The British Women’s Team Cup continues this weekend with the return of the Banbury Star Cyclists’ Club Road Race. Here is our preview, with route details, contenders and startlist.
A National B race put on by the Banbury Star Cyclists’ Club. The race forms round 2 of the 2023 British Women’s Team Cup, a series designed to bolster the domestic racing scene for women. The series features most of the top elite women’s teams in the UK. Expect the race to be hotly contested, with teams looking to further their standings. Last year’s edition of the race was won by Mary Wilkinson (Team Boompods).
The route
The race features three anti-clockwise laps of the testing Horley C114 circuit to the north-west of Banbury, Oxfordshire.
The race features three anti-clockwise laps of a testing course, which commences with a rolling start approximately 800m north of the race HQ. Riders then proceed along the B4100 Warwick Road which features two fast descents before a sharp left turn is made onto a quieter country lane which exits at the bottom of the infamous Knowle at Edge Hill.
The main obstacle is the short, sharp climb of Edge Hill, which comes halfway through each lap. At just over a kilometre long with an average gradient of 9.6% and a maximum gradient of 13%, it will provide a stiff test on each lap. This is an ideal location for spectators to view the race.
After Edge Hill, the pace picks up for the second half of the lap with a gradual downhill through Edge Hill village. After which a left turn is made onto the A422 Stratford Road. After another short section of main road another left turn is made into Quarry Road for the fast descent into Horley village which features a very sharp left turn at its exit.
A short but energy-sapping rise then takes the riders either up to the finish line.
Contenders
Hutchinson-Brother UK are the current leaders with 420 points, and the breakaway winner at the Dave Peck Memorial race in April, Ruth Shier, is on the startlist with second-placed Lydia Watts also racing. The team also has Peaks 2 Day winner Tammy Miller as a contender. So Hutchinson-Brother UK should be well-placed to win the team prize once again.
Ruth Shier wins the 2023 Dave Peck Memorial. Image: Calum Brookes
Le Col RT is the second-placed team in the British Women’s Team Cup standings and they have Emily Proud who was third at the Dave Peck Memorial. With third-placed team Spectra Cannondale not on the start line, Wahoo-Le Col, with a full team entered, could potentially jump up a place.
Timings
Start: 13.00
How to follow
The British Women’s Team Cup socials on Twitter and Instagram are likely to be your best bet for keeping tabs on the action. There will also be live timing of the race here.
The British Women’s Team Cup continues this weekend with the return of the Banbury Star Cyclists’ Club Road Race. Here is our preview, with route details, contenders and startlist.
Featured image: Calum Brookes
What is it?
A National B race put on by the Banbury Star Cyclists’ Club. The race forms round 2 of the 2023 British Women’s Team Cup, a series designed to bolster the domestic racing scene for women. The series features most of the top elite women’s teams in the UK. Expect the race to be hotly contested, with teams looking to further their standings. Last year’s edition of the race was won by Mary Wilkinson (Team Boompods).
The route
The race features three anti-clockwise laps of the testing Horley C114 circuit to the north-west of Banbury, Oxfordshire.
The race features three anti-clockwise laps of a testing course, which commences with a rolling start approximately 800m north of the race HQ. Riders then proceed along the B4100 Warwick Road which features two fast descents before a sharp left turn is made onto a quieter country lane which exits at the bottom of the infamous Knowle at Edge Hill.
The main obstacle is the short, sharp climb of Edge Hill, which comes halfway through each lap. At just over a kilometre long with an average gradient of 9.6% and a maximum gradient of 13%, it will provide a stiff test on each lap. This is an ideal location for spectators to view the race.
After Edge Hill, the pace picks up for the second half of the lap with a gradual downhill through Edge Hill village. After which a left turn is made onto the A422 Stratford Road. After another short section of main road another left turn is made into Quarry Road for the fast descent into Horley village which features a very sharp left turn at its exit.
A short but energy-sapping rise then takes the riders either up to the finish line.
Contenders
Hutchinson-Brother UK are the current leaders with 420 points, and the breakaway winner at the Dave Peck Memorial race in April, Ruth Shier, is on the startlist with second-placed Lydia Watts also racing. The team also has Peaks 2 Day winner Tammy Miller as a contender. So Hutchinson-Brother UK should be well-placed to win the team prize once again.
National road race rankings leader Zoe Langham (Pro-Noctis – Heidi Kjeldsen – 200 Degrees Coffee) races, as does her teammate, Bexy Dew, who has also been in fine form this season.
Le Col RT is the second-placed team in the British Women’s Team Cup standings and they have Emily Proud who was third at the Dave Peck Memorial. With third-placed team Spectra Cannondale not on the start line, Wahoo-Le Col, with a full team entered, could potentially jump up a place.
Timings
Start: 13.00
How to follow
The British Women’s Team Cup socials on Twitter and Instagram are likely to be your best bet for keeping tabs on the action. There will also be live timing of the race here.
Find out more
2023 British Women’s Team Cup: an explainer.
Provisional start list
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