REDDITCH got the Ovo Energy Tour Series off to the best possible start tonight (Thursday) with wheel to wheel racing in both the women’s and men’s events which went down to the final sprint.
In the women’s race, winner Megan Barker (Team Breeze) admitted the 1.4km Redditch course was her favourite of all the eight rounds, adding: “I came in to the race in really good form and was targeting it.
“I love the circuit and right from the start we were going for it.”
Gabz Cullaigh (Team Wiggins), winner of the men’s event talking of Unicorn Hill, said: “That hill makes it really difficult and although I eventually won for the last 20 minutes I felt I was just hanging on it was so tough.”
The women’s race went right down to the wire with Wales’s Barker , fresh from the Commonwealth Games, taking the win just ahead of Anna Henderson (Team On Form) who also took the points jersey, with Nikki Juniper, the leader of Team NJC Biemme Echelon third.
The fastest lap was recorded by Rebecca Durrell (Storey Racing) who’s team mate is Redditch’s own cycle cross champion Beth Crumpton. She recorded her lap in 2mins 15secs, at an average speed of just over 37km per hour.
The team event winners were Team Breeze.
The men’s race also went down to a final sprint, Cullaigh taking the line just ahead of Tobyn Horton (Madison Genesis) with Tom Moses (JLT Condor) third.
Fastest lap was recorded by Chris Opie (Canyon Eisberg) in 1min 56secs, at an average speed of 43.4km per hour.
