Scot Jenny Davis (City of Edinburgh) who placed 1st.  Rosie Blount (GB) a close 2nd with Ellie Richardson (Scotland) in 3rd.  Matt Rotherham (GB) and Kenny Ayre (Scotland) finished 1st and 2nd respectively in the men’s UCI Keirin Minor Final.

Revolution 42 | Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome - Glasgow - Image ©www.ChrisMaher.co.uk

Revolution 42 | Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome – Glasgow – Image ©www.ChrisMaher.co.uk

A 4th and 6th place for Khan and Scott in the women’s UCI Keirin Final concluded a really good day and night’s racing for the talented GB ladies.  Scotland once again showed well with a 3rd place for Skinner and a 5th for Pritchard in the men’s UCI Keirin Final.

Rudy Project Racing Team Win Madison TT | Revolution 42 ©www.ChrisMaher.co.uk

Rudy Project Racing Team Win Madison TT | Revolution 42 ©www.ChrisMaher.co.uk

Marcel Kalz and Nico Hesslich of Rudy Project RT took the win in the Elite Championship 1km Madison Time Trial in a sizzling 00:55.472.

Team USN’s Ciara Horne smashed the women’s 10km UCI Scratch Race by lapping the field in a tenacious attack.  Team mate Emily Kay snatched 2nd with Scotland’s Charline Joiner clinching 3rd.  In the men’s 15km UCI Scratch Race, Team Sky duo Chris Lawless and Germain Burton finished 3rd and 4th.

 

Round 2 TV Highlights

If you’re in the UK you can watch the highlights of Round 2 on the new BT Sport2 Channel (not available on all TV services in the UK).

Thursday 5th December 2013

For more information on the Revolution and to book your Manchester tickets for round 3 visit: www.cyclingrevolution.com

 

 

Results

Revolution 42 | Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome - Glasgow - Image ©www.ChrisMaher.co.uk

Revolution 42 | Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome – Glasgow – Image ©www.ChrisMaher.co.uk

Elite Championship: Flying Lap
1 Ross Edgar – 13.836 Rouleur 10
2 Nico Hesslich – 13.850 Rudy Project RT 9
3 Chris Latham – 14.040 WD40 8
4 Chris Lawless – 14.435 Team Sky 7
5 James McCallum – 14.663 Rapha Condor JLT 6
6 Andy Fenn – 14.886 Telegraph All Stars 5
7 Scott Jacob- 14.988 HMT-Sportscover 4
8 Andreas Muller – 14.385 Madison Genesis 5
9 Scott Davies – 15.610 Team USN 2
10 Julio Alberto Amores – 15.653 Champion System/Club Roost 1

Lizzie Armisted Commentates  - Image ©www.ChrisMaher.co.uk

Lizzie Armisted Commentates – Image ©www.ChrisMaher.co.uk


Elite Championship: Elimination Race
1 Jesper Asselman
2 Jacob Scott Team Sportscover
3 Andreas Muller
4 Marcel Kalz
5 Christopher Latham 100% ME
6 Nico Hesslich
7 Lucas Destang
8 Scott Davies Team USN
9 Mark Stewart Team ASL360
10 Christopher Lawless Kuota – Spinergy – GSG
11 Michael Nicholson
Future Stars Podium - Image ©www.ChrisMaher.co.uk

Future Stars Podium – Image ©www.ChrisMaher.co.uk

12 Andrew Fenn Omega Pharma Quickstep
13 Julio Alberto Amores
14 Evan Oliphant Team Raleigh
15 James McCallum Rapha Condor JLT
16 Oliver Wood Team Sportscover
17 Germain Burton Team De ver
18 Wim Stroetinga
19 Ross Edgar Team IG – Sigma Sport
20 Jacob Ragan Wheelbase Altura MGD

Elite Championship: Points Race
1 Jacob Ragan Wheelbase Altura MGD
2 Marcel Katz
3 Wim Stroetinga

