by Anna Magrath | Jun 18, 2015
All images ©www.chrismaher.co.uk / CyclingShorts.cc
Jolien d’Hoore sprinted to victory in Clacton to move within one second of the race leader, Lisa Brennauer, as the fancied general classification riders began to flex their muscles.
“I feel good, I’m getting stronger but I also have a good team around me and that makes a difference. You can never win a race alone. I don’t know about GC but I did want to win a stage. I have that now and I can stay relaxed. Let’s see how I go.”
The reigning Belgian national road race champion of Wiggle Honda showing her liking for tough uphill sprints with a fine win on Marine Parade in Clacton.
Aviva Yellow jersey Brennauer also looked in ominously good form sprinting to second place while Christine Majerus of the Boels Dolmans team was in third place with another big overall contender Emma Johansson in close attendance in fourth place.
With the peloton catching the break four kilometres from the finish in Clacton, the multi-talented d’Hoore, a former World Junior Champion on the road, positioned herself perfectly coming up the long drag into the Essex seaside resort to win by a wheel to record her latest win in an increasingly impressive season.
Jolien D,Hoore (Wiggle Honda) & Elinor Barker (Matrix Fitness) talk to the press after stage 2 of the Women’s Tour 2015.
“It was pretty close in the end,”admitted d’Hoore.“I went form the last corner but it was uphill and into the wind so I didn’t know if I could make it. I was hoping GIorgia Bronzini was in my wheel, in fact the original plan was for me to lead her out but she wasn’t there. She told me to go from the corner and she would try and stay in the wheel so I just gave everything until the finish.
“I feel good, I’m getting stronger but I also have a good team around me and that makes a difference. You can never win a race alone. I don’t know about GC but I did want to win a stage. I have that now and I can stay relaxed. Let’s see how I go.
“I had two weeks complete off the bike and then I had a five week training period which was pretty tough. It’s a little bit of a risk when you rest like that but I was confident that my form was good. I am happy.”
D’Hoore has all sort of options ahead of her and objectively she must be a contender for the World Road Race Championship in Richmond, Virginia which she has seen and describes as a very up and down “Belgian style” course with a few comforting cobbles for good measure.
But Rio 2016 is possibly and even bigger focus and in particular the Omnium on the track where she could yet prove the strongest rival to the triumvirate of Laura Trott, Annette Edmondson and Sarah Hammer who have dominated the event in recent years. D’Hoore finished fifth at London 2012 but was an outstanding winner at the World Cup at the Lee Valley Velodrome last year.
“For Rio I am going 100% for the track and my road season next year will be short to plan for that,” insists d’Hoore. My goal is the Omnium for sure”
Meanwhile Brennauer, the World Time Trial champion, is revealing an unexpected talent for sprint finishes with her second runners up spot in two days confirming her in the Aviva Yellow Jersey that she wore today in place of the absent Armitstead, who, as she had announced the previous night, decided not to continue after her nasty crash after her stage win in Aldeburgh.
Lisa Brennauer of team Velcro SRAM talks post Stage 2 of the Aviva Womens Tour 2015 as she tops the GC podium.
“It felt quite weird for me to be wearing the yellow jersey today. I feel really sorry for what happened to Lizzie yesterday, it’s never nice when somebody gets hurt in a crash
“I’m not really concentrating on my sprinting despite the two second places. I think perhaps I am just getting a better athlete. I’m not a pure sprinter and probably never will be but I can be fast especially when I get a nice lead out and the finishes on the last two days have suited me.
“It was pretty hectic today with a lot of teams trying to set their sprinters up, my team did a really great job setting me up around the last left hand corner when we hit the coast. The sprint opened up and I just did my best. I want to fight or this yellow jersey but the GC is close, so much can happen.”
Brennauer also retains her lead in the Chain Reactions Cycles Points competition, with second overall d’Hoore wearing that jersey for Friday’s stage in Nothamptonshire, while Melissa Hoskins of Orica AIS leads the Strava Queen of the Mountains competition having picked up points on both classified climbs.
UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling kept hold of the SweetSpot Best Young Rider jersey with Coryn Rivera while Elinor Barker of Matrix Fitness, currently in ninth position overall, wears the Premier Inn Best British Rider Jersey.
After her starring role in the day’s breakaway, and repeated attempts to escape, Bigla Pro Cycling’s Vera Koedooder took the day’s YodelDirect Combativity Award while the UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling team also lead the Aviva Team Classification.
Stage 2 Results
GC after Stage 2
U23: Coryn Rivera
Best British: Elinor Barker
Points: Lisa Brennauer
Queen of the Mountains: Melissa Hoskins
Team: UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling
Highlights of Stage Two are on ITV4 at 8pm on Thursday 18 June, with a repeat at 11.05am on Friday morning.
Stage Three sees the race return to Oundle, the Grand Depart town for last year’s inaugural Women’s Tour, which this year acts as the start for a demanding 139.2km run to Kettering through the Northamptonshire countryside. With the most demanding terrain so far and a stage length just 800m short of the maximum allowed by the UCI, this should be where the Aviva General Classification race kicks off in earnest, especially off the back of a long and hard ridden Stage Two in Suffolk and Essex.
Useful Links…
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Aviva Women’s Tour Women’s Tour
by Anna Magrath | Jun 18, 2015
Jolien D,Hoore (Wiggle Honda) & Elinor Barker (Matrix Fitness) talk to the press after stage 2 of the Women’s Tour 2015.
Jolien D,Hoore (Wiggle Honda) & Elinor Barker (Matrix Fitness) talk to the press after stage 2 of the Women’s Tour 2015.
Read the full stage 2 report, results and view the race gallery here.
by Chris Maher | May 2, 2015
It All Comes Down To A Bunch Sprint Along The Knavesmire In The Inaugural Women’s Tour De Yorkshire!
York 80Km Closed Circuit Road Race.
The inaugural Women’s Tour De Yorkshire cycling road race took place on a closed four lap, 20 kilometre circuit. Open to Elite, First, Second and Third cat ladies, gave opportunity, for the girls to ride safely through the streets of York. Looping out beyond the A64 to the East, before returning, the race completed the circuit on the Knavesmire near the Race Course entrance.
Likened to a Belgium Kermesse by the girls, rather than a City Centre Criterium. The technical at times course, twisted & turned through the streets of York, passing several well known landmarks, through ancient City Walls, and over cobbled roads, before entering the more exposed windier sections outside of town.
Flagged off by British Cycling President, Bob Howden, the Race got underway at 10.30am by an eighty strong field of riders.
Crowds had already built-up around the City streets, and the race got off to an aggressive start. There were many attacks on the back-end of the circuit, but each and every one were brought back on the run into the City Centre. At times the peloton were very strung-out, that showed the pace indeed was quite high averaging nearly 40kmph. Wiggle Honda’s Eileen Roe had several goes escaping the clutches of a strong Pearl Izumi – Sports Tours Int’l Team and the Team USN squads. They all had goes of firing riders off the front. But as the final lap approached, it became clear that it would end with a bunch sprint.
Approaching the final kilometres, last minute efforts were made to escape, but lead-out trains were formed for the Sprinters, and it was a case of “surfing the wheels” (Louise Mahѐ), and picking the best line or wheel to come off!
In the end, IKON Mazda’s Louise Mahѐ lunged across the line firstly, followed very closely by Wiggle Honda’s Eileen Roe and Pearl Izumi Sports Tours Int’l’s Katie Curtis in a big bunch sprint. Fifty-seven girls completed the race.
Louise Mahe speaks to CyclingShorts.cc writer Chris Maher after her win at the inaugural Women’s Tour de Yorkshire 2015.
I spoke to Louise Mahѐ after the race: “It was a fast race from the off” “At times when you look back, the whole bunch were strung-out, so you knew the pace was high”, “I left it quite late, found a gap, and went for it”. Louise said that she liked the circuit. It was flat, so you race hard. She enjoyed the closed circuit, and said the crowds were awesome!
