Report – RideLondon Grand Prix

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Georgia Bronzini won the day in the RideLondon Women’s Grand Prix on the Mall in front of a big crowd enjoying the sunshine

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Report – RideLondon Grand Prix
(Saturday, August 9)

NOTE: Send your results as well as club, team & event news here

What a day for Women’s racing in London on Saturday afternoon. The event live on TV and in front of a big crowd bathed in sunshine, it is these type of stages that allow the women to show that their sport deserves the spotlight every bit as much as the mens.

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Photo: Thomas Lovelock for Prudential Ride London –  Georgia Bronzini celebrates a victory in the British capital

No sooner had the flag been dropped at the start, there were lots of big names showing themselves at the front in the sun shine, Vos first then Armitstead and local star Nicola Juniper as well going at it at the front, lining the field out.

Hannah Barnes in her American team colours also made her move at the front chased down by Nikki Harris and for a brief moment, three riders getting away, Harris and Eileen Roe with Barnes. That move kept the pace high and riders at the back were soon struggling to hold the wheels.

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Photo: Jon Buckle for Prudential Ride London

After a number of attacks went one after the other, Vos went again followed by more and more moves showing that Women’s racing has progressed a lot and no sooner had one attack been neutralised, that some one else danced on the pedals to gap her rivals in front of a big crowd.

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The start of the 2014 Ride London Women’s Grand Prix. Photo: Thomas Lovelock for Prudential Ride London

What was good was seeing the riders racing domestically getting in the mix such as Grace Garner of the RST Team, Jessie Walker and Hannah Walker too and also the commitment by the World Champion Marianne Vos who was flown in by private jet after a training session earlier in the day in Belgium.

The circuit being flat though meant that it was hard to split the race to any significant extent despite the attacking nature of the event. What was also surprising was how as the race went on, it was local riders like Keira McVitty and Amy Roberts making the moves. Wiggle Honda were certainly using their strong numbers in the race with attacks from all but Laura Trott.

This was making it hard for the likes of the riders without team support such as Vos, Armitstead and Barnes. Into the bell lap, and Wiggle Honda carried this strategy on with Amy Roberts going late and gapping the rest chased by Vos’s teammate Roxanne Knetemann of Rabo-Liv.

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Photo: Jon Buckle for Prudential Ride London

Roberts was looking good for a while but with the finish in sight, was swallowed up by the peloton now at full speed before Roe and then Vos opened up the sprint. Armitstead appeared to get boxed in a little but there was no stopping Bronzini who rushed Vos who had jumped before her and it was the Italian taking the honours timing her sprint to perfection.

Afterwards Bronzini said it was a very exciting race and one she really wanted to win in London which she described as a beautiful city.“That felt so good,” said Bronzini, a former world champion who celebrated her 31st birthday last Sunday. “Any time you beat Marianne in a sprint you know you’re going to win.”

“I asked my team to show that women’s cycling is full of power like the mens racing. I think it was a beautiful show for the people and they were so amazing cheering us. That was really beautiful.”

“In the middle of the race I asked my teammates to make it hard and put in attacks to take the sting from Vos,” said Bronzini. “What I did today was because of the support of my team. I think we made her tired by attacking as a team. That was our tactic today, and in the end it was a great sprint into a headwind”.

“She was ahead until 100 metres to go when I passed her, but she came back and I had to push hard in the final 50 and lunge for the line”.

“The last time I was here for the Olympics it was not a good day, so this time I wanted to win badly. It is so amazing to win here in such a historic city and in front of these amazing buildings”.

“I really like racing in the sun, and today was a beautiful day.”

She now starts another race to get to France for tomorrow to start a stage race there where she had such success in 2013.

“It was a hard race with a lot of breaks,” agreed the much-medalled 27-year-old Marianne Vos. “On the last lap I was in the right position but you never know in a bunch sprint and I just couldn’t hold it at the end. I launched my attack early, maybe too early, but I am happy with second.“Today Giorgia was faster on the line. I knew I couldn’t make any mistakes so it was always going to be close. At the end she was just very fast”.

“It was so amazing to race here again, especially in such a great race,” she added. “To be part of a criterium with all the world’s top riders was an amazing feeling.”

Lizzie Armitstead was expected to be Vos’s closest rival, but the Briton admitted she was happy with third just a week after winning the Comonwealth Games road race gold in Glasgow. “I had not really prepared for this because I’ve been concentrating on road races,” said the 26-year-old from Yorkshire. “For me it was not about winning today but about having some fun.”

YOUTH RACING
The first day of the world’s greatest festival of cycling came to a fitting end with two criterium races for youth riders, the next generation of cycling champions racing over the same iconic course as the pros.

Ethan Hayter produced an impressive home win in the boys’ race for London, winning a sprint finish ahead of the South region’s Alex Joliffe after what he described as the perfect lead-out from his teammates.

“That was the greatest win of my life,” said the 15-year-old from the VCL club. “I didn’t expect to win because I wasn’t feeling that well but I knew if we worked it out I would have a chance.

“It was great to race on these streets though. It was so noisy with loads of people all the way round the course.”

Tom Pidcock from Yorkshire was third.

Sophie Capewell from the West Midlands came out on top after a dramatic end to the girls’ race, the 15-year-old edging out Eleanor Dickinson from the North West by centimetres on the line with another North West rider, Henrietta Colborne, third.

“I loved the ride,” said Capewell, a member of the Lichfield City Cycling club. “It was a massive opportunity to come down here and race on The Mall where so many great champions have raced before.

“It was a tough race with a lot of good girls in it. It was very fast but I felt quite strong at the end. The roar from the crowds was amazing pushing us on and when I saw the finish I just went for it.”

 WOMENS GRAND PRIX

1. Georgia Bronzini, Wiggle Honda
2. Marianne Vos, Rabo Liv
3. Lizzie Armitstead, Boels Dolmans
4. Eileen Roe, Starley Primal
5. Laura Trott, WIggle Honda
6. Hannah Barnes, United Healthcare Pro Cycling Team
7. Tiffany Cromwell, Specialized Lululemon
8. Grace Garner, RST Racing
9. Nicola Juniper, Echelon
10. Abbie Dentus, De Ver Cycles

11 Curtis, Katie (GBR)
12 Creamer, Lauren (GBR)
13 Lowther, Mel (GBR)
14 Owen, Harriet (GBR)
15 Boylan, Lydia (GBR)
16 Jones, Hayley (GBR)
17 Shaw, Gabriella (GBR)
18 McVitty, Keira (GBR)
19 Greenhalgh, Laura (GBR)
20 Harris, Nikki (GBR)
21 Costelloe, Mary (GBR)
22 Copie, Clemence (GBR)
23 Crouch, Jennifer (GBR)
24 Faulkner, Sophie (GBR)
25 Holden, Elizabeth (GBR)
26 Coldwell, Lucy (GBR)
27 Lankford, Sophie (GBR)
28 Womersley, Rebecca (GBR)
29 Sewell, Iona (GBR)
30 Rimmington, Rebecca (GBR)
31 Chittenden, Lucy (GBR)
32 Pacios, Merce (GBR)
33 McGoldrick, Cassie (GBR)
34 Simmonds, Hayley (GBR)
35 Walker, Jessie (GBR)
36 Parkinson, Abby Mae (GBR)
37 Moore, Madeline (GBR)
38 O’Brien, Lauren (GBR)
39 Tindley, Jo (GBR)
40 Rowson, Penny (GBR)
41 Christian, Anna (GBR)
42 Walker, Hannah (GBR)
43 Tate, Brit (GBR)
44 Gillott, Clare (GBR)
45 George, Jennifer (GBR)
46 Storey, Sarah (GBR)
47 Stacher, Ally (USA)
48 Canuel, Karol-Ann (CAN)
49 Best, Tracy (GBR)
50 Roberts, Amy (GBR)
51 Ilyinskaya, Evgenia (GBR)
52 Filby, Maxine (GBR)
53 Knetemann, Roxane (NED)
54 Fahlin, Emilia (SWE)
55 Mullins, Peta (AUS)
56 Dotti, Jasmine (GBR)
57 Collins, Emily (NZL)
58 taylor, Bethany (GBR)
59 Griffiths, Tanya (GBR)
60 Piner, Sarah (IRL)
61 Soden, Nicola (GBR)
62 Oh, Nicole (GBR)
63 Engelbach, Nicola (GBR)
64 Chappell, Ruby (GBR)
65 Kaneko, Hisayo (GBR)
66 Guihen, Fiona (IRL)
67 McGee, Tamala (GBR)
68 Tyson-Bloor, Adel (GBR)
69 Leach, Bella (GBR)
70 Towers, Emma (GBR)
71 Parker, Darrelle (GBR)
72 Gornall, Amy (GBR)
73 Cheesman, Laura (GBR)
74 Mackay, Sandra (GBR)
75 Ormesher, Hannah (IRL)
76 Barnes, Emily (GBR)
77 Sill, Annabel (GBR)
78 Harper, Lucy (GBR)
79 Odell, Sarah (GBR)
80 Erskine, Julie (GBR)
81 Hughes, Anna Marie (GBR)
82 Forster, Michelle (GBR)
83 Roberts, Nichola (GBR)
YOUTH BOYS (provisional)
1 Hayter, Ethan (GBR) London – Boys Team
2 Jolliffe, Alex (GBR) South – Boys Team
3 Pidcock, Tom (GBR) Yorkshire – Boys Team
4 Hardcastle, Harry (GBR) Yorkshire – Boys Team
5 Tulett, Daniel (GBR) South East – Boys Team
6 Page, Charles (GBR) Central – Boys Team
7 Allen, Richie (GBR) North East – Boys Team
8 Walls, Matt (GBR) North West – Boys Team
9 Longstaff, Frank (GBR) Eastern – Boys Team
10 Webber, Matthew (GBR) South East – Boys Team
11 Barnes, David (GBR) South East – Boys Team
12 Dudley, Owen (GBR) North West – Boys Team
13 Wright, Fred (GBR) London – Boys Team
14 Hartley, Adam (GBR) North West – Boys Team
15 Redfern, Elliot (GBR) South West – Boys Team
16 Scott, Robert (GBR) Yorkshire – Boys Team
17 Gray, Robert (GBR) Yorkshire – Boys Team
18 Grivell – Mellor, Ewan (GBR) West Midlands – Boys Team
19 Hartley, Theo (GBR) North West – Boys Team
20 Lewis, Will (GBR) West Midlands – Boys Team
21 White, Ryan (GBR) South West – Boys Team
22 Manning, Patrick (GBR) Eastern – Boys Team
23 Hedger, Oliver (GBR) Central – Boys Team
24 Biddle, Cameron (GBR) West Midlands – Boys Team
25 Thomas, Dylan (GBR) South East – Boys Team
26 Paine, Harry (GBR) Eastern – Boys Team
27 Georgi, Etienne (GBR) South – Boys Team
28 McLeod, John (GBR) Scotland – Boys
29 Jolly, Carl (GBR) Central – Boys Team
30 Dobson, Jake (GBR) North East – Boys Team
31 Torrie, Timothy (GBR) Eastern – Boys Team
32 Preston, Aaron (GBR) North East – Boys Team
33 Fielding, Alistair (GBR) South – Boys Team
34 Meredith, Charlie (GBR) South West – Boys Team
35 Barnet, Matthias (GBR) Scotland – Boys
36 Van katwyk, Alex (GBR) Channel Islands – Boys Team
37 Murphy, Joshua (GBR) Central – Boys Team
38 Billinghurst, Jake (GBR) Channel Islands – Boys Team
39 Lewis, Keir (GBR) West Midlands – Boys Team
40 Cooper, Charlie (GBR) South – Boys Team
41 Lumborg, Thomas (GBR) Channel Islands – Boys Team
42 West, Joseph (GBR) South West – Boys Team
43 Hedley, Danny (GBR) Scotland – Boys
44 MacRae, Alexander (GBR) Scotland – Boys
45 Jones, Alex (GBR) London – Boys Team
46 Mew Jensen, Georg (GBR) London – Boys Team
47 Wilson, Joe (GBR) North East – Boys Team
48 Pilley, Rhys (GBR) Channel Islands – Boys Team

GIRLS PROVISIONAL
1 Capewell, Sophie (GBR) West Midlands – Girls Team
2 Dickinson, Eleanor (GBR) North West – Girls Team
3 Colborne, Henrietta (GBR) North West – Girls Team
4 Wadsworth, Emily (GBR) Central – Girls Team
5 Verrill, Samantha (GBR) North East – Girls Team
6 Dolan, Lauren (GBR) South West – Girls Team
7 Wright, Sophie (GBR) Eastern – Girls Teams
8 Martin, Rosa (GBR) North West – Girls Team
9 Georgi, Pfeiffer (GBR) South – Girls Team
10 Bridson, Emily (GBR) Channel Islands – Girls T…
11 Cole-Hossain, Charlotte (GBR) London – Girls Team
12 Surridge, Louise (GBR) South East – Girls Team
13 Smith, Amy (GBR) South East – Girls Team
14 Attfield, Emily (GBR) South West – Girls Team
15 Hine, Jayati (GBR) Yorkshire – Girls Team
16 Law, Alice (GBR) West Midlands – Girls Team
17 Carter, Anna (GBR) Eastern – Girls Teams
18 Bond, Ruby (GBR) South West – Girls Team
19 Chastell, Sophia (GBR) Eastern – Girls Teams
20 Barnet, Eva (GBR) Scotland – Girls
21 Niblett, Hetty (GBR) West Midlands – Girls Team
22 Denby, Elizabeth (GBR) Yorkshire – Girls Team
23 Reddy, Natasha (GBR) Central – Girls Team
24 Shelton, Kate (GBR) London – Girls Team
25 Docherty, Anna (GBR) Yorkshire – Girls Team
26 Jefferies, Eve (GBR) South – Girls Team
27 jary, Rachel (GBR) London – Girls Team
28 Ferguson, Tara (GBR) North West – Girls Team
29 Raybould, Becky (GBR) South – Girls Team
30 Rush, Isla (GBR) Eastern – Girls Teams
31 Taylor, Sophie (GBR) South – Girls Team
32 Baker, Alderney (GBR) Central – Girls Team
33 Hopkins, Georgie (GBR) London – Girls Team
34 Lodge, Alice (GBR) West Midlands – Girls Team
35 Thackray, Sophie (GBR) Yorkshire – Girls Team
36 Minchinton-Gilley, Sabine (GBR) Channel Islands – Girls T…
37 Sharpe, Amy (GBR) Channel Islands – Girls T…
38 Shirley, Elizabeth (GBR) Central – Girls Team
39 Jones, Robyn (GBR) North East – Girls Team
40 Dowinton, Megan (GBR) Channel Islands – Girls T…
41 Serret, Rosa (GBR) South West – Girls Team
42 Stone, Isabella (GBR) South East – Girls Team
43 Saunders, Anna (GBR) South East – Girls Team

 

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