National Championships 2021 – UK – Road Race [FULL RACE] (ladies)

October 17, 2021

National Championships 2021 – UK – Road Race WE – Lincoln – Lincoln : 101 km

The British National Championships mark the pinnacle of domestic racing in the UK. All types of riders, from talented amateurs to full-blown professionals, are eligible to compete for the coveted blue, white and red bands of National Champion, making these events some of the most dynamic and hard-fought of the entire season.

Pfeiffer Georgi (Team DSM) won the elite women’s road race at the British national championships, storming up the final ascent of the Michaelgate climb to take victory by several seconds.

The 21-year old also took victory in the Under 23 category contained within the race.

Michaelgate, a steep cobbled climb that rises towards the city centre, has shaped every bike race situated in Lincoln and it once again proved decisive.

On the very first ascent, Anna Henderson (Jumbo-Visma) and Anna Christian (Drops-Le Col s/b Tempur) forced a split in the peloton and a group composed of most of the pre-race favourites escaped. Although there were repeated counter-attacks from the peloton, this group remained ahead to fight for the title.

Georgi first displayed her strength on the sixth ascent of Michaelgate, obliterating the front of the race, though the group later regathered itself on the flatter sections of the course.

April Tacey (Drops-Le Col s/b Tempur) launched a late solo attack on the final lap but was unable to fend off the marauding Georgi on the final climb of Michaelgate and up to the finish line.

Josie Nelson (Team Coop-Hitec Products) finished three second behind and Joss Lowden (Drops-Le Col s/b Tempur) finished third at seven seconds.

“I did this race once before and the key is positioning into this climb because it’s so narrow and things can go at any lap,” Georgi said at the finish.

“We saw that today when it split on the first lap. I didn’t believe that I could win from a sprint so with two laps to go I attacked and I saw that I had a gap so I started to believe that if it all stayed together I would have a chance.

“The last time up I just went full gas, didn’t look behind and I couldn’t believe that I’d won! A short climb is her [Henderson’s] speciality and she’s in such good form after winning the time-trial. I just tried to get ahead of her and I’m so happy!”

“I love racing in the rain and I’m more of a classics rider so I spent my whole season in Belgium racing on wet cobble. I did Roubaix a few weeks ago so that set me up well for this because these aren’t Roubaix cobbles.”

How it unfolded

Following the late withdrawal of 38 riders, a reduced peloton of just 81 emerged from Lincoln’s narrow streets to take their place on the start line. In the rain, clothed in jackets and framed by an umbrella-shaped crowd, they assumed the familiar multi-coloured but faceless formation of a wet bike race.

After the flag drop the pace lifted in preparation for a descent greased by rain and falling leaves. Due to these slippery conditions the peloton initially remained intact and once the descent had been negotiated, Rachel Langdon (Instafund Racing) launched the day’s first attack but was brought back immediately.

Then, on the cobbles of Michaelgate, Henderson and Christian moved to the front, forcing a split to which only ten other riders were attentive.

Most of the pre-race favourites made the move. Four Drops- Le Col riders were present: Christian, Dani Christmas, April Tacey and Joss Lowden, as well as Alice Barnes (Canyon-Sram), the defending champion Jo Tindley (Pro-Noctis-Redchilli Bikes), the newly crowned circuit race champion Josie Nelson, Danielle Shrosbee (Team LDN-Brother UK), Sophie Wright (Alè BTC Ljubljana), Anna Shackley (Team SD Worx) and Georgi.

Behind, Storey Racing led the chase but without making considerable inroads into the time gap.

The front group began to extend their advantage until it had reached 50 seconds as they completed the third lap of the race.

Nonetheless, repeated counter-attacks continued from the peloton and on the third ascent of Michaelgate Louise Hart (Campinense-Velo Performance) and Victoria Smith (AeroCoach) opened up a substantial gap.

They were later joined by Lucy Gadd (Storey Racing), Poppy Thompson (Pro-Noctis-Redchilli Bikes), Katie Scott (CAMS-Basso) forming a sizable, cohesive chase group.

As the race entered its fifth lap they were assimilated back into the peloton and the advantage held by the lead group plateaued at a little over a minute.

The firepower of this lead group seemed to be diminished by the fifth ascent of Michaelgate, as Christmas and Tindley were both dropped, although they were able to latch back on after the climb. From the peloton, meanwhile, Leah Dixon (Team TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank) launched her own offensive in a speculative attempt to bridge across to the front of the race.

Where the fifth ascent of Michaelgate had cracked the cohesion of the lead group, the sixth ascent shattered it as Georgi attacked shortly before the climb, distancing everyone except Henderson and Lowden. Though the group eventually came back together again on the flatter sections of the course, it indicated Georgi’s strength.

