Women’s Road Series 2015

Cheshire Classic – April 26th 2015

 

Sunshine greeted the 34th edition of the Weaver Valley Cycling Club’s Cheshire Classic Women’s Road Race. Round Two of the British Cycling Women’s Road Series 2015.

With prize funding to rival international women’s events, a full field of eighty girls assembled at the Grange School Sports Pavilion, Northwich, for the 9.30am roll-out down onto the Bypass road and the start of the twelve laps, ninety-two kilometre circuit race.

Back with the support of Delamere Dairies, Taylor Wimpy and new sponsor Advanced Medical Solutions amongst others, the race soon began to take form, with the first two riders Ellie Campbell (Fusion RT Gearclub Bike Science) and Katie Curtis (Pearl Izumi Sports Tours Int’l) making a break over the Cliff and back down to the Bypass. Bridging the gap Josephine Gilbert (Velosure Starley Primal) swiftly joined them with a thirteen second gap to the Peloton and completion of the first lap.

The Trio stayed out in front gaining ten or more seconds for the second lap, with Pearl Izumi Sports Tours Int’l’s Dame Sarah Storey controlling the head of the main group, before all dropping back into the fold.

The Peloton had splintered after the second ascent of the Cliff and this saw Dame Sarah Storey dropping back around twenty seconds to gather her flock, mainly Joanna Rowsell & Gaby Shaw who had dropped from the main group.

Back at the front of the race, a new four girl group had formed including 2014 Series Champion Nicola Juniper (Team Giordana-Triton), last year winner Katie Archibald (Pearl Izumi), Manon Lloyd (Team USN) and Penny Rowson (Matrix Fitness). They soon gained over fifteen seconds.

Taking over the reigns, once again was Pearl Izumi’s Ciara Horne and National Road Race Champion Laura Trott (Matrix Fitness) donning her red and blue stripped jersey, riding her first Road Series Event for 2015.

Joining the party on lap four were Rebecca Rimmington (Ikon – Mazda), Bethany Crumpton (North West MTB Race Team) and Joanna Rowsell. The group had swollen to seven with a thirty-eight second lead. With two away in the break from Pearl Izumi, it was time for another team to take over the chase. Ellie Coster (Team USN), then Anna Christian (Wiggle Honda) took their turns, but didn’t quite reel the leaders back-in for the Intermediate Sprint.

The Delemare Dairy Intermediate Sprint on lap six saw Joanna Rowsell clip off the front on the Cliff and collect the £200 prize. The bridge had almost been made and it wasn’t long before the main group had reformed once again.

It was after the mid way point that Dame Sarah Storey made her winning move. Seeing an opportunity on the by-pass road, used her time trialling skills to ride away and up the Cliff once more, putting eleven seconds into the chasing Peloton.

As the final few laps went by, Storey stayed away in front and gained additional time, as the other riders all looked at each other. Climbing the Cliff for the final ascend, Storey rode to a thirty-four second lead, making it her second victory of the Cheshire Classic, collecting the Vale Royal Trophy and a second successive win for the Team. Archibald won last year.

There was a large bunch sprint for second place, and Laura Trott took that place. Third over the line was Alice Barnes (Betch.NL-Superior-Brentjens MTB Racing Team) , followed by Emily Kay (Team USN) and Katie Curtis.

The Advance Medical Solutions Team Prize went to Pearl Izumi Sports Tours Int’l.

The Your Sports Therapist most Aggressive Rider went to Dame Sarah Storey.

“Frustrating”, said Nicola Juniper, “The group should of stayed away”.

“It was a superb Team effort. We were told to sit in and cover things in the early days. That’s why Katie (Katie Curtis) went up the road. We then mopped up the prime with Joanne. It was just a case of reading the race, and see who was doing what. I realised it, was my turn really” Dame Sarah Storey.

Sarah had told the girls (Gaby & Katie Archibald) if it comes back, counter move, it doesn’t matter whether some of us don’t finish, we just need to get the win. And it was the move that took the race. She knew that most of the moves were going to happen on the climb, and she would rather climb at her own pace. So making her move on the bypass, had been something that she had thought about.

“I can’t believe it, I’ve always of dreamt of winning it solo… And I’ve done it finally”. Dame Sarah Storey

 

View our full Cheshire Classic 2015 Gallery by clicking here.

 

Cheshire Classic Results, 2015:

