31st July – promoted Abergavenny RC — Home win for Lauren Creamer in the Women’s Team Series event at Abergavenny
Steve Thomas, race promoter writes … A field of 41 riders (of 52 entries) lined up on a warm and muggy afternoon in Usk to compete for the latest round of the Team Series over 55 miles on a course based on the early season handicap races between Raglan and Mitchel Troy in Gwent. After an early flurry of attacks as the race entered the main 10 mile circuit for the day, keeping the race speed – initially at least – quite high, with the pressure seeing riders regularly dropped from the peleton until a core group of around 30 remained.
The award for aggressor of the day had to go to new Abergavenny RC team member, Sarah Byrne after her solo attack towards the middle of lap three saw her gain an advantage of nearly two minutes at one point and it took the combined efforts of VioRed and Motorpoint to eventually bring her back going into the last lap.
Having had a team mate up the road for such a long period clearly swung the advantage of the race towards the Abergavenny riders and Lauren Creamer backed up her excellent win at the Tywyn Criteriums the previous day with another display of strength on the finish climb to win by a clear 5 or 6 bike lengths at the line.
The finish was unfortunately marred by a heavy crash in the middle of the bunch at 750m to go on the finishing climb, with three riders being ambulanced to hospital and the ‘walking wounded’ at the HQ afterwards resembling something of a scene from M.A.S.H! Fortunately, all were discharged from hospital last night with injuries including a couple of broken collar bones and one fractured cheek/eye socket, but in the main the usual cuts, bruises and abrasions. The race organisation would like to wish all riders hurt in the incident a swift recovery and return to racing.
More Photos from Terry Williamson
Full result below
1 Lauren Creamer Abergavenny RC
2 Clare Leaver Team Zappi’s
3 Hannah Walker Motorpoint
4 Iona Sewell Squadra Donne
5 Karen Poole Primal Europe
6 Adel Tyson-Bloor VC St Raphael
7 Bethany Crumpton West Midlands
8 Molly Weaver West Midlands
9 Lowri Bunn Abergavenny RC
10 Angharad Mason For VioRed
11 Rachel Przybylski Surrey League
12 Wiebke Rietz Surrey League
13 Sarah Cary London Dynamo
14 Charlie Radcliffe Cardiff Ajax
15 Clare Fraser Army Cycling Union
16 Gina McGeever Surrey League
18 Chanel Mason Army Cycling Union
18 Eve Dixon Maxgear Champ Sys Road Team
19 Lauren Whitmore London Dynamo
20 Corrine Hall Twickenham CC
21 Rebecca Curley For VioRed
22 Hannah Manley For VioRed
23 Fern Cotterill Abergavenny RC
24 Sarah Byrne Abergavenny RC
25. Gaby Shaw For VioRed
26 Kirsty Bishop Police Sport UK CRT
27 Hannah Shenton Motorpoint
28 Lisa Clash Army Cycling Union
29 Collyn Ahart London Dynamo
30 Eleanor Jones VC St Raphael
31 Anna Long Army Cycling Union
32 Louise James Army Cycling Union
33 Kelly Sue Leitch Army Cycling Union
34 Jess Hill Cardiff Ajax
DNF Georgina Gilbert Cardiff Ajax
DNF Ruby Miller Horizon Fitness
DNF Nicola Soden Maxgear Champ Sys Road Team
DNF Sarah King Motorpoint
DNF Kirstin Robertson Police Sport UK CRT
DNF Tania Hunt Surrey League
DNF Hayley Edwards West Midlands
