National Championships

Handsling riders were busy at the weekend’s National Championships in Ireland, Portugal and the UK,

It’s June so that means it’s time for riders all over the world to compete in their National Championships. Here’s how Handsling riders from DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK and Alba RT fared.

UK National Championships

In the UK riders competed the Individual Time-Trial, Criterium and Road Race. There were ten jerseys up for grabs over three days of racing. The races took place in the Tees Valley and North Yorkshire, with the road races finishing up Saltburn Bank once again.

Women’s Elite Individual Time Trial

First event in the three day competition was the Individual Time Trial. The riders would tackle two laps of a 15Km circuit, with a total of 512m climbing. The route was described as tough and challenging in the pre-race previews. Riding for DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK were Lucy Lee and Tamsin Miller. Meanwhile Victoria Smith was representing Alba RT.

The race saw Lucy Lee set the early time to beat of 50:26.3. However it wasn’t destined to last and Anna Henderson of Team Visma-Lease A Bike the win with a time of 46:07.0. Lucy finished 8th in the end. Tamsin came 11th with a time of 51.03.0 and Victoria was 19th at 54:19.2.

Women’s Criterium Championships

After Wednesday’s Time Trials, riders had a couple of days to recover before the Criteriums. This year’s race was around a 1.28km flat and technical circuit in Darlington. The riders would take on the tight circuit, racing for 50 minutes plus five laps.

Alba RT had eight riders entered, while DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK had six. The action started early with riders trying to get away on the tight circuit. The first couple to get away were Sophie Lewis from DAS-Hutchinson-Brother and Emma Jeffers of Liv AlUla Jayco. Jeffers had transferred to Liv AlUla Jayco this year from DAS-Hutchinson-Brother. The duo were brought back, but it wasn’t long before Lewis attacked again, creating an eight second gap on her own.

It wasn’t to be however and Lewis was brought back, causing a brief lull in the racing. With 45 minutes to go another break got away with Monica Greenwood (Team Coop-Hitec Products) leading. In the break were Esther Wong (Shibden Apex RT) and Lucy Lee (DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK). Again the break was only allowed a short period of freedom.

With only a few laps to go Robyn Clay (DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK), Eilidh Shaw (Alba RT), and Lucy Ellmore (Pro-Noctis – 200º Coffee – Hargreaves Contracting Ltd) were working hard at the front. Coming into the final time up the finishing straight Shaw attacked early and looked to have victory in the bag. However Emma Jeffers had other ideas and the 19 year-old rider wound up a powerful sprint to overtake Shaw.

Women’s Road Championships

The Women’s Road Championships returned to Saltburn for the second time, although with some changes. This year’s route while longer, featured less climbing. Don’t however, think that would make it any easier! The route would still include the wall known as Saltburn Bank. This leg-breaking climb finishes just 200m before the finish line, so is a key point. Although only 300 metres in length it averages 14.5% and has two hairpins; undoubtably a tough climb. Race distance would be 130km, with 2025 metres of elevation.

Both teams had significant numbers riding, nine for Alba RT, meanwhile DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK would field eight riders. With 115 riders on the start-list, including many World Tour riders, the racing was going to be tough.

Once the riders started the first break of the day contained Sian Botteley (DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK), Lizi Brooke (Pro-Noctis-200 Degrees Coffee-Hargreaves Contracting) and Miram Jessett (Loughborough Lightning). The trio quickly gained a lead of two minutes on the first lap. Behind them Daisy Barnes (Alba RT) and Brooke’s team-mate Lucy Harris, tried to bridge. Unfortunately Barnes wasn’t able to make the junction and dropped back to the bunch.

The trio worked well over the first half of the race, building up a lead of four and a half minutes. Behind however the bunch was starting to chase and soon Botteley and Jessett would be dropped. Brooke fought on and still had a 35 second lead going into the final lap. She couldn’t hold off Anna Henderson though, who caught her, splitting the bunch in two in the process.

This led to a group of thirteen riders contesting the finale, among them former winners Lizzie Deignan, Pfeiffer Georgi (Team DSM-Firmenich PostNL) and Alice Towers (CANYON // SRAM Generation). Frankie Hall of DAS-Hutchsinson-Brother UK fought hard to regain this group with 20km to go.

Coming to the final ascent of Saltburn Bank and Pfeiffer Georgi launched a powerful race-winning attack. Despite the best efforts of Henderson and Deignan, powered to her third National Road title, and she’s still only 23!

Irish National Championships

In the Cycling Ireland Road Championships, Caoimhe O’Brien (DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK) and Amelia Tyler (Alba RT) raced over a circuit of 118km, organised by Newcastle West Cycling Club, Co. Limerick. Both would be racing as U23s in the senior Women’s race.

While victory in the senior’s race would go to Limerick native Fiona Mangan, O’Brien hung on to take fourth overall and the U23 jersey. Speaking to Irish Cycling News O’Brien said “I’m happy to win it but I’m always aiming for higher so I’m kicking myself a little bit that I didn’t react when Fiona went, but it’s so hard to know what moves to go with and what moves not to. I’m in my last year Under 23 so it’s really nice to get this jersey.”

Portuguese National Championships

DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK’s Vera Vilaça was riding both the Individual Time Trial and Road Race at the Portuguese National Championships. Friday’s 21.6km Time-Trial was held on an out and back course in Santa Maria da Feira near Porto. Vilaça finished third with a time of 40.437, 1’13” behind the winner.

The following day she tackled the 99km National Road Race. Her quote from her Strava file tells the story; “Made it a hard race from the start as I knew it would suit me better and make it a fair race. Spent the whole day in the break and tried my luck a lot of times (probably too many). With about 40k to go, the final break got away and together we worked hard until the end. On the final climb I ran out of gas and came 4th behind three very strong girls. No regrets and proud to be part of such a good race at national champs.”

Supported by Handsling Bikes

Both Alba RT and DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK are supported by Handsling Bikes. Handsling are a UK brand producing road, gravel, track and TT bikes that are ridden at the highest level. Take a look at the A1R0evo which is the bike used by these two UCI Continental Women’s teams. You can read about the A1R0evo, the CEXevo the new TSTRevo bike on our sister site CycleTechReview.