On Twitter Louise posted: “Blimey, I won a bike race! Thanks for the support everyone”
I spoke to Eileen Row after the race: “It was a really good race”, “It was a really aggressive actually, the race!”, “Unfortunately it did come down to a bunch sprint”, “I was in several breaks that went up the road, that never really came to much up the back-end of the circuit”.
Eileen Roe of Team Wiggle Honda talks to CyclingShorts.cc writer Chris Maher about her Women’s Tour de Yorkshire 2015.
On Twitter Eileen posted: “Thank you @letouryorkshire #WTdY was amazing, what a crowd. Honoured to be on the podium of the women’s first edition”.
Click here to view our full image gallery for the Women’s Tour de Yorkshire.
Top 10:
- Louise Mahé – IKON Mazda – 80 kilometres in 2:00:36.4
- Eileen Roe – Wiggle Honda
- Katie Curtis – Pearl Izumi Sports International
- Charline Joiner – Team WNT
- Alice Barnes – Betch.NL-Superior-Brentjens MTB RT
- Grace Garner – Team Giordana-Triton
- Emily Kay – Team USN
- Amy Hill – Team Rytger
- Nicola Juniper – Team Giordana-Triton
- Abigail Dentus – Team Velosport
Sprints
Katie Archibald – Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International
2nd Category riders
- Alice Cobb – Aprire Bicycles/HSS Hire
- Annasley Park – Team Giordana-Triton
- Hayley Simmons – Team Velosport
3rd Category riders
- Alice Barnes – Betch.NL-Superior-Brentjens MTB RT
- Beth Crumpton – North West Cycling Club
- Ella Hopkins – IKON-Mazda
Full Rider Classification WTdY 2015 – York
1, 24 Mahe,Louise – IKON – Mazda 10:35:18
2, 99 Roe,Eileen – Wiggle Honda
3, 40 Curtis,Katie – Pearl Izumi Sports Tours Int
4, 87 Joiner,Charline – Team WNT
5, 11 Barnes,Alice – Betch.NL-Superior-Brentjens
6, 65 Garner,Grace – Team Giordana – Triton
7, 77 Kay,Emily – Team USN
8, 75 Hill,Amy – Team Rytger
9, 67 Juniper,Nicola – Team Giordana – Triton
10 ,81 Dentus,Abigail – Team Velosport
11, 64 Dickinson,Eleanor – Team Giordana – Triton
12, 33 Shaw,Lucy – Matrix Fitness Development
13, 35 Crumpton,Beth – North West Cycling Club
14, 66 Holden,Elizabeth – Team Giordana
15, 5 Cobb,Alice – Aprire Bicycles/HSS Hire
16, 37 Archibald,Katie – Pearl Izumi Sports Tours Intl
17, 44 Shaw,Gabriella – Pearl Izumi Sports Tours Intl
18, 85 Boylan,Lydia – Team WNT
19, 23 Hopkins,Ella – IKON – Mazda
20, 71 Parkinson,Abby-Mae – Team Giordana – Triton
21, 70 Park,Annasley – Team Giordana – Triton
22, 94 De Quint,Pia – Velosure Starley Primal
23, 36 Mellor,Amira – Paul Milnes – Bradford Olympic
24, 18 Simpson,Annabel – Hope Factory Racing
25, 82 Simmonds,Hayley – Team Velosport
26, 21 Grant,Emma – IKON – Mazda
27, 76 Coster,Ellie – Team
28, 25 Rimmington,Rebecca – IKON – Mazda
29, 15 Hall,Lucy – Crosstrax
30, 39 Creamer,Lauren – Pearl Izumi Sports Tours Intl
31, 78 Lloyd,Manon – Team USN
32, 20 Erskine,Julie – IKON – Mazda
33, 42 Horne,Ciara – Pearl Izumi Sports Tours Intl
34, 79 Nelson,Emily – Team USN
35, 32 Walker,Jessie – Matrix Fitness
36, 41 Hayward,Bethany – Pearl Izumi Sports Tours Intl
37, 68 McVitty,Keira – Team Giordana – Triton
38, 46 Turvey,Anna – Pearl Izumi Sports Tours Intl
39, 49 Kinloch,Alison – PH-MAS VCUK Womens Cycling Team
