Johnson Health Tech Women’s Grand Prix 2011

Johnson Health Tech Women’s GP

Author: Chris Maher, Pictures courtesy of: Chris Maher | Photography

 Johnson Health Tech Women’s Grand Prix Cycle Race

 Round 3 – Oldham – 14^th June

 Format

 A new series formulated for 2011, the Johnson Health Tech GP, is a Women’s only cycle race run over 4 events. Run in conjunction with the Halfords Tour Series. It is raced prior to the Halfords Tour Series around teatime, with approximately 30 riders contesting a sprint jersey, a victory jersey & a team jersey. Much the same format as the Halfords Tour Series, they will be 2 sprints & the race is run over a shorter period.

 Circuit

 This anticlockwise 1.1km circuit climbs very steadily away from the start line. Turn one, the first right hand turn is about 50 meters away, then onto some pave. On the back side of the course, turn three, the highest point drops quite steeply into the fast right hander turn four, this is the lowest point on the circuit, before dragging all the back up to the finish line.

 Race

 The race got underway at 17.00pm with a couple of neutralized laps. It was soon clear that the long drag back to the finish area would be the part of the course that would prove a challenge to the girls. Moving towards the 1^st sprint of the evening, Motorpoint Pro Cycling’s Hannah Barnes stretched the peleton to take the first points on offer.

Pulling away from the peleton straight after the sprint, was series leader Kona Factory Racing’s Helen Wyman. Opening up a gap, she was joined by VC St Raphael’s Sarah Byrne & Horizon Fitness RT Prendas Ciclismo duo Dani King & Annie Simpson. By the half way stage, the quartet of girls had opened up a considerable gap & were beginning to lap members of the field.

It was Sarah Byrne that led the girls over the line for sprint two, and this gave her enough points to claim the sprint jersey for the evening.

Approaching the final corner of the race, Helen Wyman led the girls back up the drag to the finish line but it was Annie Simpson that had the legs to outsprint team mate Dani King. A close third was Wyman with Byrne fourth. Bringing the chasing bunch over the line for fifth was Motorpoint Pro Cycling’s Lucy Garner with team mate Hannah Barnes 6^th.

Horizon Fitness RT Prendas Ciclismo extended their lead in the overall standings. Helen Wyman retains her leader’s jersey & Hannah Barnes retains her sprinters jersey.  

 Result

 Sprint Winner              Sarah Byrne                VC St Raphael

 Team Winner               Horizon Fitness RT Prendas Ciclismo                                               

 Oldham Race Winner Top 10 

1. Annie Simpson                        Horizon Fitness RT Prendas Ciclismo
2. Dani King                               Horizon Fitness RT Prendas Ciclismo
3. Helen Wyman                         Kona Factory Racing
4. Sarah Byrne                            VC St Raphael
5. Lucy Garner                            Motorpoint Pro Racing
6. Hannah Barnes                        Motorpoint Pro Racing
7. Joanna Rowsell                       Horizon Fitness RT Prendas Ciclismo
8. Penny Rowson                        Horizon Fitness RT Prendas Ciclismo
9. Nicola Juniper                         Condor Cycles
10. Corrine Hall                            Corrodori / Specialized

Team Standings                     

1. Horizon Fitness RT Prendas Ciclismo            166 points
2. Motorpoint Pro Cycling                                  139
3. For Viored Brookvex                                      111
4. Condor Cycles                                                            63
5. Mule Bar Girls                                                6

Standings after Round 3

1. Helen Wyman                         Kona Factory Racing                                      64
2. Lucy Garner                            Motorpoint Pro Cycling                                  55
3. Hannah Barnes                        Motorpoint Pro Cycling                                  52
4. Dani King                               Horizon Fitness RT Prendas Ciclismo            47
5. Penny Rowson                        Horizon Fitness RT Prendas Ciclismo            46

Sprint Standings after Round 3 

1. Hannah Barnes                        Motorpoint Pro Cycling                                  16
2. Hannah Rich                           Horizon Fitness RT Prendas Ciclismo            16
3. Helen Wyman                         Kona Factory Racing                                      15

Round 1 – May 31^st    –           Peterborough

Round 2 – June 07^th    –           Stoke

Round 3 – June 09^th –           Oldham

Round 4 – June 14^th    –           Woking

For further information, reports & results go to the official website www.tourseries.co.uk

You can catch the racing on ITV4 the following day at 8.00pm