Jessica Finney took her first win for AWOL O’Shea in a frenetic sprint finish in Melton Mowbray to cap what was a captivating edition of ‘Britain’s Paris-Roubaix’.
DAS-Handsling’s Monica Greenwood took second in the three-up sprint, with Flora Perkins (Fenix-Deceuninck Development Team), the best under-23 finisher, continuing her impressive start to the year with third
Featured image: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
Report
A week, and morning, of rain in the build-up to the early-season running of the 2023 ANEXO/CAMS Women’s CiCLE Classic, made the race an even more challenging affair than normal with the preceding men’s junior race doing a decent job of churning up the gravel sectors into something of a mud bath.
A good few hours without rain, however, meant that the field set off with the rare sight of the sun actually starting to break through the clouds and drier conditions prevailing – on the asphalt sections at least.
All together. Women’s CiCLE Classic 2023. Image: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
With the peloton looking to feel their way through the conditions – especially each time they hit a gravel sector for the first time – there were no real breaks off the front in the early phases of the race. But with the pace high and mechanicals striking, riders were starting to drop off the back from the first run through Owston.
Team Inspired’s Ella Maclean-Howell, Jo Tindley (Pro-Noctis – Heidi Kjeldsen – 200 Degrees Coffee), Ellen McDermott (Team Boompods) and Flora Perkins (Fenix-Deceuninck Development Team) were among the riders visible at the front as the bunch crisscrossed through Owston, Tindley taking the opportunity to take full points at the Cold Overton Berg climb.
On the next run through Owston, the race started showing signs of fracture as Jess Finney (AWOL O’Shea) headed a small group of eight riders – which included Danni Shrosbree, Emma Jeffers, Monica Greenwood (all DAS-Handsling), Tammy Miller, Sian Botteley (both Hutchinson-Brother UK), Tindley and Perkins – building up a handy lead of than two-dozens seconds over an almost equally-sized chasing pack.
Danni Shrosbree and Flora Perkins head the charge. Women’s CiCLE Classic 2023. Image: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
With a hard pace at the front, riders started to drop off with race radio reporting that Jeffers had slipped out of the leading eight, while Shrosbree was seen off the back with a mechanical.
The screw continued to be turned, with Hutchinson-Brother UK’s Sian Botteley taking the sprint in Owston Village as the now-reduced group of six continued to make strides over a splintered chase.
Monica Greenwood, Jess Finney, Flora Perkins and Jo Tindley head towards the race finish. Women’s CiCLE Classic 2023. Image: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
Through the finish for the first time, and Tindley won the pork pie for crossing the line at the head of the sextet but we were no clearer on who would take the win.
As the leaders dashed back into Melton, Finney led out the sprint from several hundred metres out. Her powerful acceleration was enough to distance Miller, Tindley and Botteley. And as she hit the finishing straight she continued her powerful drive to the line, Greenwood and Perkins unable to come around her. It was an immense display of strength by the 27-year-old.
Picture by Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com – 26/03/2023 – Road Cycling – British Cycling – Women’s Road Series – Women’s CiCLE Classic 2023 – Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, England – Jessica Finney leads the sprint to win
Tindley took fourth and won the ‘Queen of the Bergs’ competition, adding Kwaremont beer to her massive pork pie, while Botteley ended up fifth. Meanwhile, DAS-Handsling won the ‘team of the race’.
Jessica Finney becomes the early leader of the 2023 National Road Series. Perkins leads the under-23 competition, while DAS-Handsling have a five-point advantage over Pro-Noctis – Heidi Kjeldsen – 200 Degrees Coffee in the team competition, The Rapha Lincoln Grand Prix hosts the next round of the Series on Sunday 14 May.
Talking points
Jess Finney proved that last season’s Stockton Grand Prix win was no fluke, as she took her second National Road Series win in as many seasons. She beat some seriously strong opposition in what will be one of the toughest tests of the year. She will be one to watch this season.