40, 69 OBrien,Lauren – Team Giordana – Triton
41, 6 Gornall,Amy – Aprire Bicycles/HSS Hire
42, 45 Storey,Dame Sarah – Pearl Izumi Sports Tours Intl
43, 97 Christian,Anna – Wiggle Honda
44, 22 Hall,Corrine – IKON – Mazda
45, 88 Tate,Brit – Team WNT
46, 19 Brand,Melissa – IKON – Mazda
47, 90 Walker,Hannah – Team WNT
48, 10 Chappell,Ruby – Behind The Bikeshed
49, 59 Dixon,Eve – Team 22
50, 91 Stedman,Elizabeth – University of Sheffield CC
51, 12 Verdegaal,Madeline – Boston Whls CC
52, 3 Thompson,Seonaid – Albarosa Cycling Club
53, 4 Brogan,Kayleigh – Aprire Bicycles/HSS Hire
54, 83 Poole, Karen – Team WattCycle
55, 61 Riley,Gina – Team 22
56, 1 Richards,Suzie – Albarosa Cycling Club
57, 27 Beddis,Delia – Les Filles Racing Team
58, 2 Botteley,Sian – Velosure Starley Primal
For more information on the Tour de Yorkshire please visit; www.letouryorkshire.com
by Chris Maher | May 2, 2015
Eileen Roe of Team Wiggle Honda talks to CyclingShorts.cc writer Chris Maher about her Women’s Tour de Yorkshire 2015.
Eileen Roe of Team Wiggle Honda talks to me about her Women’s Tour de Yorkshire 2015 podium place.
Top 10:
- Louise Mahé – IKON Mazda – 80 kilometres in 2:00:36.4
- Eileen Roe – Wiggle Honda
- Katie Curtis – Pearl Izumi Sports International
- Charline Joiner – Team WNT
- Alice Barnes – Betch.NL-Superior-Brentjens MTB RT
- Grace Garner – Team Giordana-Triton
- Emily Kay – Team USN
- Amy Hill – Team Rytger
- Nicola Juniper – Team Giordana-Triton
- Abigail Dentus – Team Velosport
by Chris Maher | Apr 28, 2015
Cheshire Classic 2015 – British Cycling Women’s Road Series Round 2.
Cheshire Classic Results, 2015:
1 Dame Sarah Storey Pearl Izumi Sports Tours Intl 02:36:55
2 Laura Trott Matrix Fitness at 34 seconds
3 Alice Barnes Betch.NL-Superior-Brentjens MTB Racing Team at 36 seconds
4 Emily Kay Team USN
5 Katie Curtis Pearl Izumi Sports Tours Intl
6 Louise Mahe IKON – Mazda
7 Charline Joiner Team WNT
8 Laura Greenhalgh Les Filles Racing Team
9 Henrietta Colborne Bonito Squadra Corse
10 Emily Nelson Team USN
11 Nicola Juniper Team Giordana- Triton
12 Eve Dixon Team 22
13 Gabriella Shaw Pearl Izumi Sports Tours Intl
14 Jennifer George Les Filles Racing Team
15 Natalie Grinczer Fusion RT Gearclub Bike Science
16 Helen Ralston Les Filles Racing Team
17 Rose Osbourne Team WNT
18 Anna Christian Wiggle Honda
19 Susan Freeburn PMR@Toachim House
20 Ellie Campbell Fusion RT Gearclub Bike Science all at same time
by Chris Maher | Apr 17, 2015
Stage One
Expanded into a two day race. The Alexandra Tour of the Reservoir returned for the second year. Sponsored by Northumbrian Water once more, the first race got underway around a small Kermesse Style circuit clockwise across the Derwent Reservoir dam wall. (Not as the map shows)
With 106 entries on the start sheet, the rolling start got underway in sunny, dry conditions. Top names including; defending Alexandra ToR Champion Nicola Juniper – Team Giordana Triton, National Pursuit Champions; Joanna Rowsell & Katie Archibald – Pearl Izumi Sports Tours Int’l & Dani King – Wiggle Honda; returning to racing for the first time since her training accident last year headlined the quality field.