Image ©www.ChrisMaher.co.uk

Image ©www.ChrisMaher.co.uk

4 James McCallum Rapha Condor JLT
5 Julio Alberto Amores
6 Jacob Scott Team Sportscover
7 Scott Davies Team USN
8 Germain Burton Team De ver
9 Oliver Wood Team Sportscover
10 Andreas Muller
11 Jesper Asselman
12 Nico Hesslich
13 Evan Oliphant Team Raleigh
14 Michael Nicholson
15 Christopher Latham 100% ME
16 Andrew Fenn Omega Pharma Quickstep
17 Christopher Lawless Kuota – Spinergy – GSG
18 Tim Veldt
19 Lucas Destang
20 Ross Edgar Team IG – Sigma Sport

Rudy Project Racing Team | Revolution 42 Image www.ChrisMaher.co.uk

Rudy Project Racing Team | Revolution 42 Image www.ChrisMaher.co.uk

Elite Championship: 1km Madison Time Trial
1 Rudy Project RT 56.001 10
2 WD40 58.993 9
3 Rapha Condor JLT 59.486 8
4 Rouleur 59.692 7
5 Team Sky 1.00.013 6
6 HMT-Sportscover 1.00.360 5
7 Telegraph All Stars 1.00.506 4
8 Champion System/Club Roost 1.01.482 2
9 Madison Genesis 1.03.648 1

Elite Championship: Scratch Race
1 Marcel Kalz Rudy Project RT 10
2 Wim Stroetinga Telegraph All Stars 9
3 Chris Lawless Team Sky 8
4 Germain Burton Team Sky 7
5 Chris Latham WD40 6
6 Andreas Muller Madison Genesis 5
7 Julio Alberto Amores Champion System/Club Roost RT 4
8 Evan Oliphant WD40 5
9 Lucas Destang Team Sky 2
10 Ollie Wood Rapha Condor JLT 1

Image www.ChrisMaher.co.uk

Image www.ChrisMaher.co.uk

Points Race Women
1 Nina Kessler
2 Eileen Roe Ronde Cycling Club
3 Ciara Horne Team USN
4 Amy Hill Team USN
5 Emily Kay Team USN
6 Charline Joiner Team Thomsons Cycles
7 Emily Nelson Bike Pure – LeMond – Aspire Ve…
8 Manon Lloyd Abergavenny Road Club
9 Sarah Inghelbrecht
10 Alex Greenfield Scott Contessa Epic
11 Kayleigh Brogan Team Thomsons Cycles
12 Hannah Walker Matrix Fitness Racing Academy
13 Ella Hopkins Breast Cancer Care Cycling Tea…
14 Corrine Hall Matrix Fitness Racing Academy

Emily Kay - Revolution 42 | Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome - Glasgow - Image ©www.ChrisMaher.co.uk

Emily Kay – Revolution 42 | Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome – Glasgow – Image ©www.ChrisMaher.co.uk

Elimination Race Women
1 Emily Kay Team USN
2 Eileen Roe Ronde Cycling Club
3 Nina Kessler
4 Ciara Horne Team USN
5 Kayleigh Brogan Team Thomsons Cycles
6 Amy Hill Team USN
7 Emily Nelson Bike Pure – LeMond – Aspire Ve…
8 Alex Greenfield Scott Contessa Epic
9 Hannah Walker Matrix Fitness Racing Academy
10 Charline Joiner Team Thomsons Cycles
11 Manon Lloyd Abergavenny Road Club
12 Sarah Inghelbrecht

Image www.ChrisMaher.co.uk

Image www.ChrisMaher.co.uk

Future Stars 6 Lap Dash Boys
1 Joe Holt County Cycles Racing Team
2 Joseph Truman I-Team Cyclists’ Club
3 Jack Carlin Team Thomsons Cycles
4 Tom England
5 Ellis Kirkbride Border City Wheelers CC
6 Thomas Rotherham Sportcity Velo
7 Jack Escritt Velocity WD-40
8 Reece Wood Aire Valley Racing Team
9 Stuart Balfour Ronde Cycling Club
10 Hisham Al-Ramah VC Londres
11 Rhys Britton Cardiff JIF
12 Fabian Brennan Velocity WD-40
13 Matthew Walls Velocity WD-40
14 Karl Baillie Witham Wheelers Cycling Club
15 Joel Partington Sportcity Velo
16 Jack Payne Sportcity Velo
17 Luke Morgan CC Luton
18 Matthias Barnet Edinburgh RC
19 Ben Forsyth Edinburgh RC
20 Joey Walker RST Racing Team

