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 Anna Magrath | May 2, 2015
Stage 2 TdY Finish – Image ©www.chrismaher.co.uk | CyclingShorts.cc
The end of stage one of the tour resulted in a number of big names getting off the bike. Ben Swift with a right shoulder trauma, young Irish rider Eddie Dunbar sustaining the same injury but on his left side, both riders were casualties in the crash at the front of the peloton. We also saw the early retirement of Marcel Kittel who had only just returned from illness.
Stage 2 TdY Final Lap – Image ©www.chrismaher.co.uk | CyclingShorts.cc
Stage two started with a large group going clear early in the day, with some quality riders involved including Bert de Backer (Giant-Alpecin), Andy Tennant (Team Wiggins), Mark McNally (Madison-Genesis) and Matt Brammeier (MTN-Qhubeka). The group built up a five minute lead which they held for quite some time. The job of reeling them in was left to the team of the GC leader Lars-Petter Nordhaug. Team Sky got to work. The lead group fragmented, the remains; McNally and De Backer put in an extra effort to stay away as the race arrived on the outskirts of York for the two lap finish. The attempt was looking successful until the final few kilometres of the last lap.
The pace lifted as Team Sky gained allies on the front of the peloton; IAM Cycling, NFTO, Roompot-Orange Peloton and One Pro Cycling, the race started to look more like an angry swarm of bees, as the riders were strung out behind the four teams.
Stage 2 TdY Podium – Image ©www.chrismaher.co.uk | CyclingShorts.cc
In the meantime De Backer was showing his strength and he managed to shake off McNally. With just a few kilos to go it was looking less like he would manage a lone arrival at the finish, the peloton was closing in fast. As the the race reached the 2km marker the peloton were on his tail, they could smell a bunch sprint finish. Loic Chetout (Cofidis) attacked and pulled his way up to De Backer, this small victory was short-lived as the peloton came charging past at the Flame Rouge.
Greg van Avermaet had a dig and gapped the peloton for a moment but the final moments came down to Pelucchi and Hofland battling it out for the win. The Team LottoNL-Jumbo rider just pipped Pelucchi to the post. All the hard work of Team LottoNL-Jumbo this season finally paid off, their first win of the year!
The first British rider to reach the line in the sprint was Russ Downing (Cult Energy Pro Cycling) – a Yorkshireman too!
No change overall in the standings as Lars-Petter Nordhaug finished in the bunch.
Tour de Yorkshire 2015: stage two results
1) Moreno Hofland (NED) – Team LottoNL-Jumbo – 3.57.58hrs
2) Matteo Pelucchi (ITA) – IAM Cycling – ST
3) Roman Sinkeldam (NED) – Giant-Alpecin
4) Jempy Drucker (NED) – BMC Racing
5) Dylan Groenewegen (NED) – Roompot Orange Peloton
6) Andre Looij (NED) – Roompot Orange Peloton
7) Russ Downing (GBR) – Cult Energy Pro Cycling
8) Andreas Stauff (GER) – MTN-Qhubeka
9) Harry Tanfield (GBR) – Condor-JLT
10) Pieter Vanspeybrouck (BEL) – Topsport-Vlaanderen Baloise
General classification
1) Lars-Petter Nordhaug (NOR) – Team Sky – 8.20.26hrs
2) Samuel Sanchez (ESP) – BMC Racing +10”
3) Thomas Voeckler (FRA) – Team Europcar – ST
4) Stephane Rossetto (FRA) – Cofidis +12”
5) Philip Deignan (IRL) – Team Sky +16”
6) Anthony Turgis (FRA) – Cofidis +1.18
7) Greg van Avermaet (BEL) – BMC Racing +1.20
8) Erick Rowsell (GBR) – Madison-Genesis – ST
9) Ben Hermans (BEL) – BMC Racing +1.23
10) Richard Handley (GBR) – JLT-Condor +1.26
by Anna Magrath | May 2, 2015
All images ©www.chrismaher.co.uk | CyclingShorts.cc
Tour De Yorkshire 2015 | Selby to York – Stage 2
Stage 2 Classification:
1) Moreno Hofland – Team Lotto NL Jumbo
2) Matteo Pelucchi – IAM Cycling
3) Ramon Sinkeldam – Team Giant Alpecin
Overall Classification:
1) Lars-Petter Nordhaug – Team Sky
2) Samuel Sanchez – BMC
3) Thomas Voeckler – Europcar
Blue Jersey
Lars-Petter Nordhaug – Team Sky
Green Jersey
Lars-Petter Nordhaug – Team Sky
Pink Jersey
Perrig Quemeneur – Europcar
Grey Jersey
Mark McNally – Madison Genesis
by Anna Magrath | May 1, 2015
Being Yorkshire born and bred, I may be slightly biased, but this is the most beautiful and definitely the best county in the UK… All four corners of the county will be putting on a show for the inaugural Tour de Yorkshire this weekend. We can look forward to some of the best British and international cycling talent taking to the roads over three challenging stages. Today the cycling kicked off with an outing from Bridlington to Scarborough.
Kittel less than happy with Cote de Dalby Forest – Image ©www.chrismaher.co.uk | CyclingShorts.cc
The stage got underway in seaside town of Bridlington the route passed through spectacular coastal scenery and the iconic North York Moors landscapes with no less than five King of the Mountains (KoM) peaks and two sprint opportunities along the course.
The teams rode along the Flamborough Head Heritage Coast before turning away from the coast into the North York Moors National Park, through Dalby Forest hitting the first KoM of the day at the Cote de Dalby Forest and this first test seemed to take it’s toll on some of the riders. Sprinter Marcel Kittel became unhitched from the main peloton and found himself in a small group as he zipped up his top to descend the climb. His face said it all, but he wasn’t the only rider disliking the Yorkshire hills.
Team Sky were dominant from early on in the race after reeling in a breakaway that held a lead of 3 minutes. Sky controlled the peloton until they hit the recently drizzled roads of Egton and Grosmont. The Team Sky train appeared not to adjust their descending style to match the wet conditions and slid across the road at the start of the drop.
In doing so they took out a number of other teams riders behind them. Ben Swift of Team Sky went down heavily and subsequently had to retire from the race. The riding became a little more tentative as teams got themselves back on each others wheels. The lack of race radio did mean riders had to be more team aware, though none of the riders up front would have known of the retirements behind them. Team Sky were now down to 4 riders on the front of the peloton and less able to control the situation. One rider took advantage of the chaos at the front, on the penultimate slope of the day; the Cote de Briggswath, the Europcar rider Perrig Quemeneur went out on his own and made the most of it by mopping us some more sprint points.
The race took a spectacular journey back to the coast at Whitby. By the time they reached Robin Hood’s Bay Quemeneur had been caught and a sizeable group of around 15 riders including; Voeckler, Sanchez and two Team Sky riders. Steve Cummings got caught out by the break and furiously tried to get up to them to no avail. Over the crest of the Cote de Robin Hood’s Bay 15 had been whittled down to 5 riders with a lead of over 30 seconds, they had over a minute back to the peloton. The splinter group contained some dangerous riders; Thomas Voeckler (Europcar), Samuel Sanchez (BMC Racing Team), Stephane Rossato (Cofidis Solutions Credits), Philip Diegnan & Lars-Petter Nordhaug (both Team Sky). Initially the two French riders (Voeckler and Rossato) seemed to work together to test and attempt to break the Sky riders.
Lars-Petter Nordhaug wins Stage 1 of the Tour de Yorkshire 2015 – Image ©www.chrismaher.co.uk | CyclingShorts.cc
Image ©www.chrismaher.co.uk | CyclingShorts.cc
The race ended in the ultimate sprint finish on the seafront at Scarborough, the five riders went down to the line with Team Sky using team tactics with a one-two attack. Rossetto showed he had more in the tank starting the sprint lead out, he was overtaken by Nordhaug with Voeckler on his tail. A thrilling end to what looks to be an unpredictable Tour.
Perrig Quemeneur took the Pink Climbers Jersey and the Grey Most Aggressive Rider which is voted for by the public via Twitter, unfortunately for Eddie Dunbar he won the vote but was caught up in the crash and had to retire. So the jersey passed to Quemeneur.
Results after Stage 1
1.NOR NORDHAUG Lars-Petter 16 TEAM SKY 04h 22′ 28”
2.FRA VOECKLER Thomas 71 TEAM EUROPCAR 04h 22′ 32”+ 00′ 04”
3.FRA ROSSETTO Stéphane 97 COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS 04h 22′ 34”+ 00′ 06”
4.ESP SANCHEZ Samuel 36 BMC RACING TEAM 04h 22′ 38”+ 00′ 10”
5.IRL DEIGNAN Philip 13 TEAM SKY 04h 22′ 38”+ 00′ 10”
6.FRA TURGIS Anthony 98 COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS 04h 23′ 46”+ 01′ 18”
7.BEL VAN AVERMAET Greg 31 BMC RACING TEAM 04h 23′ 48”+ 01′ 20”
8.GBR ROWSELL Erick 146 MADISON GENESIS 04h 23′ 48”+ 01′ 20”
9.GBR HANDLEY Richard 135 JLT CONDOR 04h 23′ 48”+ 01′ 20”
10.NED DUYN Huub 103 ROOMPOT ORANJE PELOTON 04h 23′ 48”+ 01′ 20”
It All Comes Down To A Bunch Sprint Along The Knavesmire In The Inaugural Women’s Tour De Yorkshire!
Top 10:
You must be logged in to post a comment.