2007 Women's Circuit Race Championship
June 24, 2007; Horwich
A British Cycling Championship Event
Andrew Kennedy report & photographs
With thanks to John Purdy for the results.
Above: Lizzie Armitstead (Global RT) takes her second successive National Circuit Championship at Horwich, ahead of team mate Joanna Rowsell.
The 2007 British Cycling National Women’s Circuit Race championship was held this weekend as part of the Horwich Carnival in Lancashire. The best women riders from across the country took advantage of the closed 1 mile relatively flat circuit based around the shops and commercial areas of Horwich Town Centre, to put on a glittering display of fast and aggressive bike racing.
The warm up to the Championships had been a carnival parade with marching brass bands, beauty queens and even a group Morris Dancers. Huge crowds descended on the town to watch the bike racing and a series of running races around the closed circuit, with hundreds of competitors, families and supporters lining the streets the good natured carnival crowd were anticipating an exciting afternoon of bike racing.
How the race unfolded.
Pre race favourite and reigning Circuit Race Champion Lizzie Armitstead wearing Number 1 looked quietly confident of retaining her title as she lined up on the Lee Lane start line to be introduced to the crowd. With the formal introductions over the Lady Mayoress dropped the flag and the 46 starters began the first of their 25 laps.
Above: Reigning Women's Circuit Champion Lizzie Armitstead (Global RT) looks calm and quietly confident on the start line.
The Global Racing team were quick to stamp their authority on the race and within three laps they had four riders sat on the front of the bunch. Joanna Rowsell (Global RT), Lizzie Armitstead (Global RT), Kate Curtis (Global RT) and Nikki Harris (Global RT). It appeared these top quality riders had a team plan to control the early pace, and keep the bunch together in the early stages.
At the start of lap four Joanna Rowsell moved clear of the main field and was joined by Sarah Bailey (VC St Raphael). The speed in the bunch remained high, but the two breakaways were still moving clear. On the next lap Lizzie Armitstead jumped across to the leaders and the three girls worked together to keep the pace high. Sarah Bailey looked to be struggling with the speed in the leading group, and within a lap she was back in the bunch.
Above: Early in the race with the bunch still together.
The Global RT tandem of Rowsell and Armitstead looked extremely determined to extend their lead and the two girls shared the work as the time gap went over a minute. The breakaways were now out of sight of the bunch and the speed of the main field had visibly dropped as they crossed the finish line at the start of lap 10. Having missed the critical move early in the race Alice Monger-Godfrey (Glendene CC/Biketrax) was working hard on the front of the bunch, but was receiving little help. At the start of lap 12 Alice jumped clear of the bunch in an attempt to stir things up, but as they came around again the bunch was still together and the girls were all looking at each other, apparently no-one willing to commit to a chase for the leaders.
Above: Lizzie Armitstead and Joanna Rowsell worked hard together and decided not to lap the field.
With 14 miles covered Lizzie Armitstead and Joanna Rowsell had the race all to themselves, they had started to catch and lap riders and it looked as though they might catch the whole field. As the leaders came into view on the next lap Lizzie Armitstead was alone with Joanna Rowsell trailing about 100 metres behind. The large crowd cheered the 2006 champion believing she had attacked her team mate to go for a long solo win. Rowsell rode through the start/finish line with a punctured rear wheel and was frantically looking for her supporters and a wheel change. BC commissaire Peter Deary allowed a lap out for the Global rider and on the next lap as Lizzie Armitstead came back into view Joanna was quickly on her wheel and safely back in the race.
Above: The determination shows on the faces of the girls in the main field.
The two leaders got back into their stride and again began to increase the lead. With four laps remaining the lead car was just in front of the two Global riders and was now sat directly behind the main field. Armitstead and Rowsell dropped the pace and they could be seen talking as they rode through the finish area. It did appear as though they had decided not to lap the main field, which they could easily have done. Sarah Bailey (VC St Raphael) was driving the bunch on the final laps with the other girls now thinking about the sprint for third and the final podium place.
Left: Sarah Bailey (VC St Raphael) worked hard at the head of the bunch. Right: Above: Last lap and team riding over for the day, the girls start to watch each other with the sprint looming.
As the bell sounded for the last lap Joanna Rowsell led Lizzie Armitstead through the finish, the two girls took a long look behind them down the main street to see if anyone was coming up to them, all they could see were the crowds shouting out encouragement, the closest rider was nearly two minutes behind.
On the approach to the finish line Lizzie Armitstead led from the last corner and easily took the sprint from her team mate. The main field came in together and the sprint was won by Katie Curtis (Global RT) giving the Global girls a clean sweep of the podium places. Hardworking Sarah Bailey (VC St Raphael) was a further 7 seconds behind the bunch.
Left: The all conquering Global Racing Team, left to right, Joanna Rowsell, Lizzie Armitstead and Katie Curtis. All three ride for the Great Britain Cycling Team's Olympic Academy for Women's Endurance and coached by Dan Hunt. Right:
Congratulations from Mum at the finish.
Rider reactions:
Lizzie Armitstead: “It started quite fast with some attacks going in the first two laps. Joanna got away and then Sarah Bailey went after her, I thought ‘two pursuiters up the road I’d better get after them’. We managed to keep the gap but Sarah dropped back. Jo and I then just worked hard together to stay away and we got right up to the back of the bunch."
