Monday 8 July 2013

Oakley Road Race: Gilhams Progress


The Oakley road race near Oxford had a full field of 80 riders and a temperature of 25deg C in stark contrast to last year when there was a field of about 40 riders and pouring rain.
The course was based on a 8.5 mile circuit, covered 6 times, around the single track lanes near Oakley Village.
There were big teams from some of the top UK teams including MG-Maxifuel, Matrix Fitness and Scott Contessa. Local rider Ellie Gilham found herself riding as the sole entrant from VC St Raphael.
There was an early solo break from Les Filles Racing that got no more than 200m but stayed out in front nearly 2 laps and was finally reeled back in during lap 3. The bunch stayed together until lap 4 when there was a huge crash very near the front of the bunch that brought down or impeded half the riders.
Ellie rode intelligently throughout, staying close to the front but still had to perform an emergency stop with the bike up on the front wheel to avoid hitting the fallen riders. She then had to chase hard to regain the bunch that was now down to about half strength. After a short pause and assessment of who was left Ellie attacked with just over 1 lap remaining. She quickly got a 300m lead but couldn’t stretch it any further. There was a counter attack by 2 riders but they only got half way across the gap and stalled. With half a lap remaining the bunch put the hammer down for their sprinters and pulled everybody back.
The final sprint was won by Hannah Barnes with Ellie finishing in the bunch.
Hannah Barnes Winning the Curlew Cup. Photo courtesy of VELOUK
When interviewed afterwards Ellie said she saw Hannah in the bunch and knew she couldn’t beat her in a sprint so decided to try and get away and hope somebody would go with her, unfortunately nobody did and the chasing riders couldn’t bridge the gap.
However Ellie was pleased with her performance especially as she had toned down her training and racing over the last 8 weeks due to A level revision and exams.
Ellie is now training hard and looking forward to the Junior National Road Race Championship in Yorkshire at the end of the month.RESULT

1 Hannah Barnes MG-Maxifuel Pro Cycling Elite
2 Harriet Owen Matrix Fitness Racing Academy 1st
3 Hannah Walker Matrix Fitness Racing Academy 1st
4 Dani Christmas Team ASL360 4th
5 Louise Bortwick Team ASL360 2nd
6 Nicola Juniper Les Filles RT
7 Laura Wasley Scott Contessa Epic 2nd
8 Nicole Oh Les Filles Racing Team 2nd
9 Hayley Edwards MG-Maxifuel Pro Cycling 2nd
10 Elizabeth Malins Abergavenny Road Club 2nd
11 Helen Ralston Les Filles Racing Team 2nd
12 Iona Sewell GB Cycles.co.uk 1st
13 Hayley Simmonds GB Cycles.co.uk 3rd
14 Rachel Przybylski WyndyMilla 2nd
15 Rose Osborne High Wycombe Cycling Club 3rd
16 Catherine Hills WyndyMilla 2nd
17 Jasmijn Muller Surrey Cycle Racing League 3rd
18 Scott Contessa
19 Keira Mc Vitty BC Eastern Region
20 Harriet Guest Army Cycling Union 3rd
21 Manon Lloyd Abergavenny Road Club 3rd
22 Lucy Chittenden Surrey Cycle Racing League 2nd
23 Bryony Board BC Eastern 2nd
24 Nikki Engelbach Les Filles Racing Team 2nd
25 Kimberley English Scott Contessa Epic 2nd
26 Emma Towers Twickenham CC 2nd
27 Elisabeth Brama Surrey Cycle Racing League 2nd
28 Ellie Gilham VC St Raphael/ Waites Contracts 2nd
29 Elanor Cadzow BC Eastern CC 3rd
30 Suzanne Robinson Abergavenny CC 3rd
31 Team Zappi
32 Nicola Roberts Army Cycling Union 3rd
33 Sandra Mackay GB Cycles.co.uk 3rd
34 Heidi Viles Team Mulebar 2nd
35 Sarah Kennedy 3rd
36 Flora Gillies Team ASL 360 2nd
37 Sophie Faulkner Squadra Donne 2nd
38 Matilde Pauls Zappis Ladies Team 2nd
39 Lisa-Jane Leonard St Ives CC 3rd
40 Lili McLean Andover Whls 2nd
41 Alexie Shaw Les Filles Racing Team 2nd
42 Cassie McGoldrick Wyndymilla 2nd
43 Team Zappis
44 Emily Barnes Team Mulebar 2nd
45 Lisa Dunne Army Cycling Union
46 Heidi Viles 2nd
47 Coralie Glaunes Les Filles Racing Team 3rd
48 Melissa Lowther Matrix Fitness Racing Academy 2nd
49 Claire Gillott Surrey Cycle Racing League 3rd
50 Donna Short Team ACU
51 Susan Jeffery Army Cycling Union 3rd
52 Charlotte Turner GB Cycles.co.uk 3rd
53 Chanel Mason Army Cycling Union 4th


Thanks to Dave Gilham

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