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 | Aug 17, 2015
SATURDAY AFTERNOON SESSION:
Great Britain’s Matthew Gibson set the quickest qualifying time in the 4000m Individual Pursuit setting a time of 4.23.212 holding a perfect line around the boards of Derby Arena. His closest competitor Owain Doull will ride in the finals later in the day.
Event 1 Individual Pursuit – Qualifying Men
- Matt Gibson 04.23.212
- Owain Doull 04.25.420
- Germain Burton 04.25.664
- Dion Beukeboom 04.26.345
- Andrew Tennant 04.28.841
- Julien Morice 04.29.653
- Aleksandr Lisouski 04.32.144
- Jan-Willem Van Schip 04.33.110
- Jake Kelly 04.36.610
- Steven Burke 04.36.610
- Fintan Ryan 04.44.052
- Dennis Wauch 04.44.679
- Ivan Kovalev 04.45.562
- Mark Downey 04.46.751
- Roy Pieters 04.51.377
Event 2 Sprint Qualification Time Trial Men
- Lewis Oliva 10.067
- Callum Skinner 10.088
- Quentin Lafague 10.108
- Jason Kenny 10.109
- Francois Pervis 10.188
- Hugo Haak 10.327
- Philip Hindes 10.343
- Christos Volikakis 10.345
- Matthew Crampton 10.419
- Eoin Mullen 10.423
- Zafeiros Volikakis 10.508
- Matt Rotherham 10.530
- Jose Moreno Sanchez10.633
Event 3 Sprint Qualification Time Trial Women
- Katy Marchant 11.163
- Jessica Varnish 11.276
- Dannielle Khan 11.286
- Victoria Williamson 11.333
- Tania Calvo 11.465
- Rebecca James 11.617
- Yesna Rijkhoff 11.644
- Olivia Montauban 11.662
- Sandie Clair 11.744
- Laurine Van Riessen 11.831
- Nicky Degrendele 11.942
- Shanaze Reade 12.043
The first Women’s Omnium event a forty lap Scratch Race, saw the first thirty laps run at a steady pace staying all together. With no one willing to commit early on the pace didn’t lift until around ten laps remaining.
As the race intensified, Ciara Horne attacked off the front of the pack with three laps to go, but faded in the final few hundred meters as the battle for the overall title began to take shape.
The crowd, already whipped up into a frenzy by Horne, we delighted to see Laura Trott cross the line first, with Jolien D’Hoore second and Laurie Berthon third in the bunch sprint.
A good start to Laura Trott’s Omnium campaign, but her biggest rivals were still looming within striking distance. The next event in this session will be the 3000m IP.
Event 4 The Sir Dave Brailsford Omnium – 10Km Scratch Race Women
- TROTT, Laura GBR
- D’HOORE, Jolien BEL
- BERTHON, Laurie FRA
- JEULAND, Pascale FRA
- KAY, Emily GBR
- WOJTYRA, Malgorzata POL
- OLABERRIA, Leire ESP
- ARCHIBALD, Katie GBR
- NELSON, Emily GBR
- STEEL, Elizabeth NZL
- BOYLAN, Lydia IRL
- HORNE, Ciara GBR
- REYBOULD, Rebecca GBR
- LLOYD, Manon GBR
Event 5 Sprint – First Round Men
Oliva, Skinner, Lafargue, Kenny, Volikakis (C) & Hindes progress through.
Event 6 Sprint – First Round Women
Marchant, Varnish, Khan, Williamson, Calvo & Rijkhoff progress through.
The first Men’s Omnium event a sixty lap Scratch Race couldn’t have been any different to that of the Women’s event. An energetic start with small attacks from the start including Chris Latham whom managed a spell out-front.
It wasn’t long before a six man break got free to take a lap, with Clancy & Cavendish making the move. Seeing the danger, De Ketele and two others joined the front of the race also gaining a lap.
De Ketele and Lisouski manage to gain another lap on the field in the chaos as the race drew to it’s conclusion, with Dibben going for a long solo victory to cross the line first.
Clancy turned up the heat to take the bunch sprint for second placement, but both Brits were down a lap on De Ketele & Lisouski who lead the Men’s Omnium going into round two, the 4000m IP.