"We decided not to lap them as it might have caused problems in the sprint. It’s been a good day for Global Racing Team with the 1,2,3, we didn’t plan that although we are obviously pleased with the result. Today was about individual effort, although the team element was important, we didn’t work against each other. On the last lap Jo and I didn’t discuss the finish but we both knew it was going to be a sprint, I got behind her on the other side of the circuit and we both sprinted from the last corner, with me getting it on the line”.
I asked Lizzie how she planned to prepare for the National Road Champs next week, and she said, “this afternoon Jo and I are travelling down to Newport to join the Great Britain Cycling Teams Olympic Development camp. We will be doing our preparations there and both hoping to do well at Beverley next week".
Joanna Rowsell: “I’m really pleased to get the silver medal today, last year I was 11th. I put an attack in quite early and got a good gap, I didn’t want to be on my own for the next 23 laps, but I think the bunch had sat up. I carried on at the same pace and then I saw Lizzie coming across to me, I thought oh brilliant."
"We worked hard together and with about 8 laps to go I punctured. I panicked a bit because I haven’t punctured in a race before, and I wasn’t sure about how the laps out worked. But I got a wheel change and was allowed back into the race with Lizzie."
"We carried on and decided not to catch the bunch as it would have been complicated. In the sprint I led out a bit too early and Lizzie came around me with about 200 metres to go. This is only my second women’s race of the year so I’m very pleased with this result. I had my last A’ level exam on Friday so I can now concentrate on racing, I’m looking forward to the Nationals next weekend and I have a full summer of racing on the road planned".
Support Race
The support race to the championship was a hotly contested 18 laps for senior riders. With only a short distance to race the field of over 60 riders set off at a blistering pace. After several attacks a break of four riders including Graeme Rose (Sydenham Wheelers), Alistair Rutherford (Wills Wheels), Martin Freeman (Team Corley Cycles) and Nathan Harrison (Lancashire Road Club) moved clear and managed to keep the fast moving bunch at bay. The sprint was won by Martin Freeman, from a disappointed Alistair Rutherford and Nathan Harrison.
Above: Martin Freeman (Team Corley Cycles) wins the sprint in the senior support race at Horwich Carnival.
The Horwich Festival is now firmly established in the summer cycling calendar and has run continually since 2002. Last year saw Horwich host the men's Circuit Championship, and the crowds returned this year to watch the women's championship.
Organiser David Leyland was quick to point out the race is well supported by Horwich and Bolton Town Councils, he said,"last year we had a big corporate sponsor on board and this year Horwich and Bolton Town Councils stepped in and helped support the race, the carnival committee is made up from all the interested organisations, we all work together to make the weekend a great success, it gets better every year"
From the number of people watching the bike racing on the main street, and the quality of riders taking part, David Leyland and the Horwich Cycling Club have found the right formula, well done, and I will be back next year even if it's just to watch the morris dancing.
Jo Rowsell. Lizzie Armitstead and Katie Curtis show off their medals.
Result
1. Lizzie Armitstead Global Racing Team 01:01:13
2. Joanna Rowsell Global Racing Team same time
3. Katie Curtis Global Racing Team 01:38
4. Nikki Harris Global Racing Team same time
5. Alexandra Greenfield Pinarello RT same time
6. Alice Monger-Godfrey Glendene CC/Biketrax same time
7. Eileen Roe Dunfermline CC same time
8. Lucy Martin Team Chance same time
9. Louise Mahe Cycles Dauphin RT same time
10. Leanne Thompson Lune RCC same time
11. Annabel Simpson Team Chance same time
12. Katie Colclough Fat Birds CC same time
13. Marie Stuart Team Chance same time
14. Charlotte Colclough Fat Birds CC same time
15. Gabriella Day Global Racing Team same time
16. Hannah Bussey Team Luciano-Everest Home Impro same time
17. Annie Last Team Chance same time
18. Helen Gutteridge Team Luciano-Everest Home Impro same time
19. Tracey Fletcher Fat Birds CC same time
20. Sarah Bailey VC St Raphael 01:45
Mens Race
1. Martin Freeman Team Corley Cycles 40:51:00
2. Alistair Rutherford Wills Wheels same time
3. Nathan Harrison Lancashire RC same time
4. Graeme Rose Sydenham Wheelers 3
5. Giles Pidcock Fensham Howes CRT 18
6. 60 same time
7. Daniel Stevens Liverpool Century same time
8. 58 same time
9. Gary Vose Lune RCC same time
10. Tony Workman Lancashire RC same time
11. Graeme Goulding Maxgear RT same time
12. Craig Eden St Helens CRC same time
13. Craig Gath Selby CC same time
14. Chris Taylor GB Fire Services Pro-Lite same time
15. Simon Hayes Wills Wheels same time
16. Paul Johnson Yasumitsu Schlapp same time
17. 71 same time
18. Matthew Limacher Rhyl CC same time
19. 69 same time
20. Damian Smith Honister 92 same time
21. Jonathan Farnaby Crosstrax same time
22. 73 same time
23. 59 same time
24. 57 same time
25. Joe Martin Sportcity Velo same time
26. Mark Tweedie UA same time
27. Stuart Alderson Manchester Wheelers same time
28. 74
29. Stewart Dwyer St Helens CRC same time
30. Lewis Balyckyi Ribble Valley Jnrs CRC same time
31. John Martindale Lancashire RC 31
32. 37
33.?4 same time
34. Jason Donnelly Sportcity Velo same time
RELATED LINKS
British Cycling Championships: Circuit (Women)
2006 Womens Circuit Race Championship Report