Image www.ChrisMaher.co.uk

Image www.ChrisMaher.co.uk

Future Stars 6 Lap Dash Girls
1 Sophie Capewell Lichfield City CC
2 Lucy Harper Welwyn Whls CC
3 Emily Haycox Cardiff Ajax CC
4 Grace Garner RST Racing Team
5 Eleanor Dickinson RST Racing Team
6 Paige Milward Squadra Donne – Shutt VR
7 Sophie Williams Cardiff JIF
8 Jessica Roberts RST Racing Team
9 Elizabeth Bennett Cardiff JIF
10 Henrietta Colborne Beacon Wheelers
11 Jessie Ansell Wolverhampton Whls
12 Rhona Callander Stirling Bike Club
13 Megan Chard Bush Healthcare CRT
14 Lauren Bate-Lowe Eastlands Velo
15 Samantha Verrill Marton Race Team
16 Bethany Taylor Abergavenny Road Club
17 Sallie Birchall Lyme RC
18 Emma Borthwick Edinburgh RC

Image www.ChrisMaher.co.uk

Image www.ChrisMaher.co.uk

Future Stars Points Race Boys
1 Joseph Truman I-Team Cyclists’ Club
2 Jack Escritt Velocity WD-40
3 Matthew Walls Velocity WD-40
4 Joe Holt County Cycles Racing Team
5 Tom England
6 Jack Carlin Team Thomsons Cycles
7 Joel Partington Sportcity Velo
8 Karl Baillie Witham Wheelers Cycling Club
9 Rhys Britton Cardiff JIF
10 Stuart Balfour Ronde Cycling Club
11 Thomas Rotherham Sportcity Velo
12 Ellis Kirkbride Border City Wheelers CC
13 Hisham Al-Ramah VC Londres
14 Fabian Brennan Velocity WD-40
15 Reece Wood Aire Valley Racing Team
16 Jack Payne Sportcity Velo
17 Matthias Barnet Edinburgh RC
18 Luke Morgan CC Luton
19 Joey Walker RST Racing Team
20 Ben Forsyth Edinburgh RC

Image www.ChrisMaher.co.uk

Image www.ChrisMaher.co.uk

Future Stars Points Race Girls
1 Grace Garner RST Racing Team
2 Megan Chard Bush Healthcare CRT
3 Jessica Roberts RST Racing Team
4 Sophie Capewell Lichfield City CC
5 Lucy Shaw Solihull CC
6 Elizabeth Bennett Cardiff JIF
7 Sophie Williams Cardiff JIF
8 Eleanor Dickinson RST Racing Team
9 Monica Dew Sportcity Velo
10 Rhona Callander Stirling Bike Club
11 Henrietta Colborne Beacon Wheelers
12 Bethany Taylor Abergavenny Road Club
13 Lucy Harper Welwyn Whls CC
14 Samantha Verrill Marton Race Team
15 Jessie Ansell Wolverhampton Whls
16 Lauren Bate-Lowe Eastlands Velo
17 Emily Haycox Cardiff Ajax CC
18 Sallie Birchall Lyme RC
19 Emma Borthwick Edinburgh RC
20 Paige Milward Squadra Donne – Shutt VR

Image www.ChrisMaher.co.uk

Image www.ChrisMaher.co.uk

Future Stars Scratch Race Boys
1 Joel Partington Sportcity Velo
2 Joe Holt County Cycles Racing Team
3 Thomas Rotherham Sportcity Velo
4 Jack Escritt Velocity WD-40
5 Reece Wood Aire Valley Racing Team
6 Joseph Truman I-Team Cyclists’ Club
7 Tom England
8 Stuart Balfour Ronde Cycling Club
9 Karl Baillie Witham Wheelers Cycling Club
10 Rhys Britton Cardiff JIF
11 Matthew Walls Velocity WD-40
12 Hisham Al-Ramah VC Londres
13 Matthias Barnet Edinburgh RC
14 Joey Walker RST Racing Team
15 Ben Forsyth Edinburgh RC
16 Ellis Kirkbride Border City Wheelers CC
17 Luke Morgan CC Luton
18 Jack Carlin Team Thomsons Cycles
19 Jack Payne Sportcity Velo
20 Fabian Brennan Velocity WD-40