Event 7 The Sir Brailsford Omnium – Scratch Race Men
- DE KETELE, Kenny BEL
- LISOUSKI, Aleksandr BLR
- DIBBEN, Jonathan GBR -1
- CLANCY , Ed GBR -1
- STEWART, Mark GBR -1
- ELLORIAGA, Unai ESP -1
- THOMAS, Benjamin FRA -1
- EEFTING, Roy NED -1
- WOOD, Oliver GBR -1
- RODRIGUES, Gideoni BRA -1
- CAVENDISH, Mark GBR -1
- KNEISKY, Morgan FRA -1
- DE PAUW, Moreno BEL -1
- VELDT, Tim NED -1
- KOVALEV, Ivan RUS -1
- RYAN, Fintan IRL -2
- WAUCH, Tobias AUT -2
- DOWNEY, Mark IRL -2
- MATZNER, Stefan AUT -2
- LATHAM, Christopher GBR -2
- MASTALLER, Stefan AUT -2
- DOULL, Owain GBR DNF
Event 8 The Sir Brailsford Omnium – 3000m Individual Pursuit Women
- Jolien D’Hoore 03.36.130
- Laura Trott 03.38.769
- Katie Archibald 03.41.177
- Pascale Jeuland 03.44.607
- Ciara Horne 03.44.628
- Emily Kay 03.45.217
- Leire Olaberria 03.47.647
- Lydia Boyland 03.48.749
- Emily Nelson 03.48.935
- Manon Lloyd 03.49.707
- Laurie Berthon 03.50.325
- Malgorzata Wojtyra 03.51.420
- Elizabeth Steele 03.57.303
- Rebecca Raybould 03.59.550
Event 9 Sprint – Quarter Final Men
Oliva, Skinner, Hindes & Kenny progress through.
Event 10 Sprint – Quarter Final Women
Marchant, Varnish, Rijkhoff & Calvo progress through.
Event 11 The Sir Dave Brailsford Omnium – 4000m Individual Pursuit Men
- Chris Latham 04.26.073
- Mark Cavendish 04.26.822
- Jon Dibben 04.27.335
- Ed Clancy 04.29.208
- Mark Stewart 04.29.502
- Kenny de Ketele 04.30.886
- Gideoni Rodrigues 04.32.437
- Aleksandr Lisouki 04.34.138
- Unai Elloriaga 04.34.258
- Oli Wood 04.35.182
- Benjamin Thomas 04.35.755
- Tim Veldt 04.35.971
- Morgan Kniesky 04.36.161
- Moreno de Pauw 04.40.976
- Roy Eefing 04.41.085
- Ivan Kovalev 04.41.916
SATURDAY EVENING SESSION:
Doors open at 18:00. Racing from 19:00 to 22:00.
Event 12 Sprint – 5-8th Finals Men
Volikakis, Haak, Lafargue & Pervis
Event 13 Sprint – 5-8th Finals Women
Williamson, Khan, Clair & Montauban.
Event 14 The Sir Dave Brailsford Omnium – Elimination Women
- TROTT, Laura GBR
- D’HOORE, Jolien BEL
- ARCHIBALD, Katie GBR
- JEULAND, Pascale FRA
- KAY, Emily GBR
- NELSON, Emily GBR
- OLABERRIA, Leire ESP
- BERTHON, Laurie FRA
- WOJTYRA, Malgorzata POL
- STEEL, Elizabeth NZL
- BOYLAN, Lydia IRL
- REYBOULD, Rebecca GBR
- LLOYD, Manon GBR
- HORNE, Ciara GBR
Event 15 Sprint – Semi Final (Match A) Men
Lewis Oliva beat Jason Kenny in the semis. Callum Skinner beat Philip Hindes in a three round tie breaker to join Oliva.
Event 16 Sprint – Semi Final (Match A) Women
Katy Marchant beat Tania Calvo in the semis. Jessica Varnish beat Yesna Rijkhoff to join Marchant.
Event 17 Individual Pursuit – Finals Men
Matthew Gibson continued his impressive qualifying performance to win the 4000 Individual Pursuit, passing Owain Doull in the closing stages of the race. Germain Burton squeezed a marginal win over Netherland’s Dion Beukeboom for third place.
Event 20 The Sir Dave Brailsford Omnium – Elimination Men
A fast start in the final Omnium Session from the day came to a halt as a collision on the home straight neutralized the race. The race then re-started and it wasn’t long before the pace intensified. Another crash, once again neutralized the race involving the same rider Rodrigues, this time with Jon Dibben.
With Omnium leader De Ketele finding himself out of contention early on, second place man Lisouski went out soon after.
With four Brits left to battle the top slots, Cavendish found himself on the Cote Azure and relegated from the remainder of the race. Ed Clancy went on the win the second round, with Chris Latham second and Benjamin Thomas of France third.
Event 23 Madison Time Trial Men
- Great Britain’s Steven Burke & Owain Doull set the quickest time 0.55.240 in the Revolution Madison Time Trial, getting to close to the sub 55s Revolution record.
- 100% ME 0.56.774
- Austria 0.58.514
- France 0.59.434
- Belarus 1.00.316
- Ireland 1.02.181
- Belgium 1.21.760
Event 29 Revolution Longest Lap Men
- Matthew Gibson
- Morgan Kniesky
- Thomas Benjamin
- Alekandr Lisouki
- Ivan Kovalev
- Roy Eefing
Event 30 Sprint – Final Men
Lewis Oliva beat Callum Skinner to clinch the Sprint Title. Jason Kenny beat Philip Hindes.
