EXTRAN - BIKESHOP TWENTE WOMENS INT. 2 DAY STAGE RACE

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24th/25th May; Women's Team Series Stage Race 

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3rd Stage Keysoe 90 kilometres 

Angela Hunter - GS Strada, crowned a perfect weekend when she convincingly won the final stage held at Keysoe after a group went clear containing all the race favourites. In bright sunny weather 52 riders set off knowing that only seconds separated the top ten riders and with 90 kilometres to cover on the undulating circuit with the rain of the previous day just a memory, there would be some tired legs on the journey home.

The first action of the day occurred with just 3 miles covered when Helen Gregory - Evans Cycles, was edged onto the grass verge and she just managed to keep upright although her hear rate monitor must have been into triple figures. The first puncture of the day went to one of the race favourites Melanie Claude Bermuda, and although she chased hard was never able to get back to the fast moving bunch.

With 6 miles covered the first attack of the day came when Emma Silversides - Cheltenham & County got away and she was to be in the lead for 3 laps of the 10 mile circuit taking the bulk of the Sprint Bonus time. 10 miles covered and turning into Bushmead, Marina Massaro - Team Letchworth-Bikeshop Twente and Colette Swift - Surrey League A, crashed without serious damage and they were able to chase back.

Ann Bath - Surrey league A and Helen Gregory were both dropped after 12 miles but chased to get back on; the hill in Keysoe she a few more riders on the 2nd lap but a few miles later - and suddenly it was as if a glass had been dropped on a hard surface, the race just shattered when a swift turn of pace just blew at least half of the field out of the back!

3 miles later and Angela Dolan - Terrydolan.com punctured but at the front Silversides lead went up to 2 minutes but gradually that lead came down as 4 members of the Team Letchworth-Bikeshop Twente went to the front and rode hard. Emma was finally caught after 36 miles of freedom; her efforts alone saw her dropped on the hill but each time she fought to get back into the leading bunch again and was judged the Most Aggressive Rider.

Into the final lap and with riders just thinking about that final kilometre long drag, the pace slowed but was enlivened by two horses on the narrow bridge that took exception to cyclists; onto the final climb and it was Angela Hunter all the way to wrap up this exciting stage race.

The Hill competition was won by Nina Davies - Team Letchworth-Extran

The Sprints were won by Emma Silversides - Cheltenham & County

Best placed 3rd category rider was Caroline James - Giant Racing

3rd STAGE RESULT

 1. Angela Hunter GS Strada 2 hrs 44 mins 50 secs
 2. Jacqui Marshall Team Luciano same 
 3. Diane Moss Team Luciano same
 4. Katie Wylie Team Caledonia same
 5. Vanessa Frith Hull Thursday same
 6. Helen Gutteridge East Midlands same
 7. Ann Bowditch Team Letchworth-Extran same
 8. Catherine Hare Team Luciano same
 9. Rebecca Milbourn Evans Cycles same
10. Heather Summers East Midlands same
11. Nicola Taylor Cardiff JIF same
12. Colette Swift Surrey League A same
13. Nina Davies Team Letchworth-Extran same
14. Nathalie Visser Team Letchworth-Bikeshop same 
15. Rebecca McConnell Team Letchworth-Bikeshop same 
16. Amy Hunt Giant Racing same
17. Sharon Padley Team Luciano same
18. Hsu Min Chung Surrey league A same
19. Allison Butler Evans Cycles same
20. Katy Middlehurst Giant Racing same
21. Jeanette Tebbutt Team Letchworth-Extran same
22. Caroline James Giant Racing same
23. Julia Hawley Bermuda same
24. Tracey Fletcher East Midlands at 9 secs
25. Karen Lovatt Team Luciano at 13 secs
26. Julie Toone Loughborough Students at 15 secs
27. Lorna Webb Life Repair at 18 secs
28. Ruth Gamwell Team Luciano at 21 secs
29. Emma Silversides Cheltenham & County at 27 secs
30. Annette Nielson Evans Cycles at 4 mins 3 secs 
31. Kate Cullen City of Edinburgh at 6 mins
32. Caroline Gay Evans Cycles same
33. Karin de Krijger Team Letchworth-Bikeshop same
34. Angela Nainby Surrey League A same
35. Laura Bissell Team Welwyn same
36. Catherine Cockram Terrydolan.com same
37. Claire Paginton Evans Cycles same
38. Caroline Kirkland Surrey League A at 12 mins 5 secs
39. Sue Roy Interbike same
40. Karen Glynn Bob Jackson Cycles same
41. Helen Gregory Evans Cycles same
42. Hannah Reynolds Evans Cycles same
43. Clara Beard Team Quest same
44. Kelly Grant Team Milton Keynes same
45. Carolyn Marshall Fareham Wheelers same
46. Ann Bath Surrey league A 
47. Caroline Goward Private 
48. Melanie Claude Bermuda
49. Trudi Else Surrey League A
50. Linda Veen Team Letchworth-Bikeshop
51. Ros Clitheroe Team Letchworth-Extran
52. Ceri Dipple Team Milton Keynes
 
