by Chris Maher | Apr 29, 2015
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
by Anna Magrath | Apr 21, 2015
In a world first for cycling, the Tour de Yorkshire will include a podium jersey which is voted for by fans via Twitter.
Sponsored by Dimension Data, the ‘digital’ jersey will be presented to the rider who has distinguished himself as the most aggressive, the rider who has made the greatest effort, and who has demonstrated the best qualities in terms of sportsmanship at each of the three-stages of the event which covers 515 kilometres, and takes place from May 1-3.
No other cycling race has an official jersey that is voted for by the public and the decision to introduce one for the Tour de Yorkshire illustrates the growing interest in cycling in the UK.
Christian Prudhomme of Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO), and director of the Tour de France, said: “The Tour de Yorkshire is the perfect race to launch a digital jersey – especially coming so soon after the enormous success of the 2014 Tour De France Yorkshire Grand Départ. We know that the people of Yorkshire and the UK will vote in large numbers for the most aggressive rider – especially for the British cyclists who are riding on home soil – who will push hard, be active in breakaways, and be recognised by the public.”
Jeremy Ord, Dimension Data’s Executive Chairman said: “We’re very excited to sponsor cycling’s first ever digital jersey. As the official technology partner for ASO, our goal in year one is to revolutionise the viewing experience of cycling fans across the world. The introduction of the digital jersey is another step in enabling ASO to deliver on its vision to transform the sport of cycling in the fast-evolving digitally driven world. Now, for the first time ever, cycling fans will be able to vote on the most aggressive rider.”
Fans can vote for the riders selected by the Tour de Yorkshire race director via @letouryorkshire. Twitter voting cards will be available on both the web and mobile app. All the fan needs to do is tap on the vote button. When the voter selects a rider, the card reloads and indicates which rider is leading the vote. Twitter card voting is open for half an hour which is 40 minutes before the end of each stage, and closing ten minutes before the end of each stage.
In addition to the Dimension Data’s digital jersey, the other three jerseys unveiled last week are: Sprinters sponsored by Yorkshire Bank, King of the Mountains sponsored by P&O Ferries; and the overall Welcome to Yorkshire Leader’s jersey.
Gary Verity, Chief Executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, said: “We’re breaking new ground getting people involved in voting for the most aggressive rider. Race weekend will be like no other the UK has seen. Combined with the other new, very impressive podium jerseys, we’re very excited to see who will be the first riders to wear them.”
All jerseys have been designed and manufactured by Milltag, the company with Yorkshire roots, which has used the Yorkshire ‘Y’ logo across each jersey.
You must be logged in to post a comment.