A strong squad from Matrix Fitness, Team WNT & IKON Mazda added to the mix, and provided a top class start to this years British Cycling Women’s Road Series, the first of eight rounds.
Gaining 20 secs from a group of fifty or so riders in the first lap of thirteen, Dani King & Katie Archibald set a blistering pace, that proved too hard to bridge throughout the remaining circuits. Juniper, who’d had the legs to go with them punctured early on, and a slow wheel change from Neutral Service saw her drop by 1:45s on the second main bunch on the road.
With a strong North-Westerly wind blowing, Juniper fought her way back eventually to the shelter of the second chasing group of around 30 by now, and around three and a half mins down, with the first smaller group being two mins behind the leaders.
A crash in the earlier stages had splintered the bigger group and by the concluding lap, Dani & Katie were lapping the field.
Katie lead the final three hundred meters, but Dani had the energy, (and the voice) to come round her, for the sprint, and claim the stage one victory. Leading the chase group over the line for third was Charline Joiner – Team WNT.
All images ©www.chrismaher.co.uk | CyclingShorts.cc
Stage one:
1 Danielle King (Wiggle Honda)1-01-24
2 Katie Archibald (Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International) same time
3 Charline Joiner (Team WNT) at 1-20
4 Corrine Hall (Ikon Mazda)
5 Amy Hill (Team Rytgear)
6 Natalie Grinczer (Fusion RT) all st
Interview – Nicola Juniper @JuniperNikki
I caught up with 2014 Women’s Road Series Champion Nicola Juniper after the finish of Stage One. “I’m back mentoring a very young team”. Team Giordana – Triton are a new British women’s racing team formed at the start of 2015. The core of the team are riders from the old RST/ NFTO. They were five of the more senior members present, for this two day race. Nikki, Annasley Park, Lauren O’Brian, Keira McVitty & Sarah Bryne.
I asked her about her plans for this year, & about the first days race that had not long finished. “It’s very frustrating isn’t it”, “I went all last season without a puncture, and over the cattle grid (lap one), the front wheel went down”. After riding up to the finish line on the rim, she waited about 2 mins for Neutral Service, who swiftly changed her wheel. Nikki had already noticed the girls had really splintered. “I chased back on for around seven laps”. Over the loud speakers, she could hear that a big group (second bunch of chasers) were around 40s ahead of her.
Her thoughts then were to just dig-in and catch that group. Recover, and try damage limitation in readiness for tomorrows race two. As she joined the group, she realised there were girls already away, and with only three laps remaining, just sit in, and see if there was anything left in her legs to sprint.
Nikki laughed about the bunch sprint finish. Blaming her age and failing eyesight, miss-jugging the distance to the finish line. She saw the finish line approach she said. “It was a bit further than I realised”, “I’ll just go for it”, she thought. “I went a bit early” “And fair play to Charlotte Broughton (Corley Cycles – Drops RT), she went round me”.
In the end, Nikki was happy getting second in the bunch sprint, after seven laps of hard chasing. Nikki finish 16th, over 3 and a half mins down on stage one.
I asked her about the rest of the series. As last year, she’s was going to take it race by race.
“I’ve already said that I won’t be coming into this season to defend the title. I’m going to try and ride consistently, but the depth of the women’s field has grown. There are fifty faces here I haven’t seen, and loads of juniors coming through. So this year, I’m just going to enjoy it (racing, that is). Try a few things, and mentor, and help the girls along the way. I’ll just see what happens!”
Stage Two
Stage two started off in deteriorating conditions, with the promise of wintery showers and increasing winds. Rolling through the start-line and up-to the feed zone, the peloton had already shed around a third of the girls. Continuing around the Reservoir Circuit the field began to split further after the Prime Hill climb, and down the rear part of the course past the Yacht Club.
Joanna Rowsell – Pearl Izumi Sports Tours Int’l made the first break, with 2014 champion Nicola Juniper ten seconds behind. The Yellow Jersey group were at thirty seconds, and the next group a further minute behind. The sleety rain began to fall, along with the temperature.
