Jo wins TWO TT titles

We're extremely proud to announce that Maxgearette Jo Blakeley has won both the 2013 M&DTTA Women's points prize and the M&DLCA Ladies BAR! Congratulations Jo!

Janet retains World Masters titles

Janet Birkmyre wins more track medals at with two golds and a silver in the World Masters Scratch, Team sprint and 500TT. Click here to read her blog

The Stang - National Hill Climb Championships 2013

Captured by Michael Craig - F Stop Picture Co.

In horrendous conditions with 45mph winds and pouring rain, Jo, Nicola, Eve finished 4th, 6th and 8th respectively at the National Hill Climb Championships all finishing within seconds of the women's record set in 2012 by former National Champion Lynn Hamel!

James Knox convincingly retained his junior title and finishing 8th overall in the senior competition!

For full results see Velouk

National Hill Climb Championships 2013



Nicola at Beeley Moor at the weekend - a climb similar
in lenth to the Stang

This weekend Yorkshire hosts the National Hill Climb Championships of 2013 where Eve, Jo and Nicola will take on hot competition from a strong women’s field including reigning champion Lynn Hamel, Scott Contessa’s Alice Cobb and Iron Man world champion Lou Collins. James Knox of Champion Systems will defend his title in the junior competition and former rider Hugh Carthy will compete in the senior event with team mates Richard Handley and Mike Cuming. For full start list and preview see CTT - http://www.cyclingtimetrials.org.uk/Home/tabid/36/itemid/3504/Default.aspx 


This year’s climb known as ‘The Stang’ is 2.3 miles long over varying gradient, including some at 18% and a fast downhill section. The climb is also very exposed at the top, so the stormy weather forecast will make for some interesting conditions. See regular hill climb winner Tejvan Pettinger’s blog for more - http://cyclinguphill.com/grinton-moor-and-another-trip-to-arkengarthdale/ 

Eve riding The Stang earlier in the year.
Thanks Jack & John O'Neil for the photos.

Three Bronze Medals for Lauryn Therin

Lauryn Therin & her tandem partner Aileen McGlynn win 3 bronze medals in the National Track Championships in the Kilo, Pursuit and 200m TT.
Janet Birkmyre also raced the scratch in an attempt to defend her 2012 National Title amongst Olympic gold medalists and World Champions - read her blog here

For full results from the weekend go to the news tab of http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/britishtrackchampionships

Jo breaks HC records

Jo wins the Snake Pass and Cat & Fiddle Hill Climbs with two new course records in the space of just a few weeks. The weather was great for a change with sun, warm weather and a tail wind on both climbs. Congratulations Jo!

Full women's results:

Snake Pass (Glossop Kinder Velo)
Joanne Blakeley 15:41.1 (new women's record)
Vanessa Whitfield 15:45.5
Alex Deck 16:28.5
Helen Eborall 16:37.7
Frances White 17:20.7
Nicola Soden 17:47.4
Charlotte Parnham 18:22.3
Melanie Bailey 18:25.3
Lorna Fisher 19:43.2

Cat and Fiddle (Weaver Valley CC)
Joanne Blakelely 22:35.8 (new women's record)
Vanessa Whitfield 22:50.9
Helen Eborall 23:22.8
Julia Matheson 23:23.2
Nicola Soden 24:52.9
Penny Thorn 26:27.3
Carol Robson 27:20.4
Isabelle Doucet 27:37.2
Melanie Armstrong 28:51.1
Sallie Birchall 35:28.9
Hazel Deakin 40:04.8
Aleshia Mellor 40:29.2

Win for Jo in the M&DLCA 25 and podium at tameside

Photo from Manchester Wheelers

Another great weekend for the Maxgearettes with a win for Jo Blakeley (and a near sub hour time) in the Manchester & District Ladies Cycling Association on Saturday.

The next day Jo and Nicola took to Tameside for the Manchester Wheelers 130th Anniversary race day (which included some rather entertaining BMX relay racing - a mention to Scott Burn's has to be made here for his highly entertaining cornering).
The pair started attacking from the off and quickly created a break of 5 including two of the girls from VC St Raphael, who lapped the field. The sprint was a bit messy with a touch of pedals on the floor in the last corner and a moment of hesitation and VC won the sprint, with Nicola and Jo coming in 2nd and 3rd! Best bit was, the prize for the win was a yellow CHAMPION SYSTEMS jersey, resulting in a full Champion Systems podium!