 
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
 1. Angela Hunter GS Strada 4 hrs 9 mins 48 secs
 2. Helen Gutteridge East Midlands at 16 secs
 3. Nathalie Visser Team Letchworth-Bikeshop at 20 secs
 4. Jeanette Tebbutt Team Letchworth-Extran at 32 secs
 5. Diane Moss Team Luciano at 34 secs
 6. Julia Hawley Bermuda at 35 secs
 7. Katy Middlehurst Giant Racing at 35 secs
 8. Colette Swift Surrey League A at 35 secs
 9. Vanessa Frith Hull Thursday at 38 secs
10. Sharon Padley Team Luciano at 38 secs
11. Jacqui Marshall Team Luciano at 38 secs
12. Ann Bowditch Team Letchworth-Extran at 39 secs
13. Catherine Hare Team Luciano at 41 secs
14. Hsu Min Chung Surrey League A at 42 secs
15. Emma Silversides Cheltenham & County at 42 secs
16. Caroline James Giant Racing at 42 secs
17. Nina Davies Team Letchworth-Extran at 42 secs
18. Heather Summers East Midlands at 42 secs
19. Rebecca McConnell Team Letchworth-Bikeshop at 43 secs
20. Katie Wylie Team Caledonia at 47 secs
21. Allison Butler Evans Cycles at 48 secs
22. Tracey Fletcher East Midlands at 51 secs
23. Lorna Webb Life Repair at 54 secs
24. Amy Hunt Giant Racing at 1 min 34 secs
25. Julie Toone Loughborough Students at 1 min 47 secs
26. Karen Lovatt Team Luciano at 1 min 49 secs
27. Ruth Gamwell Team Luciano at 2 min 2 secs
28. Nicola Taylor Cardiff JIF at 2 mins 11 secs
29. Rebecca Milbourn Evans Cycles at 4 mins 24 secs
30. Kate Cullen City of Edinburgh at 7 mins 42 secs
31. Karin de Krijger Team Letchworth-Bikeshop at 8 mins 23 secs
32. Angela Nainby Surrey League A at 8 mins 30 secs
33. Laura Bissell Team Welwyn at 8 mins 53 secs
34. Annette Nielson Evans Cycles at 9 mins 10 secs
35. Caroline Gay Evans Cycles at 10 mins 48 secs
36. Catherine Cockram Terrydolan.com at 11 mins 13 secs
37. Claire Paginton Evans Cycles at 11 mins 15 secs
38. Clara Beard Team Quest at 12 mins 14 secs
39. Kelly Grant Team Milton Keynes at 15 mins 56 secs
40. Hannah Reynolds Evans Cycles at 15 mins 58 secs
41. Sue Roy Interbike at 15 mins 59 secs
42. Caroline Kirkland Surrey League A at 17 mins 51 secs
43. Carolyn Marshall Fareham Wheelers at 17 mins 53 secs
44. Helen Gregory Evans Cycles at 17 mins 54 secs
45. Karen Glynn Bob Jackson Cycles at 18 mins 19 secs
46. Melanie Claude Bermuda at 25 mins 14 secs
47. Ann Bath Surrey league A at 26 mins 6 secs
48. Caroline Goward Private at 28 mins 26 secs
49. Trudi Else Surrey League A at 31 mins 16 secs
50. Linda Veen Team Letchworth-Bikeshop at 34 mins 14 secs
51. Ros Clitheroe Team Letchworth-Extran at 47 mins 11 secs
52 Ceri Dipple Team Milton Keynes at 56 mins 39 secs

