Report: Hillingdon Grand Prix

Wins for Russell Hampton and Junior World Champion Lucy Garner at the Hillingdon Grand Prix in West London

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Paul Burgoine writes … On arrival at the Hillingdon Cycle Circuit, my first sight was a rider on the floor after a crash in the support race. After a worrying few minutes, thankfully he was reported to be as OK… as someone who has taken a fall could be.

The wait for the ambulance delayed the start of the men’s elite race; therefore it was reduced by 20 laps, a decision that was welcomed by most riders. The first five laps were at a steady pace and then a few half hearted attacks started until six riders formed a decisive break – three from Team Raleigh GAC, Matthew Holmes, Daniel Holloway and Russell Hampton and they were joined by Blair Windsor (Cycle Premier Kovert), John Mozley (Cycle Premier Kovert) and Allan Ridler (Pedal Heaven RT).

These six riders gradually built up a respectable gap that just kept going out. Team Raleigh were now in control of the break and the peloton and the race looked like theirs to lose. Russell Hampton was the first to attack from the break but some of the group soon came back together with ironically, the two sprinters, Mozley and Holloway, the unfortunate riders to be dropped from the lead group and it was left to Russell Hampton to win the sprint from Australian (Bathurst) Blair Windsor with Alan Ridler in third.

Russell said that getting in the break was ideal for him as he could keep up a good tempo and added that he was basically using the race as training and giving some of the Halfords Tour Series riders a break. This Raleigh team will pretty much be the team that will be off to Canada to race in a few weeks and Russell was happy with his form and even happier to win in a sprint.

Russell Hampton outsprints Blair Windsor to win the Hillingdon GP. Photo by Antony Edmonds 

A surprise sprint victory, even for Russell, sees him on the top step of the podium. Aussie Blair Windsor though is all smiles though with second. Allan Ridler was third. Photo by Antony Edmonds 

 

It was sunny Sunday at Hillingdon for the annual Grand Prix. Photo by Antony Edmonds 

WOMEN’S GP

The Women’s Hillingdon GP was almost a carbon copy of the men’s race with a sedate start and then a few attempted breaks until Louise Mahe (Mulebar Girl) who had been active from the start, formed a break with Amy Roberts (Scott Contessa Epic), Nicola Juniper (Eagle RC ) and Adel Tyson – Bloor (VC Raphael/Hewitt Cycles).

Junior World Road Race Champion Lucy Garner (Node 4 Giordana) tried several time to escape the peloton but to no avail until Elinor Barker (Scott Contessa Epic) leapt out of the bunch to chase the four breakaway riders. This provided a spring board for Garner and once the pair were together, they worked well to link up with the four lead riders.

This group of six soon pulled out a big lead and at one point were in danger of catching the peloton. With five laps, remaining Hannah Barnes (Team Ibis) looking disappointed – pulling out of the race. This is not surprising as Hannah is still on the comeback trail after suffering an injury.

Elinor Barker, Lucy Garner and Louise Mahe

Lucy Garner meanwhile won the race from a sprint from Elinor Barker and Louise Mahe in third with Louise picking up the prize in the Soul Wheels Supersprint. Lucy said afterwards the race plan was to sit in for the first half of the race – then start attacking, but she was happy to get across to the break with Elinor and it helped that they could see the front group. Lucy added she felt good although the heat was a challenge. I think there was no doubt she would win if they took it to a sprint and possibly the race could have turned out differently if Lucy hadn’t been able to use Elinor Barker as a spring board for her attack.

Lucy Garner always very visible in the rainbow stripes. Photo by Antony Edmonds 

Comfortable sprint win for Lucy Garner in the Women’s race. Photo by Antony Edmonds 

Photo by Antony Edmonds 

RESULTS

Photo Album from the Men’s Race by Maurice Joyce

Men E/1/2

1 Russel Hampton Team Raleigh/GAC
2 Blair Windsor Cycle Premier – Kovert
3 Allan Ridler Pedal Heaven RT
4 Matthew Holmes Team Raleigh/GAC
5 Daniel Holloway USA Team Raleigh/GAC
6 Jon Mozley Cycle Premier – Kovert
7 Simon Holt Team Raleigh/GAC
8 Jason White Metaltek/Scott
9 Jeroen Janssen NED Team Raleigh/GAC
10 Adam Norris PCH UK RT
11 Matthew Jones Team Corley Cycles/Blue
12 Paul Crook W Drayton/Beyond Mountainbikes
13 Tao Geoghegan Hart Cycling Club Hackney
14 Lewis Atkins Twenty 3C/Orbea
15 Stephen Bradbury AW Cycles
16 Evan Oliphant Team Raleigh/GAC
17 John Wager Felt-Colbornes RT
18 Twenty 3C/Orbea
19 Tim Elveson Pedal Heaven RT
20 Cycle Premier – Kovert
21 Liam Holohan Team Raleigh/GAC E st

