Women’s Day at Millbrook

 

May 5, 2008; Milbrook Testing Track, Bedfordshire

Bedford Two Day Women’s Team Series Event

Pictures and report Larry Hickmott

A 1-2-3 for the Global-Swift Racing Team with Helen Wyman winning (centre),  Gabby Day (right, 2nd), and  Alice Monger-Godfrey (Left, 3rd).

 

Note: We'll have a gallery of photographs from the race, both days, thanks to Dave O'Nyons and Larry Hickmott, tomorrow here on BritishCycling.org.uk

 

REPORT

The second round of the Women’s Team Series was held in Bedfordshire this weekend over three stages. The Bedford Two Day international is a long running event and this year, 50 plus women started the race with the finale held on the fittingly grand Millbrook Test Track in Bedfordshire. Winner of the race overall in a Global-Swift 1-2-3 was Helen Wyman who finished ahead of Gabby Day and Alice Monger-Godfrey.

 

The event began on the Sunday with a Team Trial and that was won by Global-Swift (Sarah Reynolds, Alice  Monger-Godfrey, Gabby  Day, and Helen Wyman) who put 42 seconds into the next two teams -- Team Luciano-Kuota and FatBirds Cycling Club who tied for second. The other teams though were not going to allow the Belgium based Swift team to dominate the race and it was Surrey League rider Susannah Osborne who defeated Helen Wyman in the sprint for stage 2 held in the lanes south of Bedford.

 

This result put Wyman into the yellow jersey after a teammate had worn it for stage 2.  The race then moved on to the Millbrook Test Track near the lovely village of Millbrook just north of Amptill (Bedfordshire). By 11am and the start of the stage on the Bank Holiday Monday, the temperatures were already in the 20’s and at last, summer really did feel like it was back!

 

Having the race at Millbrook is quite a unique event in itself, a real coupe for Jon Miles and his organising team. Here is a test track where companies pay thousands to hire it for a day and the people behind Millbrook have given it over to this Women’s race for a few years now. The test track is quite something and in the short time we were there, it was clear this was a special circuit that everyone seemed to agree would be a fantastic facility for a National or even World Championship.

 

I think every one of the women riders will vouch for the toughness of the twisty and hilly circuit which measured 9 kilometres and can no doubt be longer and tougher with a  21 per cent climb not used this year!

Great sprint by Jess Booth to win the big group sprint well clear of her nearest rival Helen Wyman who for the second time in the race, was second on a stage after being part of the winning Team Time Trial.

 

The stage today, the third of the race, began quietly and was all together as it passed under a bridge on the circuit. With bonus seconds on offer for the hill climbs and sprints down at the finish, it was sure to be a tough race and so it was. Round one winner, Charlotte Blackman was reported to be ready to liven it up and the Surrey league rider did just that with an attack over the climb.

 

But it was not to be for her and the rest came up to her and despite plenty of aggression being show up the climbs and 13 minute laps being knocked out by the girls, it was a bunch gallop after the 7 laps of the course. First across the line was young talent Jess Booth who was mightily impressive in her win of the sprint ahead of overall winner Helen Wyman.

 

Afterwards we spoke to Helen Wyman who was on one of her rare appearances in the UK being based as she is now in Belgium. We asked how the stage went for her. “There were time seconds on the sprints across the finish line and on the hills so it was important for us to get those even though we already had a 41 second lead from the time trial.”

 

“I went for every hill sprint and won that jersey today as well and even with other riders taking the sprints at the finish, it wasn’t going to threaten my lead overall. We said yesterday that the standard of the racing was a lot higher than it has been. Yesterday was quick and probably the fastest non-nationals race I have ridden.”

 

Helen explained that the team’s return for this race was for many reasons but first and foremost it was because they haven’t lost sight that their main sponsor, Swift Mobile Homes, is a British company. “It’s also important for the girls based here to see some of the pro riders riding in the bunch and also, our  friend Clare (Gross, former national champion) got married.”

Helen Wyman sprints for the seconds on offer at the top of the climb each lap.

