Friday was all about sprinting and I was delighted to post a new personal best and the fastest flying 200m qualifying time for the women, across all age groups, with 12.451.  I had gone into the championships feeling good and this was just what I needed to get my campaign off to a good start.  Qualifying fastest, I earn the easiest route to the final and duly clinched gold there.

 On Saturday morning the heat was rising in the velodrome as we kicked off with the 500m TT.  This time I failed in my quest to be the fastest woman overall and had to settle for silver. 

If nothing else, it gave me huge motivation going into the scratch race.  I really enjoy the bunch racing and with 18 women on the track, it was a good size field and the racing was fast and aggressive.
 
British Cycling reported this race by saying “Janet Birkmyre (Orbea – For Goodness Shakes) was clearly going to control the race as she chased down each attack for the first half of the event.”  However, at just over half distance, a broken chain cause the bunch to fracture and seven riders managed to break away. 

I had been on the wrong side of the rider who lost her chain and had to chase hard to bridge to the breakaway, happily I did so in time to recover and win the sprint to take the race, securing my second title.

 By the Sunday of the championships, I am usually starting to flag a bit.  The morning session was pursuiting and happily my seeding meant that I rode last in my category.  So I knew what I had to do to win and my husband, David (who also is my coach, mechanic, tactician…) selected a schedule to do just that.  He then walked the line for me to ensure that I kept to the plan.

And then, just as the adrenaline from the pursuit has worn off, it was time to start warming up for the final event, the points race.  It had been a long hot weekend, but there was no lack of commitment from any of the riders, with a very close fight for the first sprint.  My intention was to score some points but not to give too much in this opening sprint, as I expected the attacks from the more endurance based riders to come in thick and fast and I wanted to be able to cover the moves.  There were some digs off the front, but none of the attacks came to anything and I was able to score in all of the sprints.  I had come over the line third in the first sprint, I then took second in the next and won the last two, accumulating 16 points – a winning margin of 8 points over the second placed rider, to take my fourth title of the championships.

 My next race will be the National Omnium at the Dudley Grand Prix on 11 July.

The elite criterium was the main event of an afternoon of cycling based activities, ranging from the fixed wheel skid competition to the world famous folding bike race. As ever, the atmosphere had built as the day went on and, by the time the darkness fell for the big race it was electric, and the racing in the elite criterium didn’t disappoint.

The race was flat out from the start and an early break of four featuring Jack Bauer (Endura), Ian Bibby (Motorpoint-Marshalls Pasta), Darren Lapthorne and Zac Dempster didn’t blunt the enthusiasm of the chasing pack as riders attacked throughout to try and get across to the leaders. The Orbea-For Goodness Shakes team for the night were active throughout, attacking and making moves, with Dean Shannon showing himself in more than one of the small chase groups that were chased down.

(pictures courtesy of British Cycling & Larry Hickmott)

As the race entered the finale, team captain Andy Lyons hit the front of the bunch to try and make one last effort to drag the leading quartet back. Andy went full gas at the head of the race for two laps, lining out the entire field and pulling the gap to the leaders back to under 20 seconds. With the laps running out, Andy wasnʼt able to do all the work by himself and pulled off the front as Motorpoint-Marshalls Pasta took the pace up further for the final few laps.

As Ian Bibby took the victory from Zac Dempster and Jack Bauer, Motorpoint- Marshalls Pastaʼs Olympic team pursuiters Andy Tennant and Ed Clancy hit the front of the bunch, taking the pace to a ferocious level and forcing a split in the field on the final lap. In perfect position, Marcel Six made the split and sprinted to a fantastic 8th place, just behind experienced Professional Malcolm Elliot (Motorpoint-Marshalls Pasta). Marcel is something else, he has so much natural ability to place so highly against full time professional cyclists with every advantage, after working a full day in a bike shop. With Marcel in the roster, the future’s looking very bright for the team. Andy once again showed his class hasnʼt faded in his fortieth year as he rounded out the top 20. Weʼre really pleased with how well the riders did as a team. So many of the top riders in the country were being dropped simply because of the speed of the race and Orbea-For Goodness Shakes! worked hard throughout to make our presence felt, getting stuck in, being name checked by the commentator and showing our
colours to the thousands watching. A fantastic result after a thrilling nightʼs work.

Results:
1.) Ian Bibby: Motorpoint-Marshalls Pasta
2.) Zak Dempster: Rapha Condor Sharp
3.) Jack Bauer: Endura Racing
4.) Darren Lapthorne: Rapha Condor Sharp
5.) Dean Windsor: Rapha Condor Sharp
6.) Ed Clancy: Motorpoint-Marshalls Pasta
7.) Malcolm Elliott: Motorpoint-Marshalls Pasta
8.) Marcel Six: Orbea-For Goodness Shakes!
9.) Matt Cronshaw: Rapha Condor Sharp
10.) Andrew Tennant: Motorpoint-Marshalls Pasta

20.) Andy Lyons: Orbea-For Goodness Shakes!