Katie Archibald took a solo victory in the Cheshire Classic, round two of the British Cycling Women’s Road Series, and was one of three riders from Pearl Izumi-Sports Tours International in the top five as series leader Nicola Juniper strengthened her lead.
Riding in the series for the first time this season Archibald, 20 and from Glasgow, crossed the line just over a minute and a half clear of her teammate Hayley Jones at the end of the 58-mile race, which took in 12 laps of a challenging course near Weaverham.
While Laura Trott (Wiggle Honda) denied Pearl Izumi a 1-2-3 as she pipped Juniper to third by two seconds, fourth was enough for Juniper to boost her early lead in the 11-race British Cycling Women’s Road Series.
Lowri Devey (Abergavenny RC) was inches behind in fifth, and steps up to second overall following seventh place in the first round, the Women’s Tour of the Reservoir, two weeks earlier.
The early laps of the race were characterised by small attacks going off the front but being quickly pulled back, but the bunch was gradually being whittled down in size as the pace proved too high for many.
With two laps to go the decisive move came, with Archibald being joined in a break by team-mate Hayley Jones. The pair quickly gained 50 seconds on a bunch which had been split up, and with many having been pulled out as they were over the time limit, their ability to chase was diminished.
By the end of the penultimate lap Jones found the pace too high as Archibald time-trialled her way to victory in impressive style. At the bell she was around 15 seconds clear, but a lap later she had stretched her lead out to a minute and a half.
“I’m very happy with that result, the whole team is ecstatic at the moment – it’s a good place to be in,” said Archibald afterwards.
“Myself and Sarah (Storey) were pretty keen to get away early on and we thought we could maybe stay away and get the prime but as it happened it came back together and I got it from the lead out, which was plan B.
“It was always the teams intention to go early on and get the result that way. We have Nicola Juniper leading the series at the moment so today was two-fold for us - A, to win the race and B, to keep Nicola up towards the front to keep the series lead, so we ticked both boxes.
“We got Hayley Jones into second place and Nicola in fourth it was a good day for us, we almost got third but Laura (Trott) got that, I don't mind having an Olympic champion sprinkled around.”
Results
1 13 Katie Archibald Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International 2:30:20
2 15 Hayley Jones Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International @ 1:31
3 42 Laura Trott Wiggle Honda @ 1:45
4 16 Nicola Juniper Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International @ 1:47
5 46 Lowri Devey Abergavenny Road Club st
6 81 Lydia Gurley Merlin Cycles st
7 17 Gabriella Shaw Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International st
8 20 Katie Curtis Starley Primal Pro Cycling st
9 5 Molly Weaver Epic Cycles - Scott WRT st
10 2 Anna Christian Epic Cycles - Scott WRT st
11 19 Jane Barr Starley Primal Pro Cycling st
12 12 Jessie Walker Matrix Fitness - Vulpine st
13 32 Clemence Copie Team Mulebar Girl - Sigma Sport st
14 66 Elizabeth Holden RST Racing Team st
15 26 Natalie Grinczer Fusion Racing Team st
16 56 Lydia Boylan Velosport - Pasta Montegrappa st