Image www.ChrisMaher.co.uk

Image www.ChrisMaher.co.uk

Future Stars Scratch Race Girls
1 Paige Milward Squadra Donne – Shutt VR
2 Jessie Ansell Wolverhampton Whls
3 Lucy Shaw Solihull CC

Scratch Race Women
1 Ciara Horne Team USN
2 Emily Kay Team USN
3 Charline Joiner Team Thomsons Cycles
4 Emily Nelson Bike Pure – LeMond – Aspire Ve…
5 Nina Kessler
6 Amy Hill Team USN

UCI Track Cycling World Cup – Day 3 Report

Men’s Sprint

 

GOLD – Germany (BOETTICHER)

SILVER – Germany (FOERSTEMANN)

BRONZE – Rusvelo (DMITRIEV)

 

An all-Germany final saw Friday night’s Team Sprint gold medallists Robert Foerstemann and Stefan Boetticher go head to head for gold in the Men’s Sprint final. It was Boetticher who got the better of his countryman, winning the first match and taking the second with a stunning sprint in the final 200m that saw him take gold in emphatic style and bring the UCI Track Cycling World Cup to a fitting end.

The bronze medal match was contested by Spain’s Juan Gascon Peralta and Denis Dmitriev of the Rusvelo team who needed only two matches to beat his rival and claim the bronze.

Great Britain’s representation came in the form of Olympic Team Sprint gold medallist Philip Hindes who finished 12th in the competition overall.

Olympic champion Jason Kenny did not  feature in the Sprint event after a heavy fall in the Keirin final on Saturday night where his World Cup was cut short with a broken collarbone.

 

===

 

Women’s Keirin

 

GOLD – Germany (VOGEL)

SILVER – Petroholding Leningrad (GNIDENKO)

BRONZE – Hong Kong (LEE)

 

Germany’s in form Kristina Vogel picked up her second gold medal of the week, adding Keirin gold to the Sprint she won on Saturday night. Silver went to Ekaterina Gnidenko, racing for the Petroholding Leningrad team, and bronze went to Hong Kong’s Wai Sze Lee.

Great Britain’s Becky James qualified for the final and was unlucky not to finish on the podium after leading out after the exit of the derny.

Great Britain’s Jess Varnish missed out on the final after finishing 6th in her second round heat. After racing in the Team Sprint, Sprint and 500m TT fatigue was evident in Varnish and she finished 9th overall.

 

Women’s Omnium

 

GOLD – Great Britain (TROTT)

SILVER – Australia (ANKUDINOFF)

BRONZE – Russia (BALABOLINA)

 

Olympic and World Omnium champion Laura Trott won the Women’s Omnium title in dramatic style, beating rival Ashlee Ankudinoff from Australia into silver in the final heat of the sixth event, the 500m Time Trial. Going into the final event Ankudinoff was two points ahead of Trott with Trott needing to beat her rival by two places to secure gold. An aggressive ride in which Trott gave everything she had saw her deliver once again, finishing with the second fastest time behind Russian Tamara Balabolina which was enough to secure gold and bring the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome crowd to their feet. Victory in the 500m Time Trial meant Balabolina did enough to take home bronze for Russia.

 

===

 

Women’s Omnium

 

Omnium I – Flying Lap

Rank 1 Australian (ANKUDINOFF) – 14.340

Rank 2 Fullgass.org (OLABERRIA DORRONSORO) – 14.364

Rank 3 Poland (PAWLOWSKA) – 14.524

 

Omnium II – Points Race 20km

Rank 1 Bulguria (SHARAKOVA)

Rank 2 Lithuania (TREBAITE)

Rank 3 Mexico (ARREOLA NAVARRO)

 

Omnium III – Elimination Race

Rank 1 Great Britain (TROTT)

Rank 2 Poland (PAWLOWSKA)

Rank 3 Russia (BALABOLINA)

 

Omnium IV – Individual Pursuit 3Km

 

Rank 1 Great Britain (TROTT)

Rank 2 Australia (ANKUDINOFF)

Rank 3 Poland (PAWLOWSKA)

 

Omnium V – Scratch Race 10Km

 

Rank 1 Russia (BALABOLINA)

Rank 2 Lithuania (TREBAITE)

Rank 3 Mexico (ARREOLA NAVARRO)

 

Omnium VI – 500m Time Trial

 

Rank 1 Russia (BALABOLINA)

Rank 2 Great Britain (TROTT)

Rank 3 Poland (PAWLOWSKA)

UCI Track Cycling World Cup – Day 2 Report

Jessica Varnish of Great Britain leads Olivia Montauban of France in the Women’s Sprint 1/8 Finals. – ©Alex Broadway/SWPIX.COM

Men’s Keirin

 

GOLD – Germany (BOETTICHER)

SILVER – Team Jayco-AIS (LEWIS)

BRONZE – Japan (SAKAMOTO)

 

When the gold medal race eventually got underway – after a false start by Japan’s rider Takashi Sakamoto, a faulty gun and a few issues with the derny –  it was Australia’s Peter Lewis at the front and Kenny trailing in third. Once the derny left the track it was Kenny and German rider Stefan Boetticher who went head-to-head on the final lap. However, there was a dramatic twist as Kenny turned into Boetticher and crashed out taking France’s rider Quentin Lafargue with him. In the end Boetticher held his nerve and took the gold.

 

Earlier on there was more bad luck for British riders as Welshman Lewis Oliva crashed with Australia’s Andrew Taylor in the second round.

 

World Cup standings after 2 round:

 

  1. BOETTICHER (12 points)
  2. PUERTA (12 points)
  3. LAFARGUE (12 points)

 

===

 

Women’s Sprint

 

GOLD – Germany (VOGEL)

SILVER – Great Britain (VARNISH)

BRONZE – Great Britain (JAMES)

 

The semi-final saw last night’s Team Sprint gold medallist Great Britain teammates Rebecca James and Jessica Varnish go head-to-head to earn a place in the gold medal race. After the first two legs of the semi-final the riders it was 1-1, with it all coming down to the decider. In a strong display by Varnish, she earned her place in the gold medal race.

 

Vogel took the shine out of Varnish in the opening race of the gold medal Women’s Sprint final with a solid performance. The second race followed the same vein as Varnish attempted to go out early with the sprint only for Vogel to come back and take the win and secure gold.

 

James took the first of three races with a solid performance but Lee came back in the second to force a deciding duel.

 

World Cup standings after 2 round:

 

  1. LEE (19 points)
  2. VARNISH (18 points)
  3. JAMES (18 points)

 

===

 

Men’s Individual Pursuit

 

GOLD – Denmark (HANSEN) – 4:20.875

SILVER – Ireland (IRVINE) – 4:22.745

BRONZE – Spain (MUNTANER JUANEDA) – 4:28.429

 

Martyn Irvine and Lasse Norman Hansen went head-to-head for the gold. Hansen made the better start and grew a good lead by the first time check. The gap was not clawed back and the Dane took the win with ease – adding another gold medal to the Team Pursuit medal he achieved yesterday.

 

The bronze medal race started with Spanish rider David Muntaner Juaneda taking an early advantage and building a 2 second lead at the midway point. The gap was too much for the New Zealand rider Dylan Kennett to pull back and Muntaner Juaneda took the bronze.

 

World Cup standings after 2 round:

 

  1. HANSEN (12 points)
  2. IRVINE (10 points)
  3. MUNTANER JUANEDA (8 points)

 

===

 

Men’s Omnium

 

GOLD – Germany (LISS)

SILVER – Australia (O’SHEA)

BRONZE – Spain (ELORRIAGA ZUBIAUR)

 

Omnium IV – 4km Individual Pursuit

Rank 1 Great Britain (DIBBEN) – 4:26.982

Rank 2 Belgium (DE KETELE) – 4:28.908

Rank 3 Australia (O’SHEA) – 4:29.699

 

Omnium V – Scratch Race 15km

Rank 1 Denmark (KRIGBAUM)

Rank 2 Kazakstan (LYALKO)

Rank 3 Japan (HASHIMOTO)

 

Omnium VI – 1km Time Trail

Rank 1 Germany (LISS) – 1:02.768

Rank 2 Australia (O’SHEA) – 1:03.475

Rank 3 Great Britain (DIBBEN) – 1:03.955

 

Great Britain’s Jonathan Dibben came out on top in the individual pursuit, placing him in sixth in the overall Omnium standings. The race saw Belgium’s Kenny De Ketele and Australia’s Glenn O’Shea finish second and third respectively.

