Stoked to Win at Stoke!

I still have a huge smile on my face that even my current state of tiredness can’t dampen.  An epic day out with the MuleBar Girls has certainly left its mark.  Last night was the first round of the Johnson’s Health Tech GP Series in Stoke and it was a night I will definitely remember.  The series has gone from strength to strength over the past few years and is now a well-established sister series to the Pearl Izumi Tour Series for the men, fast town centre crits in front of big crowds – what’s not to love?  Well, turns out it gets better, Team MuleBar Girl-Sigma Sport had a fantastic first round with Lou in 3rd and I won – yey!

I know I definitely have a lot of people to thank for helping shape yesterday and first and foremost is the team as a whole for being the most fantastic bunch of team mates and friends a girl could wish for.  We all work hard, train hard, laugh hard and enjoy ourselves.  The team spirit is invaluable for making nights like yesterday possible with two of us on the podium.  Lou has been an inspiration for me in learning to love crit racing, fast starts and faster corners.

Travelling up by train with spare wheels attached to bags and hanging out in a coffee shop after arriving long before race start; V, Lou and I had enthusiasm in abundance that for me was quickly superseded by nerves as soon as we lined up at the start (By the way, the Guinness chocolate cake from the Stoke-On-Trent station cafe comes highly recommended).   Lou was up at the front the moment the racing kicked off, at the sharp end of the action as usual. 

Hannah Barnes (MG MaxiFuel Pro Cycling) took the lead at the first sprint points with Lou hot on her heels and the pair of them made a break for freedom.  I thought to myself, in between the gasping for breath, this looks pretty tasty.  Sadly, Matrix Fitness Race Academy had different ideas and slowly reeled them back in, so I saw my chance to counter attack.  I always try to put my head down and not look back but when I finally sneaked a peak I saw Karla Boddy (MG MaxiFuel Pro Cycling) trying to bridge the gap just before coming a cropper with the barrier and a reasonable gap.

It’s fair to say that while the hill to the finish doesn’t look much like a hill, it certainly does while racing and after repeat efforts up it.  I was trying to listen out to the PA system to get an idea of the time gaps and a guy on the corner was giving me a split each lap (thank you for this whoever you were!).  You never know what is going to happen though so the idea was to just grit my teeth and crack on.  The support around the course was amazing from the people of Stoke-on-Trent, to team mate Anna and James near the finish, to the other girls in the race and the crews in the pits, especially to Becky and Chris from Team IG Markets - Sigma-Sport. 

I had no idea what was happening behind me so after crossing the line over 45 seconds clear, I was ecstatic to see Lou sprinting to the line in full contention for the podium.  All thoughts of dead legs were forgotten as I jumped up and down cheering her on.  V was there too going crazy all while being interviewed by the TV crew, I can’t wait to see that on ITV4.

We are such a lucky team in so many ways, from the great people in it, all of whom sadly weren’t able to make it last night, to the support from our sponsors MuleBar, Sigma-Sport, AnaNichoola and Wildoo, Sock Guy, Oakley, Hope, Knog, Batiste, Ilovegirlriders who made it possible for us to be there and to have such great kit.  We are a bunch of girls who love riding their bikes and I hope that shines through and inspires other ladies to get on two wheels (and maybe some men too?).  Thank you also to Sweetspot for making the Johnson Health Tech GP Series such a professional outfit, the briefing from Guy Elliot of Sweetspot beforehand was certainly inspirational in their vision for women’s cycling.  It was great to meet John Johnson as well, the man behind Johnson Health Tech, and to thank him in person for being at the forefront of backing professional women’s racing in the UK.

So, back to reality now.  There’s a lot of work to do to retain that leaders jersey and carve our way up the team standings.  Bring on Colchester on the 30th May!

Natalie xxx

#B3D13

Being my 4th time racing one of the staples of the Womens calendar I was excited when I saw an extra day was added to the Bedford 3-day. I feel it really shows the progression of domestic womens racing has over the last few years. The fact that organisers have enough interest that they can add another day and a 3 /4 cat womens support race to the event really shows this growth. Bunches are bigger, racing is faster, more exciting and it’s becoming harder to call who is going to win the events, as there are so many riders capable of doing so. 

