On Form Rowsell Wins Circuit Championships

British Cycling National Women's Road Circuit Championship
@ the Horwich Carnival, Lancashire
Sunday 22nd June 2008
Promoted by: Horwich Cycling Club

Report and images: Andrew Kennedy for British Cycling

National Circuit Race podium, left to right, bronze medal Katie Colclough (Halfords Bikehut), gold medal Joanna Rowsell (Halfords Bikehut) and silver medal Leda Cox (BC Private Member)

World Track Champion Joanna Rowsell riding for Halfords Bikehut was a convincing winner of the Women's National Circuit Race Championships on Sunday. With only a week to go until the National Road Championships in Yorkshire Rowsell showed her power and strength by riding away from the field and lapping the main bunch. A small group of chasers avoided the indignity of being lapped by Rowsell but she still managed to have a winning margin of 1.36 on second placed Leda Cox (BC Private Member) and third placed Katie Colclough (Halfords Bikehut).

With 2007 National Circuit Race Champion Lizzie Armitstead and injured Sharon Laws non-starters the race was wide open for the 30 riders who lined up in Horwich Town Centre. The dark clouds hanging over the Lancashire town threatened heavy rain, and as the women rolled away to begin the first 1 mile lap, high winds were blowing debris, barriers and a couple of un-secured old age pensioners onto the circuit.

The action started immediately and Joanna Rowsell attacked into the finishing straight at the end of the 1st lap. She was joined by Helen Clayton (CC Giro) and Leda Cox (BC Private Member) and the three of them got down to some serious work. Rowsell had a determined look on her face as she led this small group during the next few laps, at the end of lap four she'd got rid of Cox. Helen Clayton was looking uncomfortable as she struggled to hold Rowsell's wheel out of the corners and by lap 6 Rowsell was alone at the front.

Joanna Rowsell splits the race apart on the first lap

Leda Cox (BC Private Member) manages to get on her wheel

With Helen Clayton (CC Giro) attempting to bridge the gap

1 mile covered and the main field is blown wide apart

Lap 2 and Rowsell glances back to see what damage has been caused

Great start for Helen Clayton but she was unable to stay with Rowsell

Leda Cox has just returned to the UK from racing in Canada and was tired at the start of the championships in Horwich

Joanna Rowsell on her own - she stayed away for the remainder of the race, lapping the majority of riders

With Cox and Clayton back in the safety of the bunch the girls began to organise themselves into chasing down the Halfords rider. Sarah Storey (VC St Raphael) had been slow to get warmed up and in the early laps she was struggling at the back end of the bunch. Now firing on all cylinders she moved to the front and with the help of Hannah Mayho (Longstaff Cycles) and Alex Greenfield (Pinarello RT) the bunch started to try and reduce Rowsell's lead.

Sarah Storey (VC St Raphael) had a slow start to the race struggling at the back of the bunch

Hannah Mayho (Longstaff Cycles) and Alex Greenfield (Pinarello RT) made valiant efforts on the front of the bunch

At the head of the race Joanna Rowsell was time checking herself on every lap, she knew she had a good gap and could look back on the two long straights at either side of the circuit. In time-trialling mode she controlled her effort and mid-race she was increasing her lead by over 5 seconds a lap. Back in the bunch a split had occurred and Leda Cox was leading a small break as they crossed the line at half-distance. Sarah Storey, Catherine Hare (Halfords Bikehut), Lucy Martin (Dolan RT) and Katie Colclough (Halfords Bikehut) were all in this group and they settled down to try and reduce the lead of Rowsell. The two Halfords girls in the break Hare and Colclough were getting a relatively easy ride as their team-mate Rowsell was up the road and they didn't want to jeopardise her chance of victory.

Sarah Storey gets warmed up and leads the chase for Rowsell

Katie Colclough and Lucy Martin were two of the riders not to be lapped by Rowsell

Battling all day but missed the break - Greenfield and Mayho were strong in the bunch but out of contention for the medals

In the final miles Joanna Rowsell was closing in on the back of the bunch. During the 2007 championships on the same circuit she'd been away with Lizzie Armitstead and the two girls were unsure about overtaking the bunch they had in their sights, they sat off the back and fought out the sprint. A year later and now a world champion Rowsell had no qualms about lapping the bunch, and she did it in some style. With a finely judged effort she dug just a little deeper as she passed the bunch with a lap to go. With a clear road in front and on her final lap the Halfords rider was enjoying the race. As she approached the finish line she had plenty of time to take in the applause from the crowd crossing the line 1.36 ahead of her nearest rival. The sprint for silver and 2nd place was won by Leda Cox (BC Private Member) with the bronze medal going to Rowsell's team mate Katie Colclough.

Joanna Rowsell wins the 2008 British Cycling Road Circuit Championship

Result: (provisional)

1. Joanna Rowsell (Halfords Bikehut)
2. Leda Cox (BC Private Member)
3. Katie Colclough (Halfords Bikehut)
4. Sarah Storey (VC St Raphael)
5. Catherine Hare (Halfords Bikehut)
6. Lucy Martin (Dolan RT)