February racing round up
After two races in Belgium on the road and the British National Track Championships, February has been a jam-packed month for the squad before they take on the Spring Classics in March and April. Read on below to find out what the team has been up to.
British National Track Championships
Maddie Leech and Kate Richardson traded the road for the track over the weekend of 23-25 February to compete in their national championships in Manchester.
The pair took a national title in the women’s team pursuit riding for Team Inspired, before Richardson took another title in the women’s individual pursuit. Richardson (qualified fastest in 3:29.255 to face Frankie Hall (DAS - Handsling Bikes) in the gold medal ride off. Richardson dominated from the start and was up two seconds at the halfway point, making the catch with a lap to spare in the final.
Claiming her first individual national title, Richardson said:
“I felt in really good shape coming into the championships – this was the competition that I really wanted to perform in.
“Through Covid-19, we had gotten used to having no crowds so it’s amazing to have full stands again. It’s mad how much it eases the pain in your legs, it’s just so nice to have people back in the crowds again – it makes such a difference.”
Leech also added a silver medal to her accolades with her second-place finish in the points race after a fantastic battle to the end.
Omloop van het Hageland
Meanwhile over in Belgium, the rest of the squad were preparing for the 129.2km race from Aarschot to Tilet-Winge as part of Omloop van het Hageland.
The riders tackled three main climbs on a larger circuit, before a smaller circuit took them up two sharper climbs to the finish.
Kristen Faulkner (EF Education-Cannondale) took the win after a solo attack 55km from the finish, with Lifeplus-Wahoo’s Babette van der Wolf, Kaja Rysz, Alicia Gonzalez, Kristyna Burlova, Heidi Franz and El King working well together throughout the race.
The six-strong squad were on fine form, and a bunch finish saw van der Wolf finish 21st, with Rysz and Gonzalez just behind in 22nd and 24th, respectively. Burlova came home 53rd with Franz in 56th after fantastic early efforts in the race, while King made her first outing for the squad this season and finished 73rd.
Le Samyn des Dames
Just three days later, the team was ready to race again at Les Samyn des Dames, with young addition to the team Ella Jamieson making her first appearance for Lifeplus-Wahoo.
Setting off for 115km from Quaregnon to Dour, attacks were made from the off, with riders battling to chase down the leading group of three.
Despite the cobbles and climbs of the tough Le Samyn circuit, the situation remained stable for the middle part of the race, with Lifeplus-Wahoo keeping calm and in control of the peloton.
The final 30km saw frenzied attacks as the finish line grew closer with the three riders still up the road. As the rain started to pour, the cobbles proved difficult to climb and a number of crashes and slips occurred in the closing stages of the race.
With five riders now working together at the front of the race, the chasing group hunted them down coming into the last 1.5km, but it was too little too late to reach the podium positions.
A ferocious sprint from Rysz saw her finish 14th, and was eighth in the bunch to cross the finish line. Van der Wolf, Burlova and Gonzalez were just behind in 20th, 24th and 26th, respectively, whilst hard work from Franz and King in the earlier parts of the race saw them come home 63rd and 98th. Jamieson made a brilliant debut for the team and finished 105th.
With the squad remaining in Belgium for the spring classics, Richardson and Burlova also took a 1-2 kermesse podium over the weekend.
The squad will next be back racing at the GP Oetingen on Wednesday 6th March.