STAGE 2 OF THE EXTRAN - BIKESHOP TWENTE 2 DAY STAGE RACE

After the mornings Prologue, which required good bike handling as well as speed judgement, won by Bermudian visitor Melanie Claude (in yellow below) with pre race favourite Diane Moss - Team Luciano in second place by a mere 600th of a second, the 51 kilometre circuit race would have to be well controlled as 3 seconds covered 20 riders.

The first attack came after 5 laps were covered by Lorna Webb - Life Repair but she was quickly caught and eventually a group of 30 riders got clear containing all the favourites; the first time bonus lap was taken by Swedish National champion Nathalie Visser - Team Letchworth-Bikeshop Twente with Helen Gutteridge - East Midlands with Angela Hunter - GS Strada in third place.

A protest at the close quarter sprinting by Visser was later lodged by Hunter but it was rejected by the Commissaire.

Towards the end of the race the heavens opened as promised but this did not deter Hunter who took the stage one second clear of Jacqui Marshall, now riding for Team Luciano and Julia Hawley - Bermuda in third place.

This meant that there was a tie for first place on General Classification although Hunter was given the nod due her better placing.

STAGE 2 RESULT

 1. Angela Hunter GS Strada 1 hr 23 mins 26 secs
 2. Jacqui Marshall Team Luciano  at 1 second
 3. Diane Moss Team Luciano  same
 4. Lorna Webb Life Repair  same
 5. Melanie Claude Bermuda  same
 6. Julia Hawley Bermuda  same
 7. Sharon Padley Team Luciano  same
 8. Catherine Hare Team Luciano  same
 9. Allison Butler Evans Cycles  same
10. Ann Bowditch Team Letchworth-Extran same
11. Helen Gutteridge East Midlands  same
12. Colette Swift Surrey League A  same
13. Vanessa Frith Hull Thursday same
14. Tracey Fletcher East Midlands  same
15. Nathalie Visser Team Letchworth-Bikeshop Twente same
16. Heather Summers East Midlands same
17. Emma Silversides Cheltenham & County same
18. Katie Wylie Team Caledonia same
19. Caroline James Giant Racing same
20. Clara Beard Team Quest same
21. Jeanette Tebbutt Team Letchworth-Extran same 
22. Hsu Min Chung Surrey League A same
23. Katy Middlehurst Giant Racing same

STAGE 1 -- TIME TRIAL
 1. Melanie Claude        Bermuda 
 2. Dianne Moss           Team Lucanio 
 3. Julia Hawley          Bermuda
 4. Katy Middlehurst      Giant RT
 5. Nathalie Visser       Letchworth
 6. Collette Swift        Surrey League A
 7. Rebecca McConnell     Letchworth
 8. Kate Collen           City of Edinburgh
 9. Lora Webb             Life Repair RT
10. Helen Gutteridge      East Midlands
11. Vanessa Frifth        Hull Thursday
12. Sharon Padley         Team Luciano
13. Jacqui Marshall       Team Lucanio
14. Julies Toone          Loughborough
15. Jeannette Tebbut      Team Letchworth
16. Emma Silversides      Cheltenham
17. Angela Hunter         GS Strada
18. Anne Bowditch         Letchworth
19. Amy Hunt              Giant

62 starters

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