The event held yesterday down at Smithfield markets yesterday was quite a large event. Going by the organisers
website it was record crowd. For me it was the first criterium event I've been to and also first race in London.
What I liked about the event was the relaxed atmosphere and what it means for a country to have it's own UCI Professional team in Team Sky. What I would love to see eventually happen in Australia with GreenEDGE cycling. Also a night time criterium would always be a welcome novelty
The event's day started with support races with Penny Farthing bikes, folding bikes, fixie skids and the womens criterium. The womens criterium was 30 minutes plus 5 minutes of a 1.1km track. Eventual winner Hannah Barnes riding for Motorpoint was all class leading many of the laps before taking out the sprint finish ahead of teammate Lucy Garner and Helen Wyman for the Horizon Fitness team. The three riders stormed away from the peleton and was never caught again
Results:
1. Hannah Barnes Motorpoint
2. Lucy Garner Motorpoint
3. Helen Wyman Horizon Fitness
4. Annie Simpson Horizon Fitness
5. Amy Roberts For Vioned Brookvex
For the Elite Mens Criterium, the course consisted of 60 minutes plus 5 laps. It was a 70 strong field with riders from the UCI Pro teams Garmin Cervelo, HTC Highroad and Team Sky.
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| HTC Highroad Irish road champion Matt Brammeier |
From the outset the pace was frantic and by 15 minutes in, Alex Dowsett from Team Sky had set the pace so high he was lapping the back of the field. He continued this pace and there was nothing that the chase group could do to react. An excellent ride!
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| My timekeeper friend |
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| Rapha Condor Sharp sporting Paul Smith design |
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| Leigh Howard HTC Highroad |
The photos I took during this night haven't turned out as well as I had hoped however flickr user bluetrainatlondon has a great set that he has
taken.
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| With race winner Alex Dowsett |
