Too close to call on the line for April Tacey & Elizabeth Bennett in round 5 of the HSBC-UK Women’s National Road Series the Curlew Cup.
An agonising wait for Tacey & Bennett, whilst officials checked finish line footage to declare the winner of the 9th edition of the Curlew Cup in Northumberland – which had everybody second guessing.
Elizabeth Bennett said afterwards “It was a fast run in with about 5k to go – it was flat out.
You could tell which riders the teams were working for. I had Jo (Tinsley) & Charlotte (Berry) on the front setting the pace.
I just picked the right wheel in the end – It was very close – I’m really happy to finally get the win.
This year I’ve been knocking on the door – second & third, so It’s really nice to get the win.
My team mates did a fantastic job today, so I have to thank them to. I wouldn’t have won without them.”
It was Bennett (Campinense – Velo Performance) that eventually got declared the 2019 winner also taking the U23 prize with Tacey (Brother UK Fusion RT) 2nd and Charlotte Berry (Campinense – Velo Performance) 3rd along with the Queen of the Mountains prize & Abby-Mae Parkinson (Drops Cycling) 4th in a bunch sprint that came back together in the final kilometres on the run in to Stamfordham.
3 laps of the 35.6 Km Ryals circuit, a total of 106.2kms, the first time to include 3 full laps saw 45 riders take the start line early on Sunday Morning.
An early solo break for Rebecca Richardson (Brother UK Fusion RT) that went after 4 or 5 kilometres saw her lead grow to around 30s at one point. With no one willing to commit, Richardson took the 1st Queen of the Mountains points, before dropping back into the Peloton after been out for a complete circuit.
Running around to the Ryals for the 2nd ascend Abby-Mae Parkinson established a small gap taking maximum Queen of the Mountains but the Peloton weren’t letting her go.
The final circuit saw another solo attack, this time from Emma Cockcroft (Bianchi Dama) as they headed away from Stamfordham. Claire Steels bridged across along with another 3 or 4 others including Tacey.
Over the top of the Ryals for the final time it came back together once more as the pace stayed really high on the final flat run to the finish line.
April Tacey said afterwards “I knew the finish would kinda suit me cos it was fast & flat.
My teammates made the breaks, but Emma (Cockcroft) got away & my teammate Claire (Steels) got over to her with about 4 of us – that stayed away for a while.
I just stayed in the top 5 – just followed wheels and didn’t do any work.
It all came together over the hill. I felt good so yeh – I’m ready for the sprint.”
Full Results
1 23 Elizabeth Bennett Campinense – Velo Performance 2:47:48
2 22 April Tacey Brother.uk Fusion RT st
3 24 Charlotte Berry Campinense – Velo Performance st
4 44 Abby-Mae Parkinson Drops st
5 10 Rebecca Durrell Brother UK – Tifosi p/b OnForm st
6 58 Sophie Thackray Torelli-Assure-Madison st
7 9 Leah Dixon Brother UK – Tifosi p/b OnForm st
8 53 Fiona Turnbull Slingshot st
9 2 Charlotte Colclough Bianchi Dama st
10 1 Emma Cockcroft Bianchi Dama st
11 56 Emily Meakin The Independent Pedaler st
12 62 Jennifer George Torelli-Assure-Madison st
13 21 Claire Steels Brother.uk Fusion RT st
14 12 Illi Gardner Brother UK – Tifosi p/b OnForm st
15 46 Beth Harley-Jepson Edinburgh RC st
16 5 Jennifer Powell Bianchi Dama st
17 4 Georgina Panchaud Bianchi Dama st
18 57 Amy Gornall The Racing Chance Foundation st
19 43 Joscelin Lowden Drops +6
20 25 Jo Tindley Campinense – Velo Performance +7
21 11 Jessica Finney Brother UK – Tifosi p/b OnForm +1:42
22 30 Hannah Farran Team Boompods st
23 18 Rebecca Richardson Brother.uk Fusion RT st
24 6 Natasha Reddy Bianchi Dama st
25 13 Gabriella Shaw Brother UK – Tifosi p/b OnForm st
26 27 Chanel Mason Storey Racing st
27 3 Holly MacMahon Bianchi Dama +1:47
28 20 Ruth Shier Brother.uk Fusion RT +3:59
29 36 Charlotte Mitchell Team Jadan Weldtite-Vive le Vel +8:48
30 47 Hannah Lancaster Halesowen A & CC st
31 37 Mary Wilkinson Team Jadan Weldtite-Vive le Vel st
32 16 Georgia Bullard Brother.uk Fusion RT st
33 29 Jennifer Batey Team Boompods +8:51
34 49 Crystal Lane-Wright Isorex No-Aqua +9:01
Queen of the Mountains
1 21 Claire Steels Brother.uk Fusion RT 12
2 43 Joscelin Lowden Drops 8
3 44 Abby-Mae Parkinson Drops 5
4 18 Rebecca Richardson Brother.uk Fusion RT 5
5 4 Georgina Panchaud Bianchi Dama 4
6 5 Jennifer Powell Bianchi Dama 4
7 10 Rebecca Durrell Brother UK – Tifosi p/b OnForm 4
8 9 Leah Dixon Brother UK – Tifosi p/b OnForm 3
Series Standings after Curlew Cup
1 Rebecca Durrell Brother UK – Tifosi p/b OnForm 135
2 Leah Dixon Brother UK – Tifosi p/b OnForm 90
3 Elizabeth Bennett Campinense – Velo Performance 67
4 Pfeiffer Georgi 61
5 Jennifer Powell Bianchi Dama 57
Previous Winners
2011 Lizzie Armitstead 2012 Dame Sarah Storey
2013 Hannah Barnes
2014 Katie Archibald
2015 Laura Massey
2016 Nicki Juniper
2017 Julie Erskine
2018 Jessica Roberts (Also National Championships)
Next round on the 14th July is the Stockton Grand Prix – Round 6.
Winning the Beaumont Trophy, Canyon DHB p/b Bloor Homes Rory Townsend sprinted to victory after 187kms of racing with 4 ascends of the Ryals.
A 4 man break established early on including Isaac Mundy (Richardsons-Trek RT), Jordan Peacock (Spirit Tifosi), Thomas Mein (Tarteletto – Isorex) and Rob Scott (Team Wiggins Le Col) building up over 2 and-a-half mins advantage before the race got halted, then re-started.