Event 31 Sprint – Final Women
Katy Marchant beat Jessica Varnish to take the Sprint Title. Tania Calvo beat Yesna Rijkhoff over three heats.
SUNDAY AFTERNOOON SESSION:
The Sir Dave Brailsford Omnium – Time Trial Women
- Trott, Laura
- D’Hoore, Jolien
- Berthon, Laurie
- Boylan, Lydia
- Olaberria, Leire
- Wojtyra, Malgorzata
- Archibald, Katie
- Jeuland, Pascale
The Sir Dave Brailsford Omnium – Time Trial Men
- Clancy, Ed
- Latham, Chris
- Eefting, Roy
- Veldt, Tim
- Cavendish, Mark
- Dibben, Jon
- De Pauw, Moreno
- De Ketele, Kenny
- Wood, Oliver
- Kneisky, Morgan
Keirin – First Round Men
Volikakis, Olivia, Crampton, Kenny, Hindes & Haak go through from round one.
Keirin – First Round Women
Khan, Marchant, Calvo, Clair, Van Riessen & Montauban go through from round one.
The Sir Dave Brailsford Omnium – Flying Lap Women
- Trott, Laura
- D’Hoore, Jolien
- Berthon, Laurie
- Jeuland, Pascale
- Archibald, Katie
- Wojtyra, Malgorzata
- Boylan, Lydia
- Olaberria, Leire
- Nelson, Emily
- Kay, Emily
The Sir Dave Brailsford Omnium – Flying Lap Men
- Clancy, Ed
- Eefting, Roy
- Cavendish, Mark
- Veldt, Tim
- Dibben, Jon
- De Pauw,Moreno
- Latham, Chris
- De Ketele,Kenny
- Thomas, Benjamin
- Elloriaga, Unai
The Sir Dave Brailsford Omnium – Points Race Women
- TROTT, Laura GBR
- D’HOORE, Jolien BEL
- JEULAND, Pascale FRA
- ARCHIBALD, Katie GBR
- BERTHON, Laurie FRA
- KAY, Emily GBR
- OLABERRIA, Leire ESP
- BOYLAN, Lydia IRL
- WOJTYRA, Malgorzata POL
- NELSON, Emily GBR
- REYBOULD, Rebecca GBR
- LLOYD, Manon GBR
- STEEL Elizabeth NZL
The Sir Dave Brailsford Omnium – Points Race Men
- Clancy, Ed
- Cavendish, Mark
- Latham, Chris
- Dibben, Jon
- Thomas, Benjamin
- De Ketele,Kenny
- Stewart, Mark
- Elloriaga, Unai
- Veldt, Tim
- Lisouski, Aleksandr
Keirin – Final Men
- Kenny, Jason GBR
- Olivia, Lewis GBR
- Volikakis, Christos GRE
- Crampton, Matt GBR
- Haak, Hugo NED
- Hindes, Philip GBR
Keirin – Final Women
- Marchant, Katy GBR
- Clair, Sandie FRA
- Khan, Dannielle GBR
- Calvo, Tania ESP
- Van Riessen, Laurine NED
- Montauban, Olivia FRA GBR
Madison Men
- Great Britain – Bradley Wiggins / Mark Cavendish
- Belgium – Kenny De Ketele / Moreno De Pauw
- 100%ME – Chris Latham / Mark Stewart
- ODP – Germain Burton / Mathew Gibson
- WattBike – Roy Pieters / Stefan Matzner
- France – Morgan Kneisky / Benjamin Thomas
The next round of Revolution will be Race 53.
Special Thanks to www.facepartnership.com
Official Website www.cyclingrevolution.com
Flickr Photo Gallery Updated Regularly throughout the Winter Season at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/23913935@N07/sets/72157623276235092/
by Anna Magrath | Aug 11, 2015
Since their incorporation as a charity last year, The Racing Chance Foundation has been providing cycle training and racing opportunities for women in the UK, and have provided coached sessions for over 200 women since January 2014.
Limited funding has meant that the majority of racing opportunities so far that the Foundation has been able to provide have been restricted to the UK scene, however, since receiving a generous donation from the Fred Whitton Challenge, the Foundation has been able to secure places in two international stage races, the first of which is this weekend: The Ladies Tour of Norway.
The Foundation are pleased to announce that their first team to travel abroad will consist of the following riders:
You can find out more about the Tour of Norway here.
The Foundation would like to the Fred Whitton Challenge, Onimpex Bioracer, CyclingShorts and Chapeau! Chapeau! for their continued support.
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.
