Report/Result: Johnson Health Tech Westminster Grand Prix

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Hannah Barnes (MG-Maxifuel Po Cycling) did what she’s done all season – outsprinting the chasing field of riders – in winning Sunday’s Johnson Health Tech Westminster Grand Prix around the capital’s open 1.7km circuit.

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Report from Gordon Wiseman

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A field of 62 riders took to the start line in the main support race to the final stage of this year’s Tour of Britain but come the business end of the fast and furious hour’s racing, there were just 23 riders competing for outright honours that saw Louise Borthwick (Edinburgh RC) and junior rider Emily Nelson (Bike Pure – LeMond – Aspire Velotech) follow the season dominant Barnes across the finishing line in taking the final podium places.

Before the race started Barnes told the supportive crown that lined the circuit that this would be her final race on the road of 2013 before she moves to next week’s National Track champs before a well-earned rest. And from the very start it was obvious that she had a further win to close her season in style on her mind.

Within a handful of laps, a lead group formed and as quickly they opened an unbridgeable gap over the rest of the chasing peloton. Whilst there were a number of attacks that tried to break away from the front of the race, Louise Borthwick often played a leading role in trying to force the pace, as the one hour race moved into the closing stages the distanced riders were pulled out of the race to leave an clear road for the leaders.

As they moved into the final five laps Lydia Boylan (Look Mum No Hands) and Nicola Juniper (Les Files Racing Team) jumped from the front of the race and immediately opened a gap of some 15 seconds but with just the final two laps to go – and Barnes looking ominously strong in leading the pursuit – that attack was pulled back and at the bell lap the leaders were back in one group again.

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Coming into the final 200m Barnes launched her sprint and, head down and setting the fastest lap of the whole race at 2mins 14secs, she blew her chasers of her back wheel to take the chequered flag by a couple of bike lengths.

Barnes has pretty much swept the field in women’s racing in 2013 and is deservedly the top ranked home based female rider. “There were big crowds all round the circuit and it was great to be supported by so many people. It’s a long lap around Westminster, much longer than the Johnsons races earlier in the year and that made it a little harder to control the race. Even if you were in a good position, it was easier for others to come round you. It was lucky the last lap was so fast, no one could come round me.”

“It’s been a great year for me, I’m a bit emotional about it all coming to an end. I’m doing the National Track champs so that gives me four races to go and then I get to rest. Holidays to come!”

“I think my best result was winning the National Crit champs I win the race and get to wear the jersey for the whole of next year. Next year we’ll have the Women’s Tour to look forward to. I really want to do that as I’ve heard there’s a stage going through my home county – (Northants) – so it’d be great to be racing on my home roads”.

16 year old Emily Nelson from Litchfield (Bike Pure – LeMond – Aspire Velotech) took third in a close fought sprint against Louise Borthwick. “This was a great result for me but obviously winning the Team Pursuit and setting a new World Record at the Junior Track Worlds in Glasgow has to be my top result of the year.”

“I haven’t done much road racing this year, I’ve pretty much been concentrating on the Track Champs but I did ride the senior crit champs. But today was definitely the fastest crit race I’ve done this year. There were lots of attacks and Hannah rode a really good race. When that attack went away at the end and there were just three to go she just sat on the front and pulled it back.”

“I’m really pleased with my own race. I positioned myself well for the sprint and I managed to get round some wheels at the end.”

For the rest of the year I’ve got the senior tracks champs which will be my first shot of riding the track against the likes of Laura Trott and Dani King so I’m really looking forward to that, that’ll be a big thing to do”.

Results

1 Hannah Barnes MG-Maxifuel Pro Cycling 59:17
2 Louise Borthwick Edinburgh RC st
3 Emily Nelson Bike Pure – LeMond – Aspire Velotech st
4 Molly Weaver Breast Cancer Care Cycling Team st
5 Claire Thomas GSD Gestion/Kallisto/Specialized st
6 Lowri Devey Abergavenny Road Club st
7 Lauren Creamer ISCorp Cycling/NCSF st
8 Jo Tindley Matrix Fitness Racing Academy st
9 Gillian Taylor Abergavenny Road Club st
10 Nicola Juniper Les Filles Racing Team st
11 Harriet Owen Matrix Fitness Racing Academy st
12 Hannah Walker Matrix Fitness Racing Academy st
13 Lydia Boylan Look Mum No Hands st
14 Alexie Shaw Les Filles Racing Team st
15 Natalie Creswick Team Mulebar Girl – Sigma Sport st
16 Emma Grant Matrix Fitness Racing Academy st
17 Tanya Griffiths Ipswich BC st
18 Elizabeth Malins Abergavenny Road Club st
19 Nicole Oh Les Filles Racing Team st
20 Alice Barnes Scott Contessa Epic st
21 Jessie Walker Matrix Fitness Racing Academy at 00:07
22 Karla Boddy MG-Maxifuel Pro Cycling at 00:08
23 Jennifer Crouch London Dynamo
24 Abigail Dentus Team De ver
25 Sophie Lankford Cambridge Triathlon Club
26 Cassie McGoldrick WyndyMilla
27 Amy Brice DID Electrical
28 Sian Botteley Squadra Donne – Shutt VR
29 Rose Osborne High Wycombe Cycling Club
30 Anna Marie Hughes Prestige Velo Club
31 Ruby Baker Behind The Bikeshed
32 Flora Gillies Team ASL360
33 Elanor Cadzow Welwyn Whls CC
34 Lydia Brookes GS Henley
35 Tracy Corbett London Dynamo
36 Michelle Sellars Goscomb – BSR
37 Francesca Morgans-Slader Lee Valley Velo
38 Melissa Brand MG-Maxifuel Pro Cycling
39 Abigail Van Twisk WXC World Racing
40 Sarah Odell Pearson Cycling Club
41 Nikki Engelbach Les Filles Racing Team
42 Emma Towers Twickenham CC
43 Mary McFadzean Cycle Sport Dynamo
44 Juliet Milward High Wycombe Cycling Club
45 Lucy Chittenden East St Cycles
46 Manon Lloyd Abergavenny Road Club
47 Lucy Harper Welwyn Whls CC
48 Helen McKay Look Mum No Hands
49 Sian Cahill Zappi’s Ladies Team
50 Cynthia Kunschke High Wycombe Cycling Club
51 Donna Quinnell Rollapaluza CC
52 Bella Leach London Phoenix CC
53 Michelle Forster London Phoenix CC
54 Alice Miller Look Mum No Hands
55 Lili McLean Andover Whls
56 Jennifer Lake Squadra Donne – Shutt VR
57 Sophia Chastell Welwyn Whls CC
58 Tracy Dresch Squadra Donne – Shutt VR
59 Maeve Savage London Dynamo
60 Saskia Hook Squadra Donne – Shutt VR

 

 

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