 

The scratch race started with the home crowd hoping for a win by fancied Jonathan Dibben. He faced stiff competition in world champion Australia rider Glenn O’Shea who was involved in a number of break-away groups in the early stages. In the end it was Mathias Wichmann Krigbaum, Alexey Lyalko and Eiya Hashimoto who succeeded in lapping the main group and went on to claim the top 3 positions.

 

Heading into the last event of the Omnium, the table was tight at the top with only 2 points separating the top three. Dibben put in a solid time and ended up third behind rank 1 Lucas Liss and rank 2 O’Shea.

 

After some fantastic racing over the six events, Germany’s Lucas Liss was too strong for the competition, taking the gold medal with Australia’s World Champion O’Shea taking silver and Spain’s Unai Elorriaga Zubiaur with the last place on the podium in bronze.

 

World Cup standings after 2 round:

 

  1. LISS (12 points)
  2. SIMION (12 points)
  3. O’SHEA (10 points)

 

 

Laura Trott of Great Britain competes in the Women’s Omnium Points Race 20Km – ©Alex Broadway/SWPIX.COM

 

Women’s Omnium

 

Omnium I – Flying Lap

Rank 1 Australian (ANKUDINOFF) – 14.340

Rank 2 Fullgass.org (OLABERRIA DORRONSORO) – 14.364

Rank 3 Poland (PAWLOWSKA) – 14.524

 

Omnium II – Points Race 20km

Rank 1 Bulguria (SHARAKOVA)

Rank 2 Lithuania (TREBAITE)

Rank 3 Mexico (ARREOLA NAVARRO)

 

Omnium III – Elimination Race

Rank 1 Great Britain (TROTT)

Rank 2 Poland (PAWLOWSKA)

Rank 3 Russia (BALABOLINA)

 

In the first of the women’s Omnium Flying Lap the current world champion came an unexpected fourth with the Australian, Ashlee Ankudinoff, taking the win with a solid performance.

 

Trott entered the Points Race as World and Olympic champion but faced tough competition from a strong field. In the end a couple 20 point lapping from the likes of Tatsiana Sharakova and Ausrine Trebaite were too much for Trott and she finished ninth.

 

The elimination race saw a rider go down hard and have to be taken off on a stretcher. After the restart Trott rode a great race with an enthralling sprint over the last lap to take the win.

 

The Omnium is set up well for the next stages tomorrow.

 

===

 

 

UK BBC Broadcast Times

Champion Systems Maxgear announce Women’s 2013 Team

New riders Lauryn Theryn and Joanne Blakeley will join current riders Eve Dixon, Frankie White, Melissa Bury and Nicola Soden for the 2013 season.
Lauryn joins the team with a wealth of sporting experience and success. Athletics was her main sport up until the age of 20. She was a thrower who competed in the Javelin and Discus at World Youth Games and Commonwealth Games standard. She finished her athletics career in 2006 in order to focus on Bobsleigh where she competed for Great Britain on the Europa Cup Circuit, World Cup Circuit and at the World Championships. She finished Bobsleigh in 2008 ranked 6th in the World, the best result for a British Women’s team in over a decade.

Lauryn Theryn Bobsleigh

Lauryn took up cycling in 2011 after attending a talent transfer programme run by UK Sport called Girls 4 Gold. She joined the Cardiff Jif Cycling Cluband raced for them on the road and track winning Welsh National medals in both disciplines. During the winter she took up playing Rugby and was selected for the England 7’s Development Squad. 
After sustaining three serious injuries early in her rugby career she took up cycling again to keep fit. She moved to Manchester in April this year to work for British Cycling setting herself the goal of competing in the British Track Championships and won a silver medal in the Team Sprint.

Champion Systems Maxgear

Lauryn commented “I am really excited to be given the opportunity to race for a local team and am really looking forward to racing with the other girls. My goal for next season is to be a reliable rider who works hard for the team and isn’t afraid of pushing my own physical boundaries in order to rise to any challenge.”