RCF 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 Heather Bamforth | Jul 19, 2015
Now that the Women’s National Road Series is over for another year, many people will be thinking about what team they want to be riding for next season, so given that the better teams tend to be sorted by August, I thought it would be helpful to give those of you who might not have gone through the process before some guidance.
Where do I start?
Firstly, a good starting point is to think about what you actually want to achieve next season and whether you have all the “tools” available to you to be able to do so. For example, it might be something relatively simple like a need to improve on your base fitness over winter to help you be more competitive in the higher level races, or it might be something more difficult, like a lack of time and/or money.
Many people (male and female) make the mistake of applying a scatter gun approach to racing at the start of the season (a large factor being a plethora of races, on the most part circuit races, at the beginning of the season, which peter out later in the year), which doesn’t necessarily help with your fitness or your bank balance!
BC National Road Race Championships 2015 – Image ©www.chrismaher.co.uk / CyclingShorts.cc
So, what do you need to think about?
Time you have available
If you are at school, college, work or have kids, you will have other commitments other than riding your bike. That also means that you are likely to have a finite number of holidays available too – so think about what you intend to do in those holidays, and how many you are prepared to spend at bike races (everybody needs a break from work otherwise you get burn out).
You also need to think about how many hours a week you can dedicate to riding a bike – if you have a training plan that involves 20 hours a week on the bike, is it reasonable to think that you can achieve that? Or is 6 hours a week more likely? You can still achieve results on the latter, you just have to make sure that you are doing quality training.
Matrix Fitness GP 2015 | Motherwell – Round 2 – Image ©www.chrismaher.co.uk / CyclingShorts.cc
Cost of racing
Every time you race, you pay an entry fee. If you are keen to do more road races than anything else, these tend to be more expensive due to the nature of the infrastructure required for the race to go ahead. If you are likely to be tight on cash (which most people are), and you have to cover the costs of your own entry fee, decide in advance which races you intend to target (the cost of races disappears once the event has happened but if you earmark £30 for each National Series event, and £20 – £25 for every other event, you won’t be far off), how much you will need to spend to get there (including travelling, accommodation and food) and make those events your “target events”, you will go some way to making sure you budget for them accordingly.
Once you’ve earmarked how much it is going to cost you to get to the most important events in your calendar, then work backwards based on how much cash you think you are going to have available and look at local events first, then further afield. Remember, you don’t have to enter all women’s races if there isn’t one available. You can enter men’s events, but you have to be pretty quick because they fill up rather fast.
Women’s Tour De Yorkshire 2015 – ©www.chrismaher.co.uk / CyclingShorts.cc
Your Location
If you live in a region where there isn’t much racing available for women, you have two choices: you either do something about it (by persuading organisers of men’s events to host a women’s race at the same time) or you have to travel. Most people have to travel at some point because races tend to be in the middle of nowhere. If you don’t have access to a car, the likelihood is that you will struggle to get to races unless you team up with someone else to get there or you get there using public transport, which might involve a stay over. If you’re not overly keen on those two options, you will need to look at the racing on offer in your locality and amend your season’s objectives accordingly.
Cheshire Classic 2015 – BC Women’s Road Series Rnd2 – Image ©www.chrismaher.co.uk / CyclingShorts.cc
Do you need to be on a team?
The short answer is “no”. However, some riders prefer to be on a team, so it’s each to their own. But, having said that, if you do want to be on a sponsored team, and you are considering applying to teams, make sure that you are honest with yourself about what you can give. Being on a team is a privileged position to be in, especially those where it includes the provision of clothing and equipment. You need to ensure that you can do justice to yourself and your potential sponsors before applying. You also need to think about the commitment level (see above) as if you’re limited on the number of holidays that you have, only you will know whether riding every Tour Series or driving the length of the country for National Series races is the best use of your time.
Notwithstanding the above, Tanya Griffiths wrote an article for us last year about applying for a team place, which you can access here.
Alexandra Women’s Tour Of The Reservoir 2015 – Image ©www.ChrisMaher.co.uk / CyclingShorts.cc
Perspective is important
Ultimately, the majority of racing cyclists in this country participate because it’s their hobby. That means it’s supposed to be fun and enjoyable (although it is hard work too). Focus on what you want to achieve, make sure your objectives or goals are SMART goals (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely) and just enjoy riding your bike.
If you do decide to go ahead with applying to sponsored teams next season, we wish you the very best of luck and hope that everything works out for you.
Check out Heathers previous guides:
Race Tactics – It’s More Than Just A Lead Out
Click below to read:
Part One – Where Do I Start?
Part Two – What Do I Enter?
Part Three – What training should I do?
Part Four – Practice! Practice! Practice!
Part Five – Are You Ready To Race?
Part Six – Race Day
Part Seven – Circuit Racing
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.
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