Bristol Cycling Development Squad's
Mendip Hills Womens Road Race 2005
Sunday, 15th of May 2005, Churchill (Somerset)
British Cycling Reynolds/Michelin National Womens Road Race Series
Emma's day on the top of the hill at Blagdon ... super victory for the Leisure Lakes rider
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The talk at the headquarters in Churchill (Somerset) when I arrived was "have you seen the course?" I had not but the title of the race, Mendip Hills Road Race gave me the impression this race was not on the flatlands of this hilly county. A couple of minutes with one of the officials soon put me straight about just how hilly it was to be and I was told, "you'll get plenty of pictures on the climbs!" After hearing the details of this quite grueling course, I went inside the HQ and saw that the original 31 riders had swelled to over 40 on the start sheet. Not all started but there was a lot of quality in there with three riders currently racing in Europe on the starting line.
By the time the riders had rolled out, I was already well up the road and near the top of the climb of Burrington Combe. This was a four mile 'drag' as someone called it but it looked a lot worse than what I call a drag! This was a proper climb and it was German rider Birgit Hollman for Team Toyota who was making the pace for her teammate Helen Wyman with Leda Cox not far away in third place as the field had already split into two distinct groups. At least one of the riders had also fallen after a touch of wheels but was back in the race and chasing on her own.
After reeling off a series of shots as the riders passed me, I went to the big climb at Blagdon and what a picturesque area this is. After a few minutes at the finish, I was directed to go to the bottom of the climb where the steep section was and they were not wrong -- 1 in 7 I was told -- and this after a sharp hairpin bend to start the hill. Sitting in the village, we could see the lake below and the first rider through was Helen Wyman. The Toyota rider had a big gap on the field already and was looking like a victor with still two laps to do.
The chase group were not panicking though and remained all together and composed on the viscous slopes. On such a climb, I would not have been surprised to see a rider or two walking or zigzagging up the steep section but they were all quite adept at riding the climb which was a testament to how fit these riders must be. After the front group, a long wait and the second group came by, and then riders in small groups of two or three, all doing there best to not let the circuit beat them. Anyone who completes a race on this course deserves a prize!
After pacing up and down the hill in the bright sunshine for 45 minutes, the race could soon be seen approaching and it was Helen Wyman again leading alone. Her lead was still a good one, over a minute and that was to a lone teammate Birgit Hollman who had a good 15 seconds or more on the chasers. Wyman however didn't know her teammate was chasing, and carried on and whilst Birgit Hollman was caught after the climb by the chase group, Wyman made it all the way to the climb for the last time before her time was up and she was caught by the chasers.
Second time up the climb for the chase group behind the two leaders from Team Toyota
Leading the race up the latter sections was Series leader Nina Davies and Emma Silversides who managed to draw clear of Davies on the final slopes of the mile plus long hill to cross the line first, unsure I'm told she had actually won it. It was however her race and one of her best victories on a course where there are no lucky wins. It was quality performance with a capital P! Wyman meanwhile had nothing left and it was left to her team-mate Hollman to challenge for the win but she had to give best to Davies and Silversides and finished third. Wyman crossed the line in 8th, deeply disappointed that she hadn't been able to stay away but after spending over three quarters of the race on her own, it was another quality ride even though the result may not have been what she had been chasing.
Afterwards, the winner had already left for the headquarters and as she was no where to be seen, I spoke to second place rider Nina Davies (right) who had done what she needed to keep her lead in the series. I started by asking how they had managed to bring the lone leader back after looking like they were racing for second early on. "On the second time up the climb" she said, "everyone took it steady and then after that we worked together to catch the German girl and then we just kept doing through and off really. Everyone did as much as they could and we caught Helen at the bottom of the finishing hill."
Describing the final push for the line with Emma, Nina explained "we were together until about halfway up the climb and each one of us would take turns to get ahead and she got the better of me on the final section but I know I hold on to my overall lead and that was what I was concerned about the most." Defending her lead in the series though almost never happened due to a crash for her husband Chris who Nina said was in hospital with a shattered knee after being knocked off his bike and it was only at his insistence that Nina decided to ride. Her second place, Nina explained, pleased him and herself as well as it's the type of course she prefers to have, coming a close second to the course at Newport in terms of difficulty.
Asked if she was planning to try again to ride for Wales in the Commonwealth Games, Nina explained that she wasn't sure as she hadn't heard from the WCU and was concentrating on riding for fun mainly. I wished her luck for the rest of the series and then went and talked to a rider who was very disappointed, Helen Wyman.
Helen Wyman, pictured left on the start of the climb with the chasers well over a minute back ...
Asked how she got away, Helen explained "Birgit rode really strong on the hill as we had planned to see who was left at the top. Nina was riding next to me so I thought I'll just keep riding and I looked behind and there was no-one so I thought I'll keep trying a bit harder and then there was no-one in sight. I thought someone would then come across to me and nobody did."
Her teammate Birgit did try however to join Helen and the German got away with Michelle Bergstrand (Raleigh-EVR) halfway around lap two but then attacked the rider more known for her mountain bike exploits a couple of miles from the climb at Blagdon. It was then Michelle says, that she saw sense and dropped back to the chase group.
Birgit carried on and got close to Helen but never quite managed to make it across the gap. "If I had known Birgit had been that close, I would have sat up and we could have worked together".
Helen, who has been riding races throughout Europe admitted the course was tough and the climb especially so. "In the Gracia Orlova I was riding to the top of 20k climbs with the best riders in the World but this climb just killed me. I wanted to win this race and with two laps to go, I thought I could win. I thought if I could gain two minutes with 1 lap to go, that would be enough but I never made it."
It was however an effort that will help her later on as she tries to reach the heady heights she has in cyclo cross.
My congratulations to all the riders - it was a tough day for them but they all deserve a lot of credit for not being put off by the course. And looking through the result there are many new names which bodes well for the future of women's racing where there are many opportunities for those who want to go all the way to the top of this great sport of ours. ... and for the rider who was making this her first road race -- they only get easier for sure after that one!!
Birgitt Hollman makes the pace for her teammate Helen Wyman up the first climb in the race.
RESULTS (thanks to Sue Knight for the official results)
1. Emma Silversides Leisure Lakes RT
2. Nina Davies Ogmore Valley Wheelers @ 0-05
3. Birgitt Hollman Toyota Motor Company @ 0-10
4. Kirsten Brooks Abergavenny Road Club
5. Julia Hawley Bermuda Bicycle Association
6. Michelle Bergstrand Raleigh – ERV
7. Helen Gutteridge Team Luciano - Trek
8. Helen Wyman Toyota Motor Company
9. Claire Greenfield Severn Road Club
10. Antonia Burt Twickenham Road Club
11. Sara Burling CC Giro
12. Claire Hall CC Giro @ 4-36
13. Nicky Hudson Twickenham Road Club
14. Heather Summers Team Luciano - Trek
15. Tracey Fletcher Team Fat Birds UK
16. Cayley Ennett Ellan Vannin CC
17. Diane Moss Team Luciano - Trek
18. Lisa Hollingshead Webster Cycles
19. Ruth Gamwell GS Strada
20. Kim Young CC Giro
21. Claire Lines Gateway.co.uk
22. Hannah Bussey VC Meudon
23. Melissa Mather Team Luciano – Trek
24. Nikki Wheeler Velocity – The Exercise Deck
25. Lizzy Goodband Team Fat Birds UK
26. Jo Tindley VC De Londres
27. Lisa Parsons Somerset Road Club
28. June Walker Team Luciano - Trek
29. Anna Watson Team Fat Birds UK
3rd Cat: Michelle Bergstrand; Raleigh – ERV
4th Cat: Claire Greenfield; Severn Road ClubJunior: Cayley Ennett; Ellan Vannin CC
Team: Team Luciano- Trek
(Helen Gutteridge / Heather Summers / Diane Moss )
