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GB Success at Track Cycling World Cup

laura_trottLaura Trott has won GB’s fourth Gold at the Track Cycling World Cup in Manchester with a solid win in the Omnium, finishing five points clear of Canada’s Gillian Carleton. The success follows her Gold as part of the new look Women’s Team Pursuit event with Dani King, Joanna Rowsell and Elinor Barker, which saw them break their own world record time on day two of competition. Trott was not the only double-winner with Rowsell qualifying fastest with a 3:34.341 in the Individual Pursuit before claiming Gold in the final.

 

GB also took Gold in the Men’s Team Pursuit on the opening night in Manchester, which saw European champions Ed Clancy, Andy Tennant, Steven Burke and Owain Doull, beat rivals Australia by a mere 0.639 seconds. The biggest shock (and disappointment) from the three days of action was Jason Kenny’s failure to pass beyond qualification in the Men’s Sprint – something that should have been nothing more than a formality.

 

Despite the blow Great Britain finished second in the medal standings at the Track Cycling World Cup with eight medals: four Gold, two Silver and two Bronze.

 

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Golden Start for GB at Track World Cup

Joanna RowsellThe new look Women’s Team Pursuit event – extended to four riders over 4km, up from three riders and 3km, to match the men’s event – has proven a success for GB as the squad of Laura Trott, Dani King, Joanna Rowsell and Elinor Barker broke their own record in qualifying and then lowered their time again to win Gold in the final at the Track World Cup in Manchester. They beat Canada in a time of 4min, 19.604 seconds.

 

An exuberant Rowsell, already a winner of the three-women iteration at the London Games, told BBC Sport: ‘Over the next three years you’ll see that record get lower and lower… We all live and die for the team pursuit. It’s great to be back here, racing for a home crowd, and it’s exciting to go out and break world records again.’

 

The women’s success followed Gold from the Men’s Team Pursuit on the opening night in Manchester, which saw European champions Ed Clancy, Andy Tennant, Steven Burke and Owain Doull, beat bitter rivals Australia by the narrowest of margins; a mere 0.639 seconds.

 

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Joanna Rowsell Wins Individual Pursuit

Joanna Rowsell Wins Individual PursuitMark Cavendish and Joanna Rowsell have been amongst six GB riders competing in Ghent at the International Belgian Open attempting to earn qualification for 2013/14 UCI Track Cycling World Cup series. Making her return to competition earlier than expected after a fractured collarbone suffered at last month’s RideLondon, Olympic track champion Joanna Rowsell won the Pursuit event with fellow Brit Katie Archibald taking second. Writing on her blog Rowsell said: ‘Going into the event I knew I wouldn’t be at my best, but it was about getting some points and hopefully going home job done… By the end of all the heats I was surprised and really happy to win by nearly 6 seconds! I couldn’t have asked for a better comeback and this has given me a lot of confidence going into the winter track season.’

 

As part of his return to track Cavendish took second in the 15km Scratch event and finished third in Saturday’s Madison all part of his campaign for qualifying World Cup points with a view to both the World Championships and onwards to the Rio Olympics.

 

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Featured Features

The Breeze Revolution

The Breeze RevolutionThe rise in popularity of cycling in the UK over the last few years has been undeniably phenomenal and it’s been heartening to see that the increase in the number of women taking to two-wheels has been as sustained and impressive as for men, with an estimated 63,000 more women cycling regularly during the last 12 months alone. In no small part this trend has been encouraged and supported by Breeze, set up in May 2011 by British Cycling and designed to: ‘…tackle barriers facing women and provide as many fun and free opportunities to help them get back on their bikes.’

 

Whilst the equally commendable Cycletta events – staged by Human Race – focus more on semi-competitive (and sometimes downright competitive) sportive-style rides, Breeze’s more relaxed approach has helped thousands of women regain, or discover for the first time, the thrill of the bike with the mantra: ‘Cycling is all about the unbridled joy of butterflies in your tummy and the wind in your face as you freewheel down a hill.’

 

With support from the National Lottery – via Sport England’s Active Women’s fund – a local network of trained female Breeze champions was created to provide local opportunities for women. British Cycling has already trained over 950 passionate and enthusiastic female volunteers to become Breeze champions (if you’re interested in becoming one click here) and so far, they have helped deliver almost 5,000 bike rides and inspired over 26,000 women to get involved; impressive for a scheme barely two and a half years old. Natalie Justice, the Women’s Network Project Manager for British Cycling says: ‘Our Breeze champions are at the heart of everything we do and are a real inspiration to women in their local communities. Getting into cycling doesn’t have to be a daunting experience and our champions are there to support participants and start them on their cycling journey.’

 

So how does a Breeze ride work? Designed to suit all ages and abilities, the majority of the rides are on traffic-free routes designed to be ideal for busy mums and anyone who hasn’t been on a bike for a while. Led by women, for women, the rides usually start or end at a local café, where cake and conversation reinforce the informal, friendly nature that has made them such a success. In addition because many of the rides are designed to embrace riders’ children too they represent an opportunity for ‘quality time’, whilst actively encouraging the next generation of Laura Trotts and Joanna Rowsells

 

Last year saw a growing number of successful Breeze cycling events for women. From informal bike riding events like the Big Breeze Bike Ride and Breeze in the Park, through to a partnership with the aforementioned Cycletta and collaborative work with a number of other sportive organisers to provide more challenging rides for women.