Jo is relatively new to cycling after coming from a running background. She was shortlisted for the Girls 4 Gold programme along with Lauryn. She joins the team after a year of riding with local club Seamons CC in which she achieved a great deal. She won the TLI National Road Race Championship and has produced some solid top twenty placings in National Road Race Series Races. She is also a very strong time triallist with several wins and podium places and 5th at the National Hill Climb Championships this year.

Jo wants to build on her road racing experience next year and is “eager to start racing with and learning from my new team – who love cycling as much as me! I’m particularly excited about racing in Belgium with them next year and gaining more experience on the track and in other areas.”

Ian Bury, team manager, said “Lauryn has had a spectacular sporting career so far both on and off the bike. She is a very driven individual and has much to offer to the team with vast sporting experience and a strong team ethic. Jo is also an exciting new addition to the team with a lot of raw talent. She can do a strong time-trial and is super enthusiastic to work hard with the team. We are very excited about 2013.“

The team have worked well as a unit this year with top tens and podiums in the National Women’s Road Race Series, National Women’s Team Series and races in Belgium and Holland. There has also been top National Championship performances, with Nicola placing 10th in the National Scratch Race Championship, Melissa winning Rollapoluza National Championship and second in the Grass Track 800m National Championship and most recently hill climbs with Eve winning the National Junior Women’s title for the second year running.

2013 line up:
Eve Dixon
Frankie White
Joanne Blakeley
Lauryn Therin
Melissa Bury
Nicola Soden

Follow the riders progress at maxgearettes.blogspot.com or on twitter @Maxgearettes

Pictures kindly supplied by Ed Rollason: www.edrollasonphotography.co.uk

 

 

Ponderings from the Velodrome

Newport Velodrome – ©Dave Gratton AKA SunflowerDave (on Flickr)

For someone who always has a lot to say for himself, thinking what to write about is more difficult than I thought! I should hasten to add, that’s not because I can’t think of anything, it’s because I’ve got so many ideas running around in my head it’s so difficult to chose.

So my decision has been made for me because for the first time in weeks I have an hour or so to spare to put pen to paper (yes, I am actually writing this on paper) as I’m sitting in the stands watching my daughter Ffion take part in a Welsh Cycling youth track session. So the subject: the importance of good cycling facilities, specifically Newport Velodrome.

The difference this sporting facility has made to Wales is difficult to quantify, but if you look at the numbers of riders both before and after this facility was built who are at or on their way to the top of the cycling tree, it’s obvious that its impact has been massive! The same can be said of Manchester Velodrome and I am sure it will be the case with the Olympic Velodrome; we should also consider Herne Hill and the riders that have benefitted from that facility. What it shows it that good facilities really do make a difference to the progression of riders coming through the ranks, whatever their cycling discipline. Of course we also need champions to inspire youngsters into the sport, but we’ve got such a conveyor belt going at the moment there is no worry about these facilities being under used.

So what memories have I taken from Newport Velodrome over the last 8 or 9 years that I’ve been making the 30-minute drive from Abergavenny to get here?

Well I might as well start with my number one memory and also because “why shouldn’t women’s cycling be given priority over men’s for a change?” If I can find the photo to accompany this when I next go hunting in the attic I’ll post it at a later date, as even now I find it quite hard to believe. Picture this: a women’s keirin with six riders on the start line. In amongst the six, the current senior World Champion wearing her stripes Clara Sanchez. Also on the start line I think it was Sandie Clair. Next up to them, a few star struck young girls from the UK including two from Wales, my 13-year-old daughter Becky and Katie Curtis. I can’t recall another current senior world champion ever racing in Newport, so that line-up is implanted very firmly in my head. By the way, it was France first and second with Becky coming in third to the disbelief of the French coach, especially when finding out Becky’s age.

As for other memories of female competition in Newport, between 2006 and 2007 the Youth and Junior Track National Championships had such strong fields the racing really was fantastic to watch. Seeing Becky, Lizzie Armistead, Joanna Rowsell, Jess Varnish, Laura Trott, Dani King…(I could go on) racing against each other with Hugh Porter getting very excited on the microphone really was brilliant. Looking back now I honestly think you could see then who was going to make it to the top and they weren’t all winners. The look of determination in a rider’s eyes is something I believe is what sets them apart and that is something you can spot at a young age. If someone happens to win a Youth National Championship on the way to the top that’s nice, but ultimately you need to look at the bigger picture and remember it’s not a sprint, it takes a lot of time and effort to win at elite level. And that’s what people will remember; senior champions not 11-year-old ‘superstars’!