 

“We were going to have six riders in the race but one of them became ill and it was good for us to see the standard of the racing here. It was also good for Sarah (Reynolds) who was first across the line in the team time trial and so she got to wear the yellow jersey in the afternoon. That showed that our team is not two separate teams based here and abroad but one team together.”

 

Helen then explained that in preparation for a major stage race in France coming up soon, that she has been racing a lot in Belgium. “It is important to keep racing. I raced Wednesday, Thursday and yesterday and today and will be racing again Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It is important for us to do more than one day because the stage race we have coming up is 10 days long.”

 

Talking about the fact there were no other pro teams in the race, Helen explained that the organiser did not want multiple pro teams in the race because they would only end up fighting it out between themselves and the other riders would be casualties of that. “That would not be good for Women’s cycling where as here, all the teams were in the race”.

Winner of the Hills competition was Helen Wyman. Trophy presented by former professional Harry Lodge who now imports Jollywear clothing.

 

On her own racing, Helen explained that every week she is racing pro races in Europe and because it’s Olympic year, every pro team is riding all the races, even the National Cup races which are normally  made up of club teams with a few national teams and pro teams. Now they’re all pro teams.”

 

We then discussed the tactics in the final stage of this Bedford two day and how being in Europe has helped her and the team get wise to why riders do specific things in pro races in contrast to the tactics here which can be a little strange as riders go about the learning process on home roads. Talking about the tactics of the stage today, Helen explained “yesterday, everyone was chasing the breaks down and today they weren’t and it was up to us.”

 

“So Gabby, Alice and me got on the front and brought Charlotte back. That is how it should be because if you are in yellow, you have to defend your jersey but unfortunately there was only three of us!”

While admitting it would have been good to win everything, the race did provide some memorable moments like winning the team time trial and winning overall and Helen takes that back to Europe with her and we wish her and the team good luck over there. We also wish all the other girls in the race lots of luck because they showed at Millbrook not only how determined they were on a tough course, but also how good the standard is now. That is something that all women riders can be proud of as that category of racing goes from strength to strength.

 

Note: Get well wishes to Naomi Anderson who crashed heavily during the stage and had to abandon.

There were sprints on the banked oval circuit too for more seconds...

Sprints winner Charlotte Colclough gets her trophies from Harry Lodge from Jollywear.com

Plenty of room on the test track at Millbrook.

Riders roll out from the start for the 7 laps of the 8 kilometre circuit.

A little bit of Switzerland was how some described the twisting and hilly circuit -- all it needed was snow on the tops of the hills! Pictured are the riders descending the prime climb with plenty of gaps opening up after pressure by the leaders up the hill.

After a 1-2-3, a unsurprising win in the Team competition for team Global Swift.

 

RESULTS

 

STAGE 3
1. Jess Booth Pinarello Racing Team 1:40:23
2. Helen Wyman Mixed Swift Global-Swift Mobile Homes 1:40:23
3. Charlotte Colclough Impsport Team A 1:40:23
4. Sarah Byrne Pinarello Racing Team 1:40:23
5. Susannah Osborne Surrey League 1:40:23
6. Helen Gutteridge Team Luciano-Kuota 1:40:23 1 3
7. Femke Van Schelven FatBirds Cycling Club 1:40:23
8. Kelly Moore Pinarello Racing Team 1:40:23
9. Gabby Day Mixed Swift Global-Swift Mobile Homes 1:40:23
10. Katie Fearnehough Team QCP 1:40:23