Rowsell was joined by Juniper and together gained a lead of 1:58. The Yellow Jersey group of around twenty girls included Archibald who was sitting in second place overnight. A crash midway through the race, saw Archibald chances of a podium disappear.
Ciara Horne had a go at bridging the gap, but returned back into the group. Race leader, Dani King’s only support for the weekend was Anna Christian who rode alongside her though-out the stage. The gap grew to three mins and on the final lap, the main chasers split as they made a bid for glory.
Finishing up the final climb, Joanna Rowsell dropped Nicola Juniper, and there was a wait to see if King could retain her advantage. It was King, Horne then Bex Rimmington (Ikon Mazda) sprinting to the line next, with King’s team mate Christian next. Dani King had done enough to retain the lead overall, and Horne’s final drive that earned her a podium place too.
Juniper’s hard effort over both days earned her a third place.
All images ©www.chrismaher.co.uk | CyclingShorts.cc
Stage two:
1 Joanna Rowsell (Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International) 2-30-25
2 Nicola Juniper at 20sec
3 Danielle King at 2-22
4 Ciara Horne same time
5 Bex Rimmington (Ikon Mazda) at 2-25
6 Anna Christian at 3-22
Final overall:
1 Danielle King (Wiggle Honda) 3-34-11
2 Ciara Horne (Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International) at 1-20
3 Nicola Juniper (Giordana Triton) at 2-06
4 Anna Christian (Wiggle Honda) at 2-20
5 Corrine Hall (Ikon Mazda) at 3-13
6 Charline Joiner (Team WNT) at 3-20
7 Elinor Barker (Matrix Fitness) same time
8 Rebecca Rimmington (Ikon Mazda)
9 Gabby Shaw (Pearl Izumi Sports Tours Int’l)
10 Ruth Summerford (PMR@Toachim House)
Women’s Road Series Standings
Danielle King Wiggle Honda 58
Ciara Horne Pearl Izumi Sports Tours Int’l 44
Anna Christian Wiggle Honda 43
Corrine Hall IKON – Mazda 42
Nicola Juniper Team Giordana – Triton 40
Charline Joiner Team WNT 39
Bex Rimmington IKON – Mazda 27
Gabriella Shaw Pearl Izumi Sports Tours Int’l 23
Elinor Barker Matrix Fitness 23
Ruth Summerford PMR@Toachim House 19
Gabriella Leveridge Velosure Starley Primal 15
Joanna Rowsell Pearl Izumi Sports Tours Int’l 15
Katie Archibald Pearl Izumi Sports Tours Int’l 14
Lydia Boylan Team WNT 13
Jennifer Hudson Fusion RT Gearclub Bike Science 11
Amy Hill Team Rytgear 11
Natalie Grinzcer Fusion RT Gearclub Bike Science 10
Laura Greenhalgh Les Filles Racing Team 10
Emma Grant IKON – Mazda 9
Maryka Sennema Paceline RT 8
Amy Gornall Asprire Bicycles/HSS Hire 7
Tamina Oliver Wv Zeeuws-Vlaanderen – J F L F 7
Julie Erskine IKON – Mazda 5
Gillian Taylor Fusion RT Gearclub Bike Science 3
Bethany Hayward Pearl Izumi Sports Tours Int’l 3
Lauren Creamer Pearl Izumi Sports Tours Int’l 2
Henrietta Colborne Bonito Squadra Corse 2
Ellie CampbellFusion Development Racing Team 1
Charlotte Broughton Corley Cycles – Drops RT 1
The next race in the series is the Cheshire Classic, Sunday 26th April. With a field of eighty quality riders. The twelve lap circuit covers 92 kilometres with a climb up-to the finish line at Acton Bridge.
Women’s Road Series Calendar 2015
April 11-12 Alexandra Tour of the Reservoir
April 26 Cheshire Classic
May 31 Hillingdon Women’s Grand Prix
June 21 Curlew Cup
July 01 Otley GP
July 04 Stafford Kermesse
July 11-12Essex Giro 2 Day
July 19Ryedale GP
British Cycling Official Results
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