Rider blog: Frankie White reflects on 2012

Frankie reflects on her 2012 season and the difficulties of juggling work and racing - Frankie White's Blog: The bike life balance

Meet the team!

Following the release of the details of the exciting new line up for next year, the girls were contacted by the lovely Heather Bamforth (cycling shorts) for their thoughts on the new team members, targets for next season and the development of Women's cycling in the North West. Some of the development races have been included on our new 2013 race calendar, which will be updated as more information becomes available.

Click here to see the interview.

TEAM NEWS - New riders for 2013

We are proud to announce two new riders for next season Lauryn Theryn and Joanne Blakeley who will join current riders Eve Dixon, Frankie White, Melissa Bury and Nicola Soden.



Lauryn and Nicola Minichiello

Lauryn has a wildly varying but successful sporting career to date. Athletics was her main sport up until the age of 20 when she became thrower who competed in the Javelin and Discus at World Youth Games and Commonwealth Games. She then turned to Bobsleigh in 2006 where she competed for Great Britain on the Europa Cup Circuit, World Cup Circuit and at the World Championships, ranking 6th in the World. 

Lauryn collecting her silver medal in
the team sprint

Lauryn took up cycling in 2011 after attending a talent transfer programme run by UK Sport called Girls 4 Gold. She joined the Cardiff Jif Cycling Club winning Welsh National medals in road and track. She has also played Rugby and was selected for the England 7's Development Squad.

Jo goes for an attack at the Women's
National Road Race - the Surf & Turf
2 day (stage 1), thanks edrollasonphotography!

Jo is relatively new to cycling after coming from a running background. She was shortlisted for the Girls 4 Gold programme and rode with local club Seamons CC this year in her first 'proper' road season. She won the TLI National Road Race Championship and has finished top twenty in National Women's Road Race Series Races. She is also a very strong time trialist with several wins and podium places and 5^th at the National Hill Climb Championships this year.

We are really proud of what the team has achieved this year with top tens and podiums in the National Women’s Road Race Series, National Women’s Team Series and races in Belgium and Holland. There have also been top National Championship performances, with Nicola placing 10^th in the National Scratch Race Championship, Melissa winning Rollapoluza National Championship and coming second in the Grass Track 800m National Championship and most recently hill climbs with Eve winning the National Junior Women’s title for the second year running. 
With the new team members, we are confident we can achieve even more next year!

The team would like to thank all the sponsors for their continued support.

Our 2013 line up
Eve Dixon
Frankie White
Joanne Blakeley
Lauryn Therin
Melissa Bury
Nicola Soden

Rider blog - Eve Dixon on her 2012 season

Picture by edrollasonphotography.co.uk

Eve Dixon's Blog: The ups and downs of bike racing: Eve writes about her 2012 season, which has had plenty of ups and downs. She is a smashing rider and we're proud to have her on the team.

Onwards and upwards for 2013, we've got a feeling its going to be your year Eve!

National Hill Climb Championships 2012

Eve climbing the toughest section of the
Rake into a headwind

Well done to Eve this weekend for succesfully defending her as National Junior Women's Hill Climb Champion. Brilliant ride by Nicola too who, after working really hard in the build up to the championships, crashed into the barrier at the start but still managed a more than respectable time of 3:36 and 6th woman in the competition - click here to read Nicola's blog. The weather was a bit to be desired, but a fantastic competition and a tough climb. Thanks to Stuart, Richard, Ian, Jo, Mick and everyone else who helped out.

The National Hill Climb Championships 2012 - The Rake

The steepest section of the climb

The start list is out for the final race of the year - the National Hill Climb Championships on the notorious Ramsbottom Rake (in Ramsbottom). Nicola and Eve will both be representing Champion Systems/Maxgear/Kyklos in the championship - click here to see pre race report and start list from Velouk

The climb is 875 metres long, but ramps up to 22% at the finish - brilliant for spectators. See below for a video of the climb.



Nicola at Monsal Head

The girls have both been climbing well lately with Eve finishing second at Jubilee Towers and Nicola winning at Pea Royd Lane and Holme Moss as well as second at Peaslows, Riber and Bank Road and third at Monsal Head hill climbs. Eve is hoping to retain her title as National Junior Women's Hill Climb Champion. Come along and give them some support on Sunday 28th October - Eve is off at 12:43 and Nicola 12:52.

Top Ten for Nicola in National Scratch Race Championships

In her first ever National Track Championships at the end of September Nicola raced brilliantly, finishing tenth in a scratch race, which ended up a bunch finish won by veteran Janet Birkmyre. The day before she also placed thirteenth in a gruelling 120 lap points race, in which many riders retired.
Eve who finished 7th in the senior points race in 2011 had to withdraw due to her crash at Newport, although has recovered well and will return for the final race of the year - the National Hill Climb Championships at The Rake.