Women

1 Lucy Garner Node 4 Giordana Womens Team 01:40:48
2 Elinor Barker Scott Contessa Epic st
3 Louise Mahe Mulebar Girl st
4 Amy Roberts Scott Contessa Epic st
5 Nicola Juniper Eagle RC st
6 Adel Tyson-Bloor VC St Raphael/Hewitt Cycles st
7 Harriet Owen Node 4 Giordana Womens Team at 1.42
8 Lydia Boylan Look Mum No Hands st
9 Karla Boddy High Wycombe Cycling Club st
10 Jo Tindley VC St Raphael/Hewitt Cycles st
11 Hannah Rich Matrix Fitness – Prendas st
12 Corrine Hall Node 4 Giordana Womens Team st
13 Jane McInnes London Dynamo st
14 Emily Kay Scott Contessa Epic st
15 Delia Beddis Vivelo-Bikes/Inverse Cyclaim RT st
16 Grace Garner RST Racing Team st
17 Keira McVitty Kings Cliffe Flyers CC st
18 Karen Poole Squadra Donne/Shutt/Bikefood st
19 Clemence Copie High Wycombe CC st
20 Katie Curtis Escential For Viored st
21 Rebecca Heath VC St Raphael st
22 Charline Joiner City of Edinburgh RC st
23 Bethany Hayward Welwyn Wh st
24 Abbie Dentus Welwyn Wh st
25 Hannah Manley For Viored st
26 Gillian Taylor Strada Cycles st
27 Louise Haston City of Edinburgh RC st
28 Lucy Harper Welwyn Wh st
29 Caroline Harding VC St Raphael st
30 Cheryl Owens GS Metro st
31 Kelly Moore RST Racing Team st
32 Adele Martin Team Hope Factory Racing st
33 Katerine Broadbent Durham Univ CC st
34 Amy Hill Abergavenny Road Club st
35 Laura Massey Vivelo-Bikes/Inverse Cyclaim RT st
36 Rebeccas Hunt Scott Contessa Epic st
37 Molly Weaver Scott Contessa Epic st
38 Ellie Gilham VC St Raphael st
39 Nicola Meadows VC St Raphael st
40 Ceri Dipple Twenty3c.co.uk Orbea st
41 Kimberley English Welwyn Wh
42 Nicola Soden Champion System/Maxgear/Kyklos st
42 Siobhan McNamara Vivelo-Bikes/Inverse Cyclaim RT st
43 Stephanie May Team Quest – The Bike Shop st
44 Julie Granshaw WyndyMilla UK Youth st
45 Penny Rowson Matrix Fitness – Prendas st
46 Nikola Butler Vivelo-Bikes/Inverse Cyclaim RT st
47 Emily Barnes Condor/Rapha st
48 Catherine Wiggins Liverpool Mercury (Dolan) CC st
49 Eleanor Jones VC St Raphael st

 

Cat 3/4
1. Peter Coll, Handsling Racing Team, the 31m in 1h 11m 22s
2. James Walker, High Wycombe CC at s.t.
3. Gerald Moser, Rapha Condor CC, at s.t.
4. Nick Yarworth, Echelon, at 35s
5. Sean Taylor, Rollapaluza CC, at s.t.
6. Andy McKay, Zappis CC, at 47s
7. Martin Hunter, Colchester Rovers
8. Simon Whiting, Handsling Racing Team
9. Jason Wood, London Dynamo
10. Mark Northover, Cycle Studio RT
11. Callum Oliver, Rapha Condor CC
12. Jo Skelton, Look Mum No hands
13. Mark Stayte, PM
14. Andy O’Regan, CC Hackney
15. Paul Horta-Hopkins, Handsling Racing Team
16. Justin Costleu, CC Hackney
17. Callum Watson, City of Edinburgh RC
18. Chris McGovern, Sutton CC
19. James Di Rico, High Wycombe CC
20. Andy Sykes, Team Quest
21. Huberney Diaz, Rollapaluza CC
22. Jack Gregorie, Sydenham Wh
23. Ian Cooper, Aylesbury CC
24. ???
25. Paul Butler, In-Gear/Quickvit
26. Josh Cole-Hussain, VC Londres
27. Rob Griffiths, London Phoenix, all s.t.
28. Mark Holland, Inverse RT/Cyclaim, lapped
29. Andrew Stevenson, Inverse RT/Cyclaim
30. Austin Bryan, Finsbury Park CC

 

 

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