Location: Ampleforth, York, North Yorkshire
Event: 28 July 2013
Report: Andrew Kennedy/Snowdon Sports
Photos: Andy Jones
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Fresh from regaining the national circuit race title a week earlier, in-form Hannah Barnes (MG-Maxifuel Pro Cycling) returned to North Yorkshire to win the penultimate round of the National Women’s Road Race Series, the Ryedale Grand Prix, at the head of an 11-strong break that dominated the 41-mile race on a rolling course strewn with debris from overnight thunderstorms.
Hannah Barnes (MG Maxifuel) wins the Women's Ryedale Grand Prix.
The Towcester 20-year-old powered clear in the uphill finish to cross the line three seconds clear of Emma Grant (Matrix Fitness Racing Academy) with series leader Anne Ewing (Breast Cancer Care CT) taking third place.
The race incorporated the National Junior Championship, and the winning break included three Scott Contessa Epic juniors who fought out their own battle with 17-year-old Anna Christian, from the Isle of Man, taking the title ahead of Bethany Hayward and Amy Gornall.
National Junior Road Race Champion Anna Christian on the podium.
The break formed halfway through the race and, driven along by Sarah Byrne (Champion System/Maxgear/Base), Helen Wyman (Kona/FSA Factory Team) and Barnes, they opened up a maximum lead of 1-30 over the main peloton.
Having isolated all the other juniors, the Scott Contessa Epic trio were content to sit in the group which also included Julie Erskine (Granite City RT), Elizabeth Malins (Abergavenny RC) and Vittoria Bussi (Zappi’s Ladies Team), and the race was clearly between the eleven as they turned on to the finishing circuit with a healthy lead over the chasers.
Belgium-based Wyman attacked on the run up to the finish at Ampleforth College with 400 metres to go, opening up a small gap, but she was quickly chased down by Barnes who went past to take the win followed by Grant and Ewing.
Ewing retained her overall series lead and, with nearest challenger Barnes racing abroad and not contesting the final round in Stafford, is now in an unassailable position.
What they said
“I didn’t think I’d be in contention today, I’m not a climber,” said Hannah Barnes. “I knew it would be a difficult race, but I felt strong throughout and, yes, I surprised myself.
“I’ve lost some weight recently which has helped my climbing and I did well today. I knew I was going to be all right in the sprint. I’m not going to the last round – I think Anne (Ewing) will be glad about that.”
Result:
Women's Ryedale Grand Prix:
1 Hannah Barnes (MG-Maxifuel Pro Cycling) 1-56-04
2 Emma Grant (Matrix Fitness Racing Academy) at 3 sec
3 Anne Ewing (Breast Cancer Care CT)
4 Helen Wyman (Kona/FSA Factory Team)
5 Julie Erskine (Granite City RT)
6 Anna Christian (Scott Contessa Epic)
7 Elizabeth Malins (Abergavenny RC)
8 Bethany Hayward (Scott Contessa Epic)
9 Amy Gornall (Scott Contessa Epic)
10 Vittoria Bussi (Zappi’s Ladies Team)
National Women’s Junior Championship:
1 Anna Christian
2 Bethany Hayward
3 Amy Gornall
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British Cycling would like to thank the organising team, officials and everyone else who helped promote this event. Our sport could not exist without the hundreds of people, many of them unpaid volunteers, who put in many hours of hard work running events, activities and clubs.
