The women’s domestic road racing season roared into life in North Lincolnshire as Smurfit Westrock’s Bexy Dew rose to the occasion, outdueling Melissa Denman in the final dash to the line and claiming victory in the inaugural edition of this new women’s road racing fixture.
Featured image: Joe Hudson
Report
Under beautiful spring sunshine, the inaugural North Lincolnshire Women’s Classic kicked off the women’s domestic road racing season in fine style on the rolling Hainton Circuit.
The opening exchanges of the race left no room for cagey tactics, with the peloton keen to stamp their mark from the gun. Junior Ella Tandy (Tofauti Everyone Active Majaco) seized the initiative early on, carving out a slim eight-second gap while Smurfit Westrock, ever vigilant, took up the reins in the bunch. Tandy’s smooth cadence and determination saw her extend that cushion to 24 seconds, despite two determined chasers – Helena Shapton (Brother UK – On Form) and Kirstie Drakeford (Jadan Vive Le Velo p/b Glasdon) – looking to bridge across.
Image: Joe Hudson
For a moment, it seemed Tandy might turn her early solo effort into something more lasting, but the relentless tempo behind proved too much. She was reeled back in, resetting the race to square one. A brief lull was all the peloton was granted before the action flared once again.
Out of the reshuffling emerged Bexy Dew (Smurfit Westrock), forging a solo move that netted her a slim 20-second lead by the end of lap two. Amber Junker-Brameld (Brother UK – On Form) set off in solo pursuit of Dew, caught between the leader and the chasing peloton.
Bexy Dew. Image: Joe Hudson
A minor crash in the bunch briefly slowed the chase as riders remounted, allowing Dew to stretch her gap to a commanding 1 minute 53 seconds over the peloton, with Junker-Brameld still in the middle.
The gap began to fall as the peloton redoubled its effort, Junker-Brameld swept up as Dew’s advantage was halved. Melissa Denman (Stolen Goat RT) chose this moment to launch her own counterattack from the bunch, impressively bridging all the way across to a tiring Dew. With just two laps left, however, the pair’s lead was only a fragile 20 seconds.
The peloton failed to claw them back, however, as the advantage once again swung in favour of the leaders, the advantage growing to over a minute on the final lap. Dew, perhaps because of fatigue or perhaps just playing it strategically, began to skip her turns. Denman seemed undeterred, driving the pair forward alone for the next few kilometres, stretching the gap to over two minutes.
Image: Joe Hudson
The gap continued to grow on the final lap, the only question now was which of the pair would win out. There was a clear contrast between the riders, Dew pushing a bigger gear, Denman spinning a much higher cadence.
As they came into the finally kilometre Denman was on the front, freewheeling on the final downhill slope before the rise to the line. She kicked first, but Dew showed her experience to come round easily on Denman’s right to take the victory.
Image: Joe Hudson
Georgia Lancaster (Loughborough Lightning) proved her sprinting prowess to lead home the bunch for the final podium spot, while junior rider Rebecca Gardiner (Tofauti Everyone Active Majaco) took an excellent fourth.
The women’s domestic road racing season roared into life in North Lincolnshire as Smurfit Westrock’s Bexy Dew rose to the occasion, outdueling Melissa Denman in the final dash to the line and claiming victory in the inaugural edition of this new women’s road racing fixture.
Featured image: Joe Hudson
Report
Under beautiful spring sunshine, the inaugural North Lincolnshire Women’s Classic kicked off the women’s domestic road racing season in fine style on the rolling Hainton Circuit.
The opening exchanges of the race left no room for cagey tactics, with the peloton keen to stamp their mark from the gun. Junior Ella Tandy (Tofauti Everyone Active Majaco) seized the initiative early on, carving out a slim eight-second gap while Smurfit Westrock, ever vigilant, took up the reins in the bunch. Tandy’s smooth cadence and determination saw her extend that cushion to 24 seconds, despite two determined chasers – Helena Shapton (Brother UK – On Form) and Kirstie Drakeford (Jadan Vive Le Velo p/b Glasdon) – looking to bridge across.
For a moment, it seemed Tandy might turn her early solo effort into something more lasting, but the relentless tempo behind proved too much. She was reeled back in, resetting the race to square one. A brief lull was all the peloton was granted before the action flared once again.
Out of the reshuffling emerged Bexy Dew (Smurfit Westrock), forging a solo move that netted her a slim 20-second lead by the end of lap two. Amber Junker-Brameld (Brother UK – On Form) set off in solo pursuit of Dew, caught between the leader and the chasing peloton.
A minor crash in the bunch briefly slowed the chase as riders remounted, allowing Dew to stretch her gap to a commanding 1 minute 53 seconds over the peloton, with Junker-Brameld still in the middle.
The gap began to fall as the peloton redoubled its effort, Junker-Brameld swept up as Dew’s advantage was halved. Melissa Denman (Stolen Goat RT) chose this moment to launch her own counterattack from the bunch, impressively bridging all the way across to a tiring Dew. With just two laps left, however, the pair’s lead was only a fragile 20 seconds.
The peloton failed to claw them back, however, as the advantage once again swung in favour of the leaders, the advantage growing to over a minute on the final lap. Dew, perhaps because of fatigue or perhaps just playing it strategically, began to skip her turns. Denman seemed undeterred, driving the pair forward alone for the next few kilometres, stretching the gap to over two minutes.
The gap continued to grow on the final lap, the only question now was which of the pair would win out. There was a clear contrast between the riders, Dew pushing a bigger gear, Denman spinning a much higher cadence.
As they came into the finally kilometre Denman was on the front, freewheeling on the final downhill slope before the rise to the line. She kicked first, but Dew showed her experience to come round easily on Denman’s right to take the victory.
Georgia Lancaster (Loughborough Lightning) proved her sprinting prowess to lead home the bunch for the final podium spot, while junior rider Rebecca Gardiner (Tofauti Everyone Active Majaco) took an excellent fourth.
Results
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