 

But it’s not all about the ride. Buying a bike or getting one repaired can also be something of a daunting experience and Breeze campaign for and promote female-friendly bike shops, and their partnership with the Association of Cycle Traders (ACT) promotes independent bike shops who support women new to bike riding with straightforward advice, a range of women’s bikes and family kit, and information on local rides and bike hire facilities. These partnerships have already helped accredit over 300 independent bike shops and is continuing to influence some positive changes for women within the industry.

 

Breeze has proven an integral part in the rise of UK cycling and it continues (with your help) to go from strength to strength. To be a part of the Breeze network please visit breezebikerides.com

 

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Cavendish and Rowsell at International Belgian Open

joanna_rowsellMark Cavendish and Joanna Rowsell are amongst the six GB athletes heading to Ghent for the International Belgian Open (September 6-7) in an attempt to earn qualification for 2013/14 UCI Track Cycling World Cup series; they are joined by Jon Dibben, Owain Doull, Steven Burke and Ross Edgar. Dibben will contest the omnium, Steven Burke and Joanna Rowsell the individual pursuit and Ross Edgar, riding for Scotland, the scratch and points races, whilst Cavendish and Doull will compete in the scratch race and together in the Madison.

 

Cavendish has twice been a world champion on the track in the Madison (2005 with Rob Hayles in Los Angeles and 2008 with Bradley Wiggins in Manchester); he also won gold at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in the scratch race for the Isle of Man, but missed out on a medal in the madison with Wiggins at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, finishing ninth. His participation at the International Belgian Open keeps alive his chances of track inclusion at the Rio Games.

 

Rowsell’s appearance in Ghent comes as something of a surprise, making a much earlier than expected return from injury (a fractured collarbone). But as she comments on her blog: ‘Just 2 weeks ago I thought Gent would be a long shot but with my progress last week I am now confident I will have recovered enough from the injury to compete. The advice is not to ride for 6 weeks after the operation and this event will be 4 weeks 2 days post op, but the likelihood of me crashing in an individual pursuit is so low; if I did come off something would have gone very seriously wrong!!’

 

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Joanna Rowsell and Alex Dowsett TT Champions

Joanna RowsellJoanna Rowsell has won the women’s elite National Time Trial title in Stewarton, East Ayshire, Scotland, her first elite national title in TT event. She completed the 35.2km course in 49’25”, beating Lizzie Armitstead into second (+32) and Katie Colclough to third (+1’37”); Sisters Emma and Laura Trott took fourth and fifth spot respectively. Roswell, who partnered Laura Trott and Dani King in Team Pursuit Gold at last year’s Olympic’s commented on her success yesterday, saying, ‘I am over the moon and can’t wait to race in the jersey for the coming year.’

 

Later in the day, on the longer 49.2km men’s course, Alex Dowsett took his third-consecutive British Time Trial title despite a fall in which he injured his hand and elbow. Regardless, the Movistar rider finished in a time of 1hr 2’30”, 21 seconds up on both second-placed Matt Bottrill and third’s Ben Swift. Dowsett’s victory betters the two championship titles won by Bradley Wiggins.

 

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Dream Team Launches

DTPC Honda, Dream Team Pro Cycling, Laura Trott, Joanna Rowsell, Danielle King, Rochelle GilmoreBritish Olympic stars Laura Trott, Joanna Rowsell and Danielle King are amongst a swathe of outstanding athletes set to join a new British based pro women’s team – DTPC Honda – run and lead out by Australia’s Rochelle Gilmore. DTPC, the initialism standing, appropriately enough, for Dream Team Pro Cycling, has financial backing from Bradley Wiggins’ Wiggo Foundation and will also feature double World Road Race champion Giorgia Bronzini (Italy), Junior World Individual TT cham Elinor Barker (GB), the 2012 European Junior Team Pursuit winner Amy Roberts (GB), seven-time Japanese National Road Race champion Mayuko Hagiwara, Australia’s 2011 U23 TT winner Lauren Kitchen, Italian Beatrice Bartlloni, German Anna-Bianca Schnitzmeier and New Zealand’s Emily Collins.

 

Along with the headline Honda sponsorship and Wiggo Foundation backing (‘Wiggins’s support will further enable the girls to fulfil their potential out on the road…’ read a team statement), DTPC also finds support from High5, Tacx, Pinarello, Campagnolo, Vanmobil, Lazer, Fizik and Look.

 

Speaking of her signing to the team double-Olympian Laura Trott said, ‘I’m excited to be joining the DTPC Honda Pro Cycling Team for the 2013 season and look forward to being part of what I believe will be one of the most professional, and successful teams next year. I’m looking forward to gaining more experience on the road with such a great team next year.’

 

Gilmore was driven to start the DTPC team by her ambition to provide female athletes with both the environment and conditions that she feels they deserve in order to perform at their very best. In a statement Gilmore, the 2010 Commonwealth Games Road Race champ, said, ‘I believe that having partnerships with companies like Honda and the Wiggo Foundation, the team can function as a truly professional organisation, making the athletes a priority and providing them with what they need in order to reach their potential…’

 

DTPC Honda will make their debut at the Ladies Tour of Qatar – Jan 30-Feb 2, 2013.

 

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Hoy and Rowsell Add to Gold

Not one to like settling for Bronze – as he’d had to do in Friday’s Team Sprint – Sir Chris Hoy delivered some memorable cycling at yesterday’s close of the Track World Cup, enrapturing home fans as he took Gold in the Keirin. His victory, along with Joanna Rowsell’s – beating New Zealand’s Alison Shanks to win the individual pursuit – meant that the host nation was left holding the lion’s share of medals at the end of the competition with four Gold, one Silver and two Bronze. All of which continues to bode well for Team GB in this Olympic year.