The race’s move to a March date, rather than its unusual June position, made for an even tough parcours than usual, creating true classic conditions. The clash with Gent-Wevelgem isn’t ideal but a spring race feels more fitting for a race so closely associated with its Flandrian forebears.
Flora Perkins, just in second year as an under-23, continues to blossom, and it can’t be long now before the former Le Col-Wahoo gets her first major win.
Meanwhile, 34-year-old Monica Greenwood has been positively thriving on the road since stepping down as British Cycling’s women’s endurance podium coach last summer. She has already had two 20 results in UCI road races this season, and then finished 4th overall at the savage Peaks 2 Day last weekend. Second at the CiCLE this weekend suggests that a big won is not far off for her either.
Jessica Finney took her first win for AWOL O’Shea in a frenetic sprint finish in Melton Mowbray to cap what was a captivating edition of ‘Britain’s Paris-Roubaix’.
DAS-Handsling’s Monica Greenwood took second in the three-up sprint, with Flora Perkins (Fenix-Deceuninck Development Team), the best under-23 finisher, continuing her impressive start to the year with third
Featured image: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
Report
A week, and morning, of rain in the build-up to the early-season running of the 2023 ANEXO/CAMS Women’s CiCLE Classic, made the race an even more challenging affair than normal with the preceding men’s junior race doing a decent job of churning up the gravel sectors into something of a mud bath.
A good few hours without rain, however, meant that the field set off with the rare sight of the sun actually starting to break through the clouds and drier conditions prevailing – on the asphalt sections at least.
With the peloton looking to feel their way through the conditions – especially each time they hit a gravel sector for the first time – there were no real breaks off the front in the early phases of the race. But with the pace high and mechanicals striking, riders were starting to drop off the back from the first run through Owston.
Team Inspired’s Ella Maclean-Howell, Jo Tindley (Pro-Noctis – Heidi Kjeldsen – 200 Degrees Coffee), Ellen McDermott (Team Boompods) and Flora Perkins (Fenix-Deceuninck Development Team) were among the riders visible at the front as the bunch crisscrossed through Owston, Tindley taking the opportunity to take full points at the Cold Overton Berg climb.
On the next run through Owston, the race started showing signs of fracture as Jess Finney (AWOL O’Shea) headed a small group of eight riders – which included Danni Shrosbree, Emma Jeffers, Monica Greenwood (all DAS-Handsling), Tammy Miller, Sian Botteley (both Hutchinson-Brother UK), Tindley and Perkins – building up a handy lead of than two-dozens seconds over an almost equally-sized chasing pack.
With a hard pace at the front, riders started to drop off with race radio reporting that Jeffers had slipped out of the leading eight, while Shrosbree was seen off the back with a mechanical.
The screw continued to be turned, with Hutchinson-Brother UK’s Sian Botteley taking the sprint in Owston Village as the now-reduced group of six continued to make strides over a splintered chase.
Through the finish for the first time, and Tindley won the pork pie for crossing the line at the head of the sextet but we were no clearer on who would take the win.
As the leaders dashed back into Melton, Finney led out the sprint from several hundred metres out. Her powerful acceleration was enough to distance Miller, Tindley and Botteley. And as she hit the finishing straight she continued her powerful drive to the line, Greenwood and Perkins unable to come around her. It was an immense display of strength by the 27-year-old.
Tindley took fourth and won the ‘Queen of the Bergs’ competition, adding Kwaremont beer to her massive pork pie, while Botteley ended up fifth. Meanwhile, DAS-Handsling won the ‘team of the race’.
Jessica Finney becomes the early leader of the 2023 National Road Series. Perkins leads the under-23 competition, while DAS-Handsling have a five-point advantage over Pro-Noctis – Heidi Kjeldsen – 200 Degrees Coffee in the team competition, The Rapha Lincoln Grand Prix hosts the next round of the Series on Sunday 14 May.
Talking points
Results
Race result
Queen of the Bergs – overall
Heart of Owston sprint
Melton Town Special Award
National Road Series standings
Individual
Team
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