17 83 Rebecca Womersley WyndyMilla - Reynolds st
18 10 Penny Rowson Matrix Fitness - Vulpine st
19 67 Eve Dixon Team 22 st
20 3 Alexie Shaw Epic Cycles - Scott WRT st
21 44 Tamina Oliver Endura Lady Force - WV Zeeuws Vlaanderen st
22 36 Tamiko Butler WyndyMilla - Reynolds st
23 78 Alice Cobb Squadra Donne st
24 11 Jo Tindley Matrix Fitness - Vulpine st
25 73 Alice Barnes T-Mo Racing st
26 58 Jennifer Hudson VC St Raphael st
27 60 Vanessa Whitfield VC St Raphael st
28 54 Helen Ralston Les Filles Racing Team st
29 45 Lucy Chittenden East St Cycles / WyndyMilla-Reynolds st
30 28 Mathilde Pauls Fusion Racing Team st
31 24 Jennifer Taylor Starley Primal Pro Cycling st
32 25 George Schwiening Fusion Racing Team st
33 33 Natalie Creswick Team Mulebar Girl - Sigma Sport st
34 14 Lauren Creamer Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International st
35 1 Karla Boddy Epic Cycles - Scott WRT @ 2:01
36 47 Joanne Blakeley GB Cycles.co.uk st
37 72 Maryka Sennema Kingston Whls CC st
38 43 Emma Trott Boels Dolmans @ 2:12
39 18 Dame Sarah Storey Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International st
40 8 Corrine Hall Matrix Fitness - Vulpine @ 2:34
41 34 Louise Mahe Team Mulebar Girl - Sigma Sport OTL
42 7 Louise Borthwick Matrix Fitness - Vulpine OTL
43 48 Iona Sewell GB Cycles.co.uk OTL
44 6 Hannah Walker Epic Cycles - Scott WRT OTL
45 4 Emily Kay Epic Cycles - Scott WRT OTL
46 80 Gina Riley Chester RC OTL
47 71 Elanor Cadzow Bonito Squadra Corse OTL
48 65 Annasley Park RST Racing Team OTL
49 30 Amy Hill Fusion Racing Team OTL
50 86 Victoria Grimmer Paramount CRT OTL
51 52 Nikki Engelbach Les Filles Racing Team OTL
52 79 Ruth Taylor Manchester Whlrs Club OTL
53 35 Adel Tyson-Bloor Team Mulebar Girl - Sigma Sport OTL
54 27 Elizabeth Malins Fusion Racing Team OTL
55 64 Lauren O'Brien RST Racing Team OTL
56 57 Hayley Simmonds Velosport - Pasta Montegrappa OTL
57 53 Nicole Oh Les Filles Racing Team OTL
58 59 Eleanor Jones VC St Raphael OTL
59 38 Cassie McGoldrick WyndyMilla - Reynolds OTL
DNF 74 Flora Gillies Speg - Project 51 DNF
DNF 62 Lucy Harper Bike Pure-LeMond-Aspire Velotech DNF
DNF 61 Sophie Black Bike Pure-LeMond-Aspire Velotech DNF
DNF 82 Frances White Team Jadan DNF
DNF 75 Anda-Jay Burgess Rock And Road Cycles DNF
DNF 49 Nicola Soden GB Cycles.co.uk DNF
DNF 76 Rachel Przybylski WyndyMilla DNF
DNF 63 Paige Milward Bike Pure-LeMond-Aspire Velotech DNF
DNF 39 Keira McVitty WyndyMilla - Reynolds DNF
DNF 31 Emily Barnes Team Mulebar Girl - Sigma Sport DNF
DNF 29 Gillian Taylor Fusion Racing Team DNF
DNF 37 Mary Costello WyndyMilla - Reynolds DNF
DNF 21 Lyndsey Glazier Starley Primal Pro Cycling DNF
DNF 69 Lauren Brown Team Jadan DNF
DQ 40 Hannah Payton WyndyMilla - Reynolds DQ
DNS 9 Harriet Owen Matrix Fitness - Vulpine DNS
DNS 22 Anneliese Heard Starley Primal Pro Cycling DNS
DNS 23 Eileen Roe Starley Primal Pro Cycling DNS
DNS 41 Joanna Rowsell Wiggle Honda DNS
DNS 50 Brit Tate GB Cycles.co.uk DNS
DNS 51 Delia Beddis Les Filles Racing Team DNS
DNS 55 Bryony Board Velosport - Pasta Montegrappa DNS
DNS 68 Jennifer Edwards Team 22 DNS
DNS 70 Kayleigh Brogan Team Thomsons Cycles DNS
DNS 77 Laura Wasley Isle Of Man Cycling Association DNS
Highest 2nd Cat: Nicola Juniper (Pearl Izumi).
Intermediate Sprint: Katie Archibald (Pearl Izumi).
La Bataille Prize (Most aggressive rider): Hayley Jones (Pearl Izumi)
Team: Pearl Izumi-Sports Tours International.