On that last point, some really bad memories for me have been watching young girls of Under 12 and Under 14 level attempting to break a National Record as if it was the be all and end all. They have been all kitted out with the best equipment money can buy and their parents have been shouting so loudly at them as if they were doing it themselves, but why? Many of those I have watched are either no longer riding or just riding now and again. And why provide the best equipment at such a young age? Good equipment yes, but keep the very best as a reward and as an incentive when they are racing at international level. I really would like to see some sort of equipment specification cap on all youth riders to make it more of a level playing field and to give them something to aim for.

While I’m in the process of airing my concerns, the other thing that really worries me is that young riders seem to be specialising on one cycling discipline at ever-younger ages and training to the detriment of their education. Youth sport should not be like that. If I could single out one young rider who has got the balance right and sets an example for other to follow it is Elinor Barker and look where she is now! Elinor has given most forms of cycling a go, but over the time I’ve known her and the family her education has come first. She’s obviously had coaching, but it has been Elinor’s drive and determination to succeed that has won her the Junior World Time Trial and of course her supportive parents (I believe there could be another reason and the same applies to Becky as well; both Graham, Elinor’s dad and myself are ardent Newcastle United followers and maybe it’s because the girls have never seen us celebrate the winning of a trophy that they are doing their bit to cheer us up!).

On the male side of things, at the same time as that outstanding crop of girls I mentioned the boys’ fields were also amazingly strong and they provided fantastic racing to watch. Jason Kenny, Peter Kennaugh, Alex Dowsett, Luke Rowe, Adam Blythe, Andy Fenn…(once again, I could go on) are just a few of the names that cycling fans would recognise from the Olympics and pro-peloton this last year. Despite many outstanding races and individual performances the one that stands out still after these years is Andy Fenn’s Youth 500 metre time trial. Here was someone mixing it up with the best youth riders this country had to offer in all the circuit races around the country and he was winning the endurance and pursuit events on the track. In the 500 metre time trail he was up against all the best youth sprinters in the country including current BC Academy sprint member Peter Mitchell. I can still picture him going around the track now. I seem to recall I was sitting in the stands next to Iain Dyer, National Sprint Coach and Trevor King, father of Dani and a few others and the first thing that came to my mind was that here was the person to follow in Jason Kenny’s footsteps. Well I was wrong on that front, but I really think he has the potential to be the next big road sprinter from GB. I am not saying that Andy will be another ‘Cav’, because I am not sure there’ll be another in my lifetime, but I am sure that he’ll be winning many races and stages over the next few years. Another rider I’ve watched in Newport in a similar mold to Andy is Sam Harrison, although he’s got a few years to catch up yet.

As recent as last winter I was sitting in the stands of Newport Velodrome watching the annual ‘Winter Track League’, which mixes all abilities up into different races, both male and female. In Wales we are very lucky indeed to not only have Elinor Barker coming up into the senior ranks, but we also have Amy Roberts. To see both Elinor and Amy mixing it up with the men in the ‘A’ league really is a great sight and I am really excited about the prospect of those two girls representing Wales and GB around the world over the next few years. The girls often found themselves riding in amongst elite men, well not just elite, but professional riders. Last year watching Luke Rowe, Magnus Backstedt, Jonny Bellis and many more on a Tuesday night with the rain hammering down on the velodrome roof, whilst sipping a cup of tea, is fascinating, enjoyable and a relaxing time in amongst my hectic lifestyle.

I have never been in Newport Velodrome with a full stand of spectators, but with the success of this last season and the accessibility of cycling stars to the general public I think I might get to see that over the next couple of years. What Newport needs is the right event to fill the stands, something that has got my mind running wildfire again! Now, if that event gives equal precedence to the women riders or better still star billing, wouldn’t that be amazing?

…Next time, whenever that will be, I’ll probably write about organising my first ever hill-climb and also about the importance and thrills of cyclocross.

Thanks for reading.

David James

Twitter: @Dai_Cwmheulog
 
 
 
 

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