The penultimate ascent of Michaelgate was a cagier affair, and the lead group started the final lap together. Aware that they could not maintain the pace of the climbers on Michaelgate, Drops-Le Col s/b Tempur used their strength in numbers to launch a series of attacks.

Christian accelerated and was brought back by Tindley and Georgi on the descent. Undeterred, Christian attacked once more and was countered by Tacey, her teammate, who was initially unable to break clear.

On her second attempt, Tacey built up an advantage of 14 seconds. She seemed set for victory but was then unable to fend off the rest of the group on the final climb, and it was Georgi who attacked, passed her and took the British title.

Results :
1 Pfeiffer Georgi (GBr) Team DSM 2:38:43
2 Josie Nelson (GBr) Team Coop-Hitec Products 0:00:03
3 Joscelin Lowden (GBr) DROPS-LE COL SUPPORTED BY TEMP… 0:00:07
4 Anna Henderson (GBr) Team Jumbo-Visma 0:00:09
5 Anna Shackley (GBr) Team SD Worx 0:00:12
6 April Tacey (GBr) DROPS-LE COL SUPPORTED BY TEMP… 0:00:22
7 Sophie Wright (GBr) Alè BTC Ljubljana 0:00:27
8 Danielle Shrosbree (GBr) Team LDN – Brother UK 0:00:41
9 Jo Tindley (GBr) Pro-Noctis – Redchilli Bikes -… 0:00:44
10 Alice Barnes (GBr) CANYON – SRAM RACING 0:00:52
11 Dani Christmas (GBr) DROPS-LE COL SUPPORTED BY TEMP… 0:01:04
12 Anna Christian (GBr) DROPS-LE COL SUPPORTED BY TEMP… 0:01:08
13 Leah Dixon (GBr) Team TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank 0:02:58
14 Becky Storrie (GBr) CAMS-Basso 0:03:01
15 Daisy Barnes (GBr) Brother U.K – Cycle Team OnFor… 0:03:15
16 Beth Harley-Jepson (GBr) Jadan – Vive le Velo 0:05:53
17 Elizabeth Bennett (GBr) DROPS-LE COL SUPPORTED BY TEMP… 0:05:57
18 Natalie Grinczer (GBr) CAMS-Basso
19 Isabel Darvill (GBr) Pro-Noctis – Redchilli Bikes -…
20 Illi Gardner (GBr) CAMS-Basso 0:06:00
21 Holly MacMahon (GBr) Bianchi Dama 0:06:02
22 Elizabeth Sanders (GBr) Avid Sport 0:06:03
23 Francesca Hall (GBr) Loughborough Lightning – TRG
24 Alice McWilliam (GBr) Grinta Coaching 0:06:05
25 Megan Dickerson (GBr) SKODA DSI Cycling Academy
26 Victoria Smith (GBr) AeroCoach 0:06:08
27 Charlotte Berry (GBr) Pro-Noctis – Redchilli Bikes -… 0:06:10
28 Anna Morris (GBr) AeroLab Ward WheelZ 0:06:15
29 Jasmine Jones (GBr) Bianchi Dama
30 Kate Richardson (GBr) 0:06:18
31 Gwenno Hughes (GBr) Crimson Orientation Marketing … 0:06:49
32 Samantha Fawcett (GBr) Pro-Noctis – Redchilli Bikes -… 0:08:44
33 Louise Hart (GBr) Campinense – Velo Performance
34 Dannielle Khan (GBr) Isorex NoAqua Ladies Cycling T…
35 Melissa Greaves (GBr) Crimson Orientation Marketing … 0:08:52
36 Poppy Thompson (GBr) Pro-Noctis – Redchilli Bikes -…
37 Suzetta Guerrini (GBr) Team Watto-LDN 0:08:56
38 Megan Panton (GBr) MULTUM ACCOUNTANTS – LSK LADIE… 0:09:09
DNF Hannah Barnes (GBr) CANYON – SRAM RACING
DNF Hannah Bayes (GBr) AWOL- O’Shea
DNF Jihanna Bonilla-Allard (GBr) PMRR
DNF Sian Botteley (GBr) Brother U.K – Cycle Team OnFor…
DNF Laura Cheesman (GBr) Evans Cycles Race Team
DNF Emily Chilton (GBr) Saint Piran WRT
DNF Penny Colloff (GBr) Paceline RT
DNF Abigail Cooper (GBr) Brother U.K – Cycle Team OnFor…
DNF Bexy Dew (GBr) Saint Piran WRT
DNF Harriet Dodd (GBr) Team LDN – Brother UK
