Race Results

Womens Team Series - Round 5

Oxford - June 13th

Team Result     Individual Result    Latest Standings

Helen Gutteridge – Team Luciano, won the 5^th of the Women’s Team Race Series in an uphill sprint just ahead of Nina Davies – Letchworth Velo Club on perhaps the hottest day of the year so far.

Organised by Bicester Millennium with Stuart Caldicott the man in charge ably assisted by partner Jeanette Tebbutt, the course took in 3 laps of a 15 mile circuit on mainly flat roads but with enough loing drags to hurt the legs. 

55 riders left the Quainton village hall but with barely a half lap covered there was a crash unusually at the front of the bunch which left Nicky Slinn and Carolyn Jennings – West Midlands and Gabby Day – Impsport Composite A on the ground; Nicky and Carolyn both went to hospital for stitches whilst Gabby had her wrist strapped.

The first attack of the day came from Sarah Dias – VC Meudon who was away for a while but was caught but thought she would have a second go and slid of the front again half a lap later but was caught yet again.

The race was becoming a lot faster than expected and with the various uphill drags on the course, the effect in the hot weather was tiring.

Nina Davies attacked the second time up the main hill getting away with eventual winner Gutteridge and they stayed away for about 1.5 miles; they were caught but the pair attacked again round the back of the course; “I was trying to simulate what might happen in the National Championships” said Davies, but they were caught again.

 Into the last lap and again it was Davies and Gutteridge who attacked “Nina was the strongest and I thought we would stay away this time but East Midlands were strong chasing, ” related Gutteridge after the race, this too was snuffed out.

With 40 miles covered, Di Moss, Helen, Jeanette Tebbutt – Team Luciano, Sharon Laws – Surrey League A, Nina and Heather Summers – East Midlands, attacked on the last lap and got a good gap.

But the group was never compatible and were caught after 3 miles of freedom. 

With 3 miles to the finish Gutteridge attacked again with a gap of about 200 metres which held for a 1 mile;

“ I had to give it a go although I am not a time trailer and I normally try to be with someone else”; said Gutteridge.

“I gave it everything I had but it didn’t work, I have never tried so hard on a last lap before”. After getting caught she was able to sit in the bunch and recover. 

As the main bunch got to the bottom of the final climb to the finish – well, let Nina Davies give her view of that finish; “The final sprint started along way out, the pace got high at the bottom of the hill, it split up with myself, Helen and Helen Shepherd – Impsport Composite A going for the sprint” 

Helen Gutteridge continued by saying “I thought Nina would go past me on the hill, I was waiting for her to go and then I would go with her but when she didn’t I thought I had to go myself and hope no one would come round me. This was a great circuit, I loved the big circuit, it makes the race go quicker”

Sarah Dias – VC Meudon also enjoyed her day in the sun; “It was a challenging course and I was pleased it was less laps although a longer distance per lap, as a time trialist it helps me work harder in the bunch and stay with the bunch longer”.

 “I was pleased to attack twice today, being braver as I only started road racing this season but I was soon swallowed up and by my second attack my legs were getting tired and I then got dropped (she eventually finished in 39^th place)

RESULTS

Team Classification

Back to top

Individual Results

Back to top

Photo Gallery