So many people have already written race reports or blog about the weekends racing, but here’s my ramblings on my experiences from the #B3D13

Stage 1

After arriving to the race HQ in lovely sunshine, and getting a super detailed run down of the course from guesting teamie Clem all that seemed to be left was to don my race kit and pop for a quick spin to warm up a bit. Alas the great british weather managed to do a full 360 and we managed to begin the race in what felt like freezing rain, making me feel my warm up spin was pretty pointless, not surprisingly this set my tourettes and I was twitching mid bunch for a good five minutes before it settled down and we began the four laps we had of the race circuit.

Photos: Courtesy of Huw Williams

As I felt the race nearing the descent with a bit of dodgey left hander that Clem had warned us about I moved up to keep out of trouble and I’m very glad I did because as I exited the corner unscathed I heard a crash. Unfortunately quite a lot of the rest of the bunch didn’t make it round or were caught up behind it. With the pace high it seemed like it was gonna be a hard task for rider to get back on. Passing the finish I managed to get some points in what I thought was the sprint competition, but transpired to actually be the QOM competition! 

The next lap on the same dodgy corner I managed to snap a spoke, I rolled to the back of the bunch to look for neutral service and a spare wheel. To my dismay though I watched it pull in allowing a few of the stronger riders that were making it back to the lead group after the crash. After a wheel change the chase was on to back to the lead bunch, but as I passed riders and tried to avoid random cars that had got inbetween the race and me it seemed it was gonna be harder than I initially anticipated. A strong headwind on part of the course meant I was in no mans land, but luckily I joined a group of a few riders also chasing back on. Just as I did so I hit a pothole and punctured my front tyre and with neutral service ahead of me it was game over. 

When I got back to race HQ I was not happy, and thoughts of a decent position on GC had evaporated. However I was cheered up hearing that Clem had won one of the sprints but annoyed for my other teamies Adel and Emily who had also suffered with puncture and got caught up in the crashes.

To top the day off and although somehow managing to avoid the two crashes that had occurred in the race I slammed my finger in the boot of my car! Surely things couldn’t get any worse, tomorrow was a new day with two more stages to come!

Stage 2

Day 2 was based at Keysoe and has been for years so I knew the courses pretty well, first on the days menu was a team time trial. With the least amount of riders of all the teams we weren’t expecting a great result as it was four to count for the finish as that was all we had. We came up with a game plan working out how to shelter our younger rider, Emily, best and ensure we all finished together with a solid time. Not having practiced together before I think we did bloddy well and finished a respectable joint 6th place!

Stage 3

With a 50-mile road race on the cards and having pretty much nothing to loose my game plan was to get myself in a break. I was up there for one of the sprints and couldn’t see Clem around so tried to get some points to prevent others from getting some, however with some great tactical riding by Matrix I failed epically in doing so. So I decided to attack and get across to Eilene Roe who was off the front at that time, we had a little go and worked together but soon realised it was going nowhere. As the bunch caught us I felt tierd already, that was probably gonna be my one effort of the race. I looked back and saw the counter go “f**k it” I thought and went after it, another short lived attack with a few other riders, more wasted energy…good one Louise! Then Hannah Barnes went and I cursed myself, now that was the break to be with, however a lap or so later she was back in the bunch and it was still anyones race. With two to go I found myself off the front with Charlene Joiner, she asked how much longer we had and when I told her she said she couldn’t do it, I powered on alone for a little while then looked back and saw her coming back up to me and the bunch, well I couldn’t even see them. We continued for the majority of the lap but as we neared the finish we saw a group of 9 riders bearing down on us and the bunch not far behind. Amy Hill bridged across from the other riders and telling us they’d been there for a while and to keep going I think Charleen and I were of the same mindset to wait for the other eight, as we were already pretty knackered. They caught us as we passed the finish line with one lap to go but seemed to stall, worried the impetus would go and the bunch would catch I tried to gee