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Success for GB Riders in Europe

Story posted September 8
 
Sharon Laws and Alex Dowsett will both be wearing the leaders jersey in major International stage races today. Sharon Laws won the opening stage of the Tour de l'Ardeche for her Cervelo Test Team whilst under-23 rider Alex Dowsett took over the yellow jersey from Trek Livestrong teammate Taylor Phinney after he suffered a heavy crash in the Tour de l'Avenir.
 
Sharon made it into a break with Vicki Whitelaw from Lotto Ladies Team and took the stage and the jersey in a sprint finish. Fellow GB and Cervelo rider Lizzie Armitstead crossed the line in third position after winning the bunch sprint in the French five day Stage Race.
 
Alex Dowsett, riding in GB colours, took the yellow jersey on stage 2 of the Tour de l'Avenir after rainy weather and narrow roads caused then race leader Taylor Phinney to crash and lose 20 minutes to the stage winner. Alex - who finished six seconds behind Phinney in the opening Prologue - finished the second stage in the lead bunch to secure the yellow jersey.
 
The GB Academy Girls were also in action at the weekend, with Lucy Martin winning the Meer race in Belgium on Sunday and Katie Colclough winning the Zonnebeke crit race on Monday. Katie and three other riders worked together on the 1.75km circuit to lap the field and Lucy Martin then lapped the field alone to finish fourth. Jess Allen did a good job in controlling the main bunch once Katie and Lucy had gone.