DNF Sophie Earl (GBr) Crimson Orientation Marketing …
DNF Sophie Enever (GBr) LVIV CYCLING TEAM (Womens)
DNF Olivia French (GBr) SKODA DSI Cycling Academy
DNF Lucy Gadd (GBr) Storey Racing
DNF Jenny Holl (GBr) TEKKERZ CC
DNF Arianne Holland (GBr) Forth Velo
DNF Ellen Inglis (GBr) Brother U.K – Cycle Team OnFor…
DNF Flora Knight (GBr) Loughborough Lightning – TRG
DNF Hannah Lancaster (GBr) Loughborough Lightning – TRG
DNF Rachel Langdon (GBr)
DNF Sophie Lankford (GBr) Jadan – Vive le Velo
DNF Lucy Lee (GBr) Team LDN – Brother UK
DNF Beth Maciver (GBr) Torvelo Racing
DNF Amy Marks (GBr) Team LDN – Brother UK
DNF Phoebe Martin (GBr) AWOL- O’Shea
DNF Morgan Newberry (GBr) SKODA DSI Cycling Academy
DNF Madeleine Nutt (GBr) Paceline RT
DNF Georgina Panchaud (GBr) Bianchi Dama
DNF Laura Pittard (GBr) Brother U.K – Cycle Team OnFor…
DNF Rebecca Richards (GBr) SKODA DSI Cycling Academy
DNF Amy Roberts (GBr) Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus
DNF Catriona Ross (GBr) Bridport CC
DNF Gemma Sargent (GBr) Saint Piran WRT
DNF Katie Scott (GBr) CAMS-Basso
DNF Millie Skinner (GBr) Pro-Noctis – Redchilli Bikes -…
DNF Anya Tamplin (GBr) HuntBikeWheels
DNF Abbie Taylor (GBr) Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus
DNF Fiona Turnbull (GBr) LVIV CYCLING TEAM (Womens)
DNF Chloe Vickers (GBr) Loughborough Lightning – TRG
DNF Dannielle Watkinson (GBr) Team Watto-LDN
DNF Lydia Watts (GBr) AWOL Worx Galliard
DNS Madeleine Aldam-Gates (GBr) SKODA DSI Cycling Academy
DNS Elynor Backstedt (GBr) TREK – SEGAFREDO
DNS Ella Barnwell (GBr) Team Breeze
DNS Olivia Bent (GBr) AWOL- O’Shea
DNS Olivia Bentley (GBr) Torelli-Assure-Cayman Islands
DNS Sarah Briggs (GBr) RFDA
DNS Charlotte Buchanan (GBr)
DNS Georgia Bullard (GBr) Natural Greatness – Vib Sports
DNS Imogen Chastell (GBr) Brother U.K – Cycle Team OnFor…
DNS Nicole Coates (GBr) Torelli-Assure-Cayman Islands
DNS Francesca Cutts (GBr) Team LDN – Brother UK
DNS Lucy Ellmore (GBr) SKODA DSI Cycling Academy
DNS Jessica Finney (GBr) CAMS-Basso
DNS Annabel Fisher (GBr) Ilkley Cycling Club
DNS Madeleine Gammons (GBr) Jadan – Vive le Velo
DNS Amy Gornall (GBr) Pro-Noctis – Redchilli Bikes -…
DNS Connie Hayes (GBr) AWOL- O’Shea
DNS Lauren Higham (GBr) Team LDN – Brother UK
DNS Georgia Hilleard (GBr) Team Boompods
DNS Eluned King (GBr) Team Breeze
DNS Alice Lethbridge (GBr) AWOL- O’Shea
DNS Sophie Lewis (GBr) Team Breeze
DNS Polly Mason (GBr) Team LDN – Brother UK
DNS Emily Meakin (GBr) DROPS-LE COL SUPPORTED BY TEMP…
DNS Kerry Middleton (GBr) Team LDN – Brother UK
DNS Beth Morrow (GBr) Storey Racing
DNS Abby-Mae Parkinson (GBr) Lotto-Soudal Ladies
DNS Gwyneth Parry (GBr) SKODA DSI Cycling Academy
DNS Molly Patch (GBr) Sopela Women’s Team
DNS Jennifer Powell (GBr) Pro-Noctis – Redchilli Bikes -…
DNS Helen Ralston (GBr) Paceline RT
DNS Amelia Sharpe (GBr) NXTG Racing
DNS Corinne Side (GBr) Pro-Noctis – Redchilli Bikes -…
DNS Hayley Simmonds (GBr) CAMS-Basso
DNS Abi Smith (GBr) Team Breeze
DNS Sophie Thackray (GBr) CAMS-Basso
DNS Alice Towers (GBr) DROPS-LE COL SUPPORTED BY TEMP…
DNS Emily Wadsworth (GBr) NXTG Racing
DNS Christina Wiejak (GBr) Saint Piran WRT
DNS Eleanor Wiseman (GBr)