News – Alice Barnes chasing Unique Treble

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When Alice Barnes lines up at the 2016 Lazer/Ridley British Cyclo-cross Championships this weekend, she does so with her eye on a unique treble.

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News – Alice Barnes chasing Unique Treble

From Madison UK

When Alice Barnes lines up at the 2016 British Cyclo-cross Championships this weekend, she does so with her eye on a unique treble. A podium place in Shrewsbury would give the multi-talented rider three national championship medals in three different disciplines.

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Primarily a cross-country mountain biker, Barnes took silver in the elite women’s event in July 2015, one month after finishing second in the British road championships – and winning the under-23 title in the process.

Starting as one of the favourites for the under-23 women’s cyclo-cross championships, Barnes has the opportunity to take another medal away and underline her position as one of the most versatile riders in British cycling.

Speaking to Barnes ahead of the British title race, she joked about the possibility of achieving an even more unheard of quadruple – but this time on the world stage. “If following this weekend I gain selection to the cyclo-cross world championships, all I need to do is go to the track worlds in March and I will have the complete set” Barnes quipped.

The 20-year-old from Towcester made the comment having competed at the mountain bike world championships, while also forming part of Lizzie Armitstead’s road world championship winning team.

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Alice on the podium with British and World champion Lizzie Armitstead and one of the hottest talents in Women’s track racing, Laura Trott.

This weekend however, her attention is on domestic matters. British cyclo-cross junior champion in 2013, Barnes showed she had lost none of her abilities when, earlier this season, she finished second at the fourth round of the national trophy in Ipswich.

Currently on a mountain bike training camp in Wales, Barnes is looking forward to competing as a chance to break the monotony of the winter regime.

“I really like to race cross in the winter because it makes training less boring. It’s good to race in the winter otherwise it’s a lot of hours and I just enjoy racing really.”

However, Barnes will have to be wary of a Shrewsbury course that hasn’t always been kind. “I raced there two years ago, and I raced for three minutes before I crashed out. The course had a lot of transitions from grass to tarmac and I went down hard. I’m not one to quit racing but this one was a no go, which was sad and a wasted weekend.”

Should Alice make it beyond the early stages of the race on Sunday, we expect her lasting impression of the Shrewsbury course to be more positive. Alice Barnes rides for the British Cycling Olympic Academy and is supported by Lazer helmets and Shimano, through Madison – the UK’s leading cycling and action sports parts and accessories distributor.

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