1 Dame Sarah Storey Pearl Izumi Sports Tours Intl Elite 02:36:55

2 Laura Trott Matrix Fitness Elite at 34 seconds

3 Alice Barnes Betch.NL-Superior-Brentjens MTB Racing Team 3rd at 36 seconds

4 Emily Kay Team USN 1st

5 Katie Curtis Pearl Izumi Sports Tours Intl 1st

6 Louise Mahe IKON – Mazda 1st

7 Charline Joiner Team WNT 1st

8 Laura Greenhalgh Les Filles Racing Team 2nd

9 Henrietta Colborne Bonito Squadra Corse 2nd

10 Emily Nelson Team USN 2nd

11 Nicola Juniper Team Giordana- Triton Elite

12 Eve Dixon Team 22 1st

13 Gabriella Shaw Pearl Izumi Sports Tours Intl Elite

14 Jennifer George Les Filles Racing Team 1st

15 Natalie Grinczer Fusion RT Gearclub Bike Science 2nd

16 Helen Ralston Les Filles Racing Team 2nd

17 Rose Osbourne Team WNT 2nd

18 Anna Christian Wiggle Honda 2nd

19 Susan Freeburn PMR@Toachim House 2nd

20 Ellie Campbell Fusion RT Gearclub Bike Science 3rd all at same time

21 Gabriella Leveridge Velosure Starley Primal 2nd

22 Jessie Walker Matrix Fitness 1st

23 Gemma Sargent Racing Chance Foundation 2nd

24 Bethany Taylor Bonito Squadra Corse 2nd

25 Kayleigh Brogan Aprire Bicycles/HSS Hire 2nd

26 Elizabeth-Jane Harris Army Cycling Union 2nd

27 Ella Hopkins IKON – Mazda 3rd

28 Nicole Oh Les Filles Racing Team 2nd

29 Jennifer Hudson Fusion RT Gearclub Bike Science 2nd

30 Julie Erskine IKON – Mazda 1st

31 Rebecca Nixon Fusion RT Gearclub Bike Science 2nd

32 Gabriella Nordin GB Cycles.co.uk 2nd

33 Manon Lloyd Team USN 1st

34 Charlotte Broughton Corley Cycles – Drops RT 2nd

35 Chanel Mason Army Cycling Union 2nd

36 Rebecca Rimmington IKON – Mazda 1st

37 Rebecca Carter Team WNT 2nd

38 Annasley Park Team Giordana- Triton 2nd

39 Bethany Hayward Pearl Izumi Sports Tours Intl 1st

40 Amy Gornall Aprire Bicycles/HSS Hire 2nd

41 Louise Laker PMR@Toachim House 2nd

42 Josephine Gilbert Velosure Starley Primal 2nd

43 Vanessa Whitfield Team 22 2nd

44 Frances White Team Jadan 2nd

45 Bethany Crumpton North West MTB Race Team 3rd

46 Hannah Payton Corley Cycles – Drops RT 2nd

47 Ciara Horne Pearl Izumi Sports Tours Intl 2nd

48 Lucy Shaw Matrix Fitness Development 2nd

49 Joanna Rowsell Pearl Izumi Sports Tours Intl Elite

50 Penny Rowson Matrix Fitness 2nd

51 Katie Archibald Pearl Izumi Sports Tours Intl Elite

52 Rebecca Womersley Corley Cycles – Drops RT 2nd

53 Joanne Blakeley Team 22 2nd

54 Hannah Walker Team WNT Elite

55 Lucy Harper Aprire Bicycles/HSS Hire 2nd

56 Helen McKay Les Filles Racing Team 2nd

57 Pia De Quint

58 Nicola Soden Carnac-Planet X 2nd

59 Elinor Thorogood Aprire Bicycles/HSS Hire 3rd

60 Ellie Coster Team USN 2nd

61 Melissa Brand IKON – Mazda 2nd

62 Nikola Butler Pearl Izumi Sports Tours Intl 2nd

63 Victoria Strila PMR@Toachim House 2nd

64 Lauren OBrien Team Giordana- Triton 2nd

65 Alexis Barnes PMR@Toachim House 2nd

66 Emily Attfield Velosure Starley Primal 2nd

67 Chloe Weller PMR@Toachim House 2nd

68 Rebecca Raybould Poole Whls CC 2nd

69 Sandra Mackay Carnac-Planet X 2nd

70 Ruth Taylor Manchester Whlrs Club 2nd

71 Emma Grant IKON – Mazda 2nd

72 Keira McVitty Team Giordana- Triton 1st

73 Sarah Rose Team 22 2nd

74 Sam Burman Team WNT 3rd

DNF Delia Beddis Les Filles Racing Team 2nd

DNF Karla Boddy IKON – Mazda 1st

DNF Laura Cheesman Velosure Starley Primal 2nd

DNF Tracy Corbett Les Filles Racing Team 2nd

DNF Laura Massey IKON – Mazda Elite

DNF Brit Tate Team WNT 1st

 

BC Women’s Road Series Championship Points Table after Round 2

1 Danielle King Wiggle Honda 58

2 Charline Joiner Team WNT 57

3 Nicola Juniper Team Giordana – Triton 50

4 Anna Christian Wiggle Honda 46

5 Ciara Horne Pearl Izumi Sports Tours Int’l 44

6 Lorna Hall IKON – Mazda 42

7 Gabriella Shaw Pearl Izumi Sports Tours Int’l 31

8 Dame Sarah Storey Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International  30

9 Laura Trott Matrix Fitness 28

10 Bex Rimmington IKON – Mazda 27

11 Alice Barnes Betch.nl-Superior-Brenjens MTB Racing Team 26

= Laura Greenhalgh Les Filles Racing Team 26

13 Emily Kay Team USN 24

14 Elinor Barker Matrix Fitness 23

15 Katie Curtis Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International  22

16 Louise Mahe IKON-Mazda 20

17 Ruth Summerford PMR@Toachim House 19

18 Henrietta Colborne Bonito Squadra Corse 16

19 Joanna Rowsell Pearl Izumi Sports Tours Int’l 15

= Gabriella Leveridge Velosure Starley Primal 15

 

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 11-12 Essex Giro 2 Day

July 19 Ryedale GP