Janet Birkmyre wins at Bournemouth

After cleaning up at the National Masters Track Champs last week, Janet Birkmyre wins the Bournemouth round of the National Omnium series and wraps up the Series win with one round still remaining! Full results and report here - http://www.velouk.net/2013/07/15/reportresults-bournemouth-arrow-dernyfest-womens-omnium/

Lauryn wins at Pimbo!

In the fourth round of five of the CDNW women's league, Lauryn Therin won the bunch spring convincingly. The team rode aggressively all day, with big attacks from all 5 team members with several gaining over 20 seconds. Team were superbly organised, marking any attacks from other teams and working together to lead Jo out to win all 3 primes, and Lauryn for the race win.
The guys also raced well, with Dillon 4th in the E/1/2 race and Martyn 5th in the 3/4's.

This increases Lauryn's lead in the overall league and Jo wraps up the primes competition with one race still to go!

Jo Blakeley wins at Holme Valley Wheelers Stage Race!!

Jo crosses the line first in the road race

A stage win, 2nd in the TT and 2nd on the GC for Jo & 4th on the GC and best under 23 for Eve at Holme Valley Wheelers stage race yesterday! Well done to Jo, Eve and Frankie who all raced well as a team on the one day, two stage race incorporating a 10m TT and 30m hilly road race. Thanks to Ed Rollason for the photos.
Read Jo's blog here - Jo Blakeley's blog: Holme Valley Wheelers Stage Race 

3 podiums for Lauryn in Jersey

Fantastic result for Lauryn Therin at the weekend in her home town in Jersey sprinting to three podiums in three races, including 2nd place in the Jersey Town Centre Criterium narrowly missing out to Hannah Walker of Matrix. Gregg Mansell retained his title in the Elite mens race.

A testing weekend

Its been an exciting weekend testing, with some close battles between Sarah Byrne and Jo Blakeley. At the M&DLCA 10 the girls took all the podium spots with a win for Sarah in 23:51 close second with a short 24 for Jo and Nicola collected the prize for third.

It was even closer over the 22 mile Buxton Mountain Time Trial course in uncharacteristically sunny conditions with Sarah winning from Jo by just 7 seconds. Some great pictures by Ed Rollason who was supporting the event - http://edrollasonphotographygalleries.instaproofs.com/store/?page=buyPrintPage&event=814037&col=0&id=210458045&type=original

Janet Birkmyre also had a successful weekend at the Bordeaux-Paris track meeting at the Palmer Park qualifying comfortably in the opening scratch race and finishing second in the Derny race - read her blog here - http://www.todayscyclist.co.uk/blog.aspx?BLOGGER=jan&POST=521

Lauryn Therin rides for team GB

 
Lauryn Therin is to become a tandem rider representing team Great Britain. Super exciting news, congratulations!

Here is a full list of the supported riders: http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest/538063/british-cycling-announces-list-of-funded-riders-ahead-of-rio-2016.html

CDNW Great Budworth

Jo leads the breakaway
(c) edrollasonphotography.co.uk

It was almost the perfect race for Maxgear at the 3rd round of the CDNW Women's road race league last Sunday. Jo Blakeley got herself in an early break of 5 and sprinted fo 3rd place! Following a fantastic leadout from Eve, Lauryn Therin took the bunch sprint for 6th and now leads the league (once marshalling duties are satisfied) and was enough to gain her 2nd category licence.
After her breakaway effort, Jo has now extended her lead in the primes competition.
Race report, results and photos can be found at http://www.edrollasonphotography.co.uk/annie-simpson-wins-at-cdnw-great-budworth/


Lauryn Therin wins the bunch sprint
(c) edrollasonphotography.co.uk

Martyn Gordon also finished 2nd in the 3/4 mens race as
part of a four man break.
Next race for the girls is the Cheshire Classic, which is a gruelling ten laps up 'the cliff' at Acton Bridge. Racing for Champion Systems/Maxgear/BASE are Sarah Byrne, Eve Dixon, Jo Blakeley, Nicola Soden and Frankie white - click here to see the start list in full.


