2008 National Senior Track Championships – Day 4 Results

Day 4 of the national senior track champs saw the Woman’s and Men’s team sprints, as well as the Woman’s and Men’s Points races take place. The condensed results of these races were:

Woman's Team Sprint

Woman’s Team Sprint Final

1. North West Region 35.181

Anna Blyth
Victoria Pendleton

2. Halesowen A&CC 36.063

Helen Scott
Jess Varnish

Men's Team Sprint

Men’s Team Sprint Final
1. North West Region, 45.281

Matt Crampton
Dave Daniell
Chris Lyte

2. City of Edinburgh RC, 47.591

Bruce Croall
Matt Haynes
Kevin Stewart

3. Yatsumitsu Schlapp

Gwyn Carless
Anthony Gill
Dan Woolfenden

Woman's Point Final

Woman’s Points Final
1. Alexandra Greenfield, Pinarello RT, 63pts
2. Katie Colclough, Team Halfords Bikehut, 39pts
3. Ella Sadler-Andrews, Leisure Lakes RT, 31pts
4. Ruby Miller, BC PM, 30pts
5. Hannah Rich, Pinarello RT, 14pts
6. Janet Birkmyre, XRT – elmycycles, 6pts

Race time: 43 mins 20 secs

Men's Point Race

Men’s Points Final
1. Chris Newton, Rapha Condor Recycling, 110pts
2. Mark McNally, 100% ME, 71pts
3. Jon Mould, Agiskoviner.com, 67pts
4. Andrew Magnier, Brooks Cycles,  -1pt
5. Adam Duggleby, Shorter Rochford RT, -26pts
6. Alistair Rutherford, Science In Sport.com, -33pts

Race time: 51 mins 31 secs

2008 National Senior Track Championships – Day 2 Results

Day 2 from the National Senior Track Champs saw the woman’s sprints take place, as well as the men’s 20km scratch race. The results from the day were:

Woman’s Sprint final:

1. Victoria Pendleton, Science in Sport.com
2. Anna Blyth, VC St Raphael
3. Helen Scott, Halesowen A&CC

Victoria Pendleton showed just why she is the World and Olympic champion by beating the talented Anna Blyth in two straight runs.

Men’s 20km Scratch Race:

1. Chris Newton, Rapha Condor Recycling
2. Andrew Magnier, Brooks Cycles
3. Jon Mould, Agiskoviner.com
4. Mark McNally, 100% ME
5. Rhys Lloyd, Rapha Condor Recycling

Race time: 24mins 20 secs

Andrew Magnier (2nd), Chris Newton (1st) and Jon Mould (3rd)

For more  info on Day 2 and for a longer break down of the results, please click here.

London readies for Tour of Britain

The Tour of Britain begins this weekend (Sunday 7th) with its start in the 2012 Olympic host city, London and will form part of the Mayor’s Summer of Cycling.

The event will have many of Britain’s top cycling stars taking part, including the likes of Bradley Wiggins, Geraint Thomas, Chris Newton and Mark Cavendish, racing against each other on the streets of London.

According to the event organisers, the London 1st stage will see 96 pro cyclists race 86km on a 8.6km circuit (that’s 10 laps) that takes in some of London’s most iconic sites – including Big Ben, Cleopatra’s Needle, Somerset House and the Tower of London.

Now in addition to the racing, Transport for London will also be hosting BikeJam (at Tower Hill), which is supposed to be a family-friendly, celebration of all things cycling related. BikeJam promises a cycling-themed day of activities and experiences including cycle-stunt performers, bike maintenance and pedal-powered food stalls.

Well, I’m looking forward to the second stage finish in Newbury. I’ll be there and am hoping to get some good pictures of the riders coming in. Who knows, Cavendish might even take the stage..?

UK National Track Champs – 16-20 Sept

‘No rest for the wicked’ as the saying goes. We’ve only just finished with the Olympic track racing and already we are gearing up for the UK National Track Championships at the Manchester Velodrome. Racing will be happening from 16^th-20^th of September.

According to news sources some of the UK’s best riders have already signed up including World champion Jo Rowsell and 2008 Olympic bronze medallists Steven Burke and Chris Newton. There’ll be fresh British talent on show to including riders from British Cycling’s Podium and Development Academies, like Anna Blyth, David Daniell and Matt Crampton.

Tickets for the event have gone on sale at Ticketmaster at £5 (£4 for concessions – under-16’s and OAPs), family tickets (two adults and two under-16s) are also available for £10 per day. A season ticket can also be purchased which will allow you access to the velodrome for all the racing. This costs £12.50 for a single ticket, £25 for a family ticket and £10 for concessions.

Methinks it’s time to start dropping hints for the wife that I would like to go along. Should be some great racing there next month. Something that can’t be missed.

Team GB deliver the goods on ‘Super Saturday’

Chris Hoy and Ross Edgar celebrate their victory in the Kierin Final

What an unbelievable day of success on the second day of track cycling at the Beijing Olympics! Two Golds, one silver and two bronze medals won for Team GB. I was on the edge of my seat watching the racing today – simply incredible. I love cycling!!

To summarise the results from the incredible performances seen today, Chris Hoy and Bradley Wiggins took first places in the keirin and the individual pursuit, respectively, ensuring Great Britain’s gold rush continued at the Laoshan Velodrome.

Wiggins riding for Gold

And by no means forgetting that there was also a silver medal for Ross Edgar in the keirin, a bronze for Steven Burke in the pursuit and a bronze for Chris Newton in the points race.

And in the women’s pursuit final tomorrow, Great Britain are again guaranteed another gold and silver after Rebecca Romero and Wendy Houvenaghel reached the final.

I cannot wait for the rest of the race programme to take place. Pendleton, Hoy, Wiggins, Cavendish, Clancy, Kenny, Manning, Thomas, Romero and Houvenaghel are sure to deliver some amazing rides for us!

British Olympic Cycle Squad Named

The British Olympic Association has announced the cycling members for Team GB for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games (8-24 Aug).

The athletes are:

BMX
Shanaze Reade (Women’s BMX)
Plus one male rider TBC

Mountain Bike
Oliver Beckingsale
Liam Killeen

Road
Jonny Bellis (Men’s Road Race)
Steve Cummings (Men’s Road Race & Individual Time Trial)
Roger Hammond (Men’s Road Race)
Ben Swift (Men’s Road Race)
Nicole Cooke (Women’s Road Race)
Sharon Laws (Women’s Road Race)
Emma Pooley (Women’s Road Race)

Track
Steven Burke (Team Pursuit)
Mark Cavendish (Madison)
Edward Clancy (Team Pursuit)
Ross Edgar (Team Sprint and Keirin)
Chris Hoy (Sprint, Team Sprint and Keirin)
Jason Kenny (Sprint and Team Sprint)
Paul Manning (Team Pursuit)
Chris Newton (Points Race)
Victoria Pendleton (Sprint)
Rebecca Romero (Pursuit and Points Race)
Jamie Staff (Team Sprint)
Geraint Thomas (Team Pursuit)
Bradley Wiggins (Individual Pursuit, Team Pursuit and Madison)
Wendy Houvenaghel (Women’s Individual Pursuit)

Glamorous Victoria Pendleton

Victoria Pendleton was quoted as saying: “It’s an honour to be selected especially in such a strong squad,” Pendleton said. “I’m looking forward to going to Beijing and building on my form from the Worlds in Manchester earlier this year.”

I wish the entire team the best of luck for the event which starts in less than a month’s time. The race of truth has always been my favourite so an extra good luck to the guys and girls taking part in the pursuit and individual time trial.