British Road Race Championships - Womens Results
Sunday 27th June 2010 | Pendle (Lancashire) - Emma Pooley survived a dramatic day of racing to become the 2010 British Road Race Champion. Lizzie Armistead came third behind the hitherto indomitable Nicole Cooke to claim the U23 title.
Winner Emma Pooley flanked by Lizzie Armitstead (2nd) and Nicole Cooke (3rd).
Photo © 2010 British Cycling
At the end of a day characterised by crashes, race restarts and a reduced race distance fortune favoured the brave. If Emma Pooley and her Cervelo Test team cohorts hadn't decided to make the running from the start the outcome might have been different. Accompanied by teammates Lizzie Armistead and Sharon Laws, and shadowed by defending champion Nicole Cooke, Pooley attacked almost immediately the race encountered the mile-long climb that initiated the 7.5 mile Pendle circuit. Her position at the front meant that a short while later she was spared involvement in an horrific double crash that took place amongst the main bunch descending at speed.
If the original incident hadn't been bad enough it was worsened when back markers crashed into the rear of race vehicles stopped behind the first crash. Those spared injury or fit enough to continue were then held up for over an hour as ambulances ferried the worse off to hospital. When the race was restarted, by now shortened to four rather than the planned eight laps, Olympic TT Silver medallist Pooley resumed her opening tactic and attacked again on the mile long climb coming out of Barley.
Cooke, now wise to the strategy immediately went with Pooley and closed down the move. Cooke was unable to convince Pooley to work with her which and counter attacked. This went on for sometime with each move being closed down in turn. Meanwhile Laws and Armistead had been able to close the gap. When Pooley attacked for what would be the final and decisive time Cooke was without support and despite a valiant effort was forced to concede her title to an emotional Pooley.
Emma Pooley is stunned by her own performance at the finish.
Photo © 2010 British Cycling
Speaking fresh from the podium in her new jersey Emma Pooley described her feelings about winning the race, “It was a very tough race, and a weird one as well. After the race had been stopped for over an hour after that awful crash, and I feel really bad about the girls who crashed, but the race that followed was really strange. It was only four laps, half the distance we were expecting and although it is a tough circuit, it was only half as tough. I had to race right from the gun and make it hard straight away.
“Nicole is so strong at the moment. I was trying to get away from her because I know I can’t beat her in the finish. On every climb I couldn’t get rid of her and then she was counter attacking. I only really won it because I had the element of surprise because no expected me to attack near the finish on the flat.
“What happened, was that they were all looking at each other and I was on the front because I didn’t want the group behind to come back because then I’d be seventh instead fourth. So I was on the front and they were looking at each other for the sprint because it was only a K to go and I looked over my shoulder and had a gap and it’s normally very hard to get a gap so I’m not going to leave this one. So I rode and then I think Nicole thought she had to chase because while we don’t ride a team, I didn’t think Lizzie or Sharon were going to chase me.
“This win was so unexpected and I had resigned myself to coming fourth by the last lap and it is such a big thing to win the National Championship and you can feel really proud each time you put the jersey on. I’m really looking forward to racing now it on.”
One crash victim was Catherine Williamson who destroyed her bike in the crash but managed to ride the rest of the race on a spare. “it was a really really fast descent and I was near the front and round one of the bends, some one rode into the back of my wheel, and that sent me into the bushes. Girls were crashing into the middle of the road and then the cars had to stop behind that and with it being on a bend, more riders who were chasing to get back on, came down when they hit the cars. There was a girl I think with a broken hip and another girl hurt her back.”
Results - Elite Women
1. Emma Pooley, Cervelo TT 1.28.59
2. Lizzie Armitstead, Cervelo TT, @ 8 seconds
3. Nicole Cooke, Nicolecooke.com st
4. Sharon Laws, Cervelo TT, st
5. Katie Colclough, 100% ME, @2.02
6. Emma Trott, Moving Ladies, @2.16
7. Natalie Creswick, Twickenham CC st
8. Kara Chesworth, Dysynni CC @3.32
9. Sara Storey, Horizon Fitness, @3.34
10. Joanna Rowsell, private member @5.39
11. Alli Holland, Maxgear RT
12. Corrine Hall, Team Corridori
13. Emma Silversides, Redsun Ladies Team
14. Michaelle Dillion, Private Member @5.45
15. Nicola Juniper, Cuclos Uno, @7.16
16. Lucy Martin, 100% ME @7.45
17. Helen WYman, Kona FSA Factory Team st
18. Rebecca Curley, Rapha Condor CC
19. Jane Barr, Stirling BC
20. Leanne Thompson, Vanilla Bikes.com
21. Emma Grant, AW Cycles
22. Catherine Williamson, Rapha Condor CC
23. Mari Todd, Sandy Wallce Cycles
24. Mathilde Matthysse, Ferryhill Wheelers @7.50
25. Sarah Byrne, Motorpoint Marshalls, @9.29
26. Julia Shaw, Private Member, @13.03
Result Women's Under 23
1. Lizzie Armitstead, Cervelo TT
2. Katie Colclough, 100% ME
3. EMma Trott, Moving Ladies
Previous Winners
2009: 1. Nicole Cooke; 2. Lizzie Armitstead; 3. Emma Pooley
2008: 1. Nicole Cooke; 2. Emma Pooley; 3. Joanna Rowsell
2007: 1. Nicole Cooke; 2. Rachel Heal; 3. Helen Wyman
2006: 1. Nicole Cooke; 2. Lorna Webb; 3. Joanna Rowsell
2005: 1. Nicole Cooke; 2. Rachel Heal; 3. Emma Davies
2004: 1. Nicole Cooke; 2. Rachel Heal; 3. Vicki Pincombe
2003: 1. Nicole Cooke; 2. Rachel Heal; 3. Vicki Pincombe
2002: 1. Nicole Cooke; 2. Rachel Heal; 3. Melanie Sears
2001: 1. Nicole Cooke; 2. Ceris Gilfillan; 3. Sara Symington
2000: 1. Ceris Gilfillan; 2. Caroline Alexander; 3. Yvonne McGregor
1999: 1. Nicole Cooke; 2. Yvonne McGregor; 3. Ceris Gilfillian
1998: 1. Megan Huges; 2. Louise Jones; 3. Sally Boyden
1997: 1. Maria Lawrence; 2. Isla Rowntree; 3. Angela Hunter
1996: 1. Maria Lawrence; 2. Ann Plant; 3. Angela Hunter
Links
British Cycling
Celebrating our tenth year!
Support the Daily Peloton
|
