Introducing New MuleBar Girl... Emily Barnes

After having a fantastic time guesting for the MuleBar Girls last year, I am on the team for 2014 and really looking to the season ahead - it is sure to be an exciting one! 

On Saturday both Lou and I lined up to race the women's race at Cyclopark. A strong 20+ women field were there and the wind was going to make sure it would be a tough race. Lou got away in an early break which did a great job of building a strong lead and I finished in the main bunch. 

Photo: Dawn Fry

Next up we have a race in Belgium... 

Natalie, Louise, Clem, Adel and I will be making our way over there with Daddy Barnes as driver and swanny. I'm not sure how my legs will cope, but hopefully I'll be able to hang on. I'm really looking forward to my first big race on my new Cannondale. Sigma Sport and Cannondale have kindly supported the team with a Cannondale Supersix Evo Red road bike each. They look awesome and ride so well, hopefully we can do them justice and kick off the season well. 

When we get home from Belgium, we have a couple of weekends of the Women's Team Series, at Hog Hill and the Dave Peck Memorial Road Race in Twickenham... Then we are off to the 2014 MBG TRAINING CAMP!!! 😃 I am really looking forward to a week in sunny Spain ☀️ with my awesome teamies, riding up hills (I might regret saying that), training and chilling. We will be staying with Cycling Espana in Jerez, where we have access to road, track and MTB training, to facilitate the whole team. A week of getting some good, sunny miles and laughter in before it's back to the UK for more racing!

A quick summary of planned racing for the team up until the Road Champs is...
12th April - Tour of Reservoir
19/20th April - Nigel Measom 2-day
27th April - Cheshire Classic 
3/4/5th May - Bedford 3-day
13th May - Tour Series (Stoke-on-Trent)
18th May - CiCLE Classic
20th May - Tour Series (Peterborough)
24th May - The Milk Race
29th May - Tour Series (Edinburgh)
1st June - Hillingdon GP
3rd June - Tour Series (Redditch)
7th June - London Nocturne 
10th June - Tour Series (Woking)
22nd June - Curlew Cup
26-29th June - National Road Race Championships

Thank you to all the sponsors and people that support us. With all of the girls in full time jobs or education, it would be difficult to manage without such dedicated support. We are as motivated as ever and can't wait to get pedalling... 

Emily xxx