Hannah Barnes wins opening round of The Johnson Health Tech Women’s Grand Prix Series
Hannah Barnes became the first rider to pull on the Johnson Health Tech jersey as leader of the new-for-2011 Johnson Health Tech Women’s Grand Prix Series, taking victory at Round One of the Series in Peterborough.
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Motorpoint’s 18-year-old exchanged her British Circuit Race Champion’s jersey for the white Johnson jersey on the post-race podium, as her team packed the top ten with four riders to take the lead in the teams competition, as well as the individual honours.
Barnes was at the forefront of the action for much of what was a highly entertaining race that featured a lot of attacking throughout its 40 minute length.
Ultimately the attack that stuck, triggering the winning move was instigated by For Viored Brookes’ Rohan Battison, who went clear by herself two thirds of the way into the race. Barnes tracked her move, chasing the lone leader down and taking Helen Wyman, teammate Lucy Garner and Horizon Fitness’ Penny Rowson.
The quintet stayed together for the remainder of the race meaning it all boiled down to the final sprint, with Barnes sprinting down the middle of the road, with Wyman just beating Garner to the runner-up spot in the lunge for the line under the watchful gaze of Peterborough Cathdral.
Motorpoint’s success continued as Hannah Walker led home the main field in the sprint for seventh place, ahead of Horizon Fitness’ Hannah Rich and a fourth Motorpoint rider in the top ten, Alice Barnes.
Local rider Lindsay Clarke of Fenland Clarion came home in 15th position in the thirty rider field.
Along the way to her victory, Barnes also cleaned up the honours in the Sprints competition, taking first and second in the two intermediate sprints to also take the early lead in that contest.
Highlights of the opening round of the Johnson Health Tech Women’s Grand Prix Series will be shown as a part of The Halfords Tour Series highlights on ITV4 at 20.00 on Wednesday 1st June, with a repeat on Thursday 2nd June at 10.45.
Round Two of the Johnson Health Tech Women’s Grand Prix Series takes place in Stoke-on-Trent on Tuesday 7th June, where Barnes and Motorpoint Pro Cycling will be hoping to continue in their winning ways in front of a home crowd.
Hannah Barnes: “I wanted to make it like the mens race and try and break the race up and not just have a bunch sprint, to make it interesting for people watching. Quite a few riders tried to get away during the race and in the end a group of five us got away. Rohan Battison was up the road and then I tried to jump across and then three more came up to us and we all then worked together.”
“When Lucy and I are in a group, we don’t lead out each other and just race it. I was in fourth position in the sprint and the bunch were close behind so I there was a mini attack and I just stick myself on Penny Rowson’s wheel and Lucy was on mine and then the sprint opened up and I just went.”
“We have just come Jersey and there was loads of people for those races so that was good which Lucy won and we did a road race as well and did a 1-2-3.”
Helen Wyman “The race was good, good racing. It was hard, fast, and it wasn’t the most technical circuit but it made for good racing. I’m not a sprinter but I thought I might have the strength if I went from a long way out but maybe I wenta bit early. They weren’t on me at the time so I thought it was a good opportunity to go. It was good to get the break and to help make it an exciting race and enjoying for people watching it.”
“I had a crash three weeks in Luxembourg and it was horrible! It reminds me of why I do ‘cross because it doesn’t hurt as much when you crash but I have recovered from that and will be going stronger over the next few weeks. We have got some stage races in Germany after we’ve done the Tour Series.
“Women’s racing is exciting and the teams that Steff has run have always looked professional and the riders have lived up to that now some other teams are doing that like the Motorpoint team look professional and other teams are coming through and saying we can compete with you. The TV time we get from these races can only be a good thing. In fairness, women’s sport is cheaper to sponsor than any other type of cyclesport and sponsors can get much better value for money sponsoring women and it helps women and improves what we do.”
Lucy Garner: “I positioned myself a lot better this year and got myself at the front at the start and that helped so much especially on this course which was pretty tight. I had a few digs and just wanted to keep the pace going in the break as I knew the bunch behind was strong.”
Round One, Peterborough, Results
Individual Results
1 Hannah Barnes Motorpoint Pro Cycling
2 Helen Wyman Kona Factory Racing
3 Lucy Garner Motorpoint Pro Cycling
4 Penny Rowson Horizon Fitness RT
5 Rohan Battison For Viored Brookes
6 Hannah Walker Motorpoint Pro Cycling
7 Hannah Rich Horizon Fitness RT
8 Alice Barnes Motorpoint Pro Cycling
9 Charlotte Colclough For Viored Brookes
10 Ceri Dipple Twenty3c Orbea
Team Winner
Motorpoint Pro Cycling
Sprints Winner
Hannah Barnes Motorpoint Pro Cycling
Individual Standings, after Round One
1. Hannah Barnes Motorpoint Pro Cycling 25pts
2. Helen Wyman Kona Factory Racing 22pts
3. Lucy Garner Motorpoint Pro Cycling 20pts
4. Penny Rowson Horizon Fitness RT 19pts
5. Rohan Battison For Viored Brookes 18pts
6. Hannah Walker Motorpoint Pro Cycling 17pts
7. Hannah Rich Horizon Fitness RT 16pts
8. Alice Barnes Motorpoint Pro Cycling 15pts
9. Charlotte Colclough For Viored Brookes 14pts
10. Ceri Dipple Twenty3c Orbea 13pts
Team Standings, after Round One
1. Motorpoint Pro Cycling 62pts
2. For Viored Brookes 42pts
3. Horizon Fitness RT 39pts
4. Condor Cycles 19pts
Sprint Standings, after Round One
1. Hannah Barnes Motorpoint Pro Cycling 9pts
2. Rohan Battison For Viored Brookes 5pts
3. Hannah Rich Horizon Fitness RT 4pts
