National Youth Circuit Race Championships - GB

Raleigh-ERV rider makes it 2/2

Hannah Mayo joins team-mate Lizzie Armitstead as National Champion

Raleigh ERV media release

Like all the races, it was a sprint from the start with Helen Clayton starting as she meant to go on by getting away quickly and setting a fast pace.

Her forceful riding saw the leading group quickly start to lose riders and along with the pace set by Raleigh/ERV Pro-Cycling Team Riders Greta Junker and Hannah Mayo, the riders left at the front soon numbered only half a dozen or so. There was a problem for Hannah however as she had to stop for a bike change which she did. That wasn't the problem, as it was in the next bike change, which she took in a very relaxed manner, that she realised there was no second lap out and she had to close down a 13 second gap to the leaders.

Whilst Clayton and Colclough continued to drive the lead group with Greta staying close, Mayo continued to bury herself and eventually managed to make contact with the leaders. Clayton continued to attack and attack, and attack again but this was a class group of young riders and it was going to be a sprint finish and with Jess Varnish in there, a renowned sprinter, the other girls were not going to have all their own way.

For Mayo, who was extremely pleased to have won the title, it was a tough race with a long hard chase to remain in contention. "It wasn't how I envisaged the race to go. Obviously it was also hard mentally when I was so far back because I didn't realise I wasn't allowed a second lap out when I changed back to my original bike. It was quite demoralising when I heard the time gap but I wanted to be back with the group a lot."

"When I got back, I was aware of the other girls strengths, and I didn't want it to be a big bunch sprint. I was on the front of the group when we caught the chasers and then attacked up the hill and lead all the way round to the line.

Raleigh ERV Pro-Cycling riders were placed 1^st  Hannah Mayo, 4^th  Greta Junker, 9^th Lucy Martin and 13^th  Annie Last.