FINAL OVERALL
1. Helen Wyman Mixed Swift Global-Swift Mobile Homes
2. Gabby  Day Mixed Swift Global-Swift Mobile Homes   @:21
3. Alice  Monger-Godfrey Mixed Swift Global-Swift Mobile Homes  @ 42
4. Charlotte Colclough Impsport Team A   @ 1:03
5. Helen Gutteridge Team Luciano-Kuota  @ 0:01:07
6. Charlotte Blackman Surrey League   @ 0:01:09
7. Heather Wilson Team QCP   @ 0:01:14
8. Diane Moss Team Luciano-Kuota  @ 0:01:16
9. Claire Thomas Impsport Team A   @ 0:01:17
10. Annabel Simpson Impsport Team A J  @ 0:01:20
11. Femke Van Schelven FatBirds Cycling Club  @ 0:01:21
12. Tracey Fletcher FatBirds Cycling Club  @ 0:01:23
13. Jackie Bull FatBirds Cycling Club   @ 0:01:23
14. Ella Sadler-Andrews Team QCP  @ 0:01:30
15. Sarah Cramoysan Team QCP   @ 0:01:30
16. Katie Fearnehough Team QCP J @ 0:01:30
17. Susannah Osborne Surrey League  @ 0:01:34
18. Rebecca Curley Surrey League  @ 0:01:34
19. Becki Rimmington Team Luciano-Kuota   @ 0:01:36
20. Sarah Byrne Pinarello Racing Team   @ 0:01:40
21. Hannah Rich Pinarello Racing Team J  @ 0:01:41
22. Kelly Moore Pinarello Racing Team   @ 0:01:41
23. Dorothea Cockerell Twickenham CC  @ 0:01:50
24. Jess Booth Pinarello Racing Team J  @ 0:01:59
25. Michelle Lee Welland Valley CC   @ 0:02:24
26. Jeanette Caldicott Team Luciano-Kuota  @ 0:02:44
27. Cath  Weiss Agiskoviner.com-Bottlestore.co.uk   @ 0:08:45
28. Sarah Burling FatBirds Cycling Club  @ 0:09:23
29. Michelle Buck FatBirds Cycling Club  @ 0:09:23
30. Juliette  Wigbold Mixed Swift Global-Swift Mobile Homes   @ 0:09:44
31. Lisa Parsons Welland Valley CC   @ 0:10:21
32. Cathleen  Orchard Pinarello Racing Team  @ 0:11:48
33. Jacqueline Garner Team Luciano-Kuota  @ 0:13:15
34. Lizzie Goodband FatBirds Cycling Club  @ 0:13:23
35. Rohan Battison Agiskoviner.com-Bottlestore.co.uk @ 0:14:48
36. Katie Symons Welland Valley CC  @ 0:15:54
37. Joanne McRae Impsport Team A   @ 0:18:52
38. Cassie  Gledhill Agiskoviner.com-Bottlestore.co.uk  @ 0:22:05
39. Charlotte McDonald Welland Valley CC   @ 0:28:14
40. June Storey Team Luciano-Kuota   @ 0:35:13
41. Emma Williams Twickenham CC  @ 0:42:21
42. Emma  Patterson Agiskoviner.com-Bottlestore.co.uk  @ 0:45:38
43. Lisa Scarlett Surrey League  @ 0:48:31
44. Lizzie Larke Team QCP  @ 1:02:28
45. Lisa West Twickenham CC @ 1:21:15

 

STAGE 1 -- TEAM TIME TRIAL
1. Mixed Swift Global-Swift Mobile Homes 12:59
2. Team Luciano-Kuota  0:41
2. FatBirds Cycling Club 0:41
4. Impsport Team A  @ 0:44
5. Team QCP 0:48
6. Surrey League  @ 0:52
7. Pinarello Racing Team  0:59
8. Twickenham CC @ 1:08
9. Agiskoviner.com-Bottlestore.co.uk @ 1:25
10.Team Luciano-Kuota @ 1:31
11.Welland Valley CC @ 1:32

STAGE 2 -- KEYSOE
1. Susannah Osborne, Surrey League
2. Helen Wyman, Mixed Swift Global-Swift Mobile Homes
3. Danielle King, Twickenham CC
4. Claire Thomas, Impsport Team A
5. Sarah Reynolds, Mixed Swift Global-Swift Mobile Homes
6. Kate Calvert, Twickenham CC
7. Corrine Hall, Twickenham CC
8. Annabel Simpson, Impsport Team A
9. Dorothea Cockerell, Twickenham CC
10. Rebecca Curley, Surrey League

 

RELATED LINKS

Pictures from Gavin Percy

Team Time Trial : Gallery here

1st stage : Gallery Here

2nd stage : Gallery Here