Jo sprints for 3rd (c) edrollasonphotography.co.uk








Rider blog: Eve - Perth 2 Day

Picture by facebook.com/YouthTourOfScotland

Eve Dixon's Blog: The Perth Road Trip: Eve blogs about a fun weekend in Perth with the Maxgearettes! She finished a very respectable 16th in the criterium and 18th overall on the GC despite having a streaming cold! Jo and Nicola finished 24th and 30th respectively.

Rider blog: Jo Blakeley wins TT's

Jo Blakeley wins her first two open TT's of the year Jo Blakeley's blog: Getting from A to B. . .
- the first 10 M&DTTA and the Macclesfield Wheelers 25 yesterday, where Nicola also placed second woman in her first ever 25mile TT. Well done girls!

Rider Blog: Sarah Byrne wins Crewe Hilly Time Trial

Sarah Byrne wins the Crewe Hilly Time Trial this weekend in her first race for Champion Systems/Maxgear/Base, also taking top ten in the men's results! Crewe Hilly TT: This weekend was my first race riding for Champion...:

RIDER BLOG: Janet Birkmyre - off season motivation

Everyone struggles to want to ride their bike in the cold, miserable depths of winter - even National, European and World Masters Champion Janet Birkmyre. Have a read of how she motivates herself in an honest and truly brilliant blog - click here.

TEAM NEWS: Birkmyre and Byrne join Maxgear

We are very proud to introduce two additional riders to strengthen the team for 2013.

Janet becomes National Scratch
Champion (Guy Swarbrick)

Janet Birkmyre is predominantly a track rider who has won countless titles including 18 World Masters Championship races, 17 European Masters titles, 31 National Masters titles, the National Scratch Champion in 2012 and National Derny Championships in 2008. Janet has also won the National Omnium Series six times as well as numerous records.

Sarah in the National RR Champs (Neil Hendry)

Sarah Byrne has raced both road and track, although has focused more on road in recent years. Sarah's most impressive result was 11th (and first non-professional cyclist) in the National Race Championships last year working in a small group with the likes of Nicole Cooke and Katie Colclough. Sarah is also 3 times West Midlands Road Race Champion and finished 4th in the National Hill Climb Championships.



Both riders offer something extra to the team and we are very much looking forward to racing with them both!

The first ever CDNW Women's Road Race League - Pimbo

martinholdenphotography.co.uk

Sunday was a great day for the whole Maxgear Race Team at the first round of CDNW - Pimbo. In all the three races; the women's race and men's E/1/2 and 3/4 races, Maxgear were a dominant force showing some solid teamwork!

In the E/1/2 race Jake Ragan and Dillon Byrne were in an early break with Rapha and finished 2nd and 4th.

In the mens race the guys made an epic effort to bring back a break of two, narrowly missing out on catching them by a few metres with Wayne Greenhalgh finishing 4th. 

 



Jo attacks! edrollasonphotography.co.uk

In our race, part of the first ever CDNW Women's Road Races series, the girls worked extremely well as a team, attacking in the early stages until Jo Blakeley got away and stayed away for more than half the race. Her lead extended to over 28 seconds on the bunch, but unfortunately the long straights on the course meant that she was never out of sight and was dragged back with just two laps to go. Eve and Frankie then lead out Lauryn for the sprint, who finished 2nd, narrowly missing out on the win. Lauryn and Jo also won the primes! A big thank you to Heather Bamforth for making these races happen.

 

Lauryn Therin in full sprint! martinholdenphotography.co.uk

Welcome to Jo Blakeley to the Maxgearettes!

Take a look at Jo's first blog with her goals and aspirations for 2013.  We think you'll have no problem going under the hour Jo!   
Jo Blakeley's blog: My Bike and I

Top 5 for Nicola in first ever UK indoor criterium

At the Rapha Women's Elite Indoor Nocturne at the London Excel this weekend, the first ever indoor criterium race,  Nicola placed 5th, their group lapping the rest of the field.
The race was flat out from the start, with Clemence Copie attacking from the whistle and staying away the whole race. The chasing group of 4 including Alice Barnes and Louise Mahe tried to bring back the leader but it was difficult with the twisty nature of the circuit. The gap came down to ten seconds at one point during the race,but the group couldn't quite make it  leaving the four to contest a sprint for second place.

Nicola's impressive result is a sign of better things to come for her and the rest of the team in 2013. Click the link below to read Nicola's blog.

Nicola Soden's Blog: London Bike Show Rapha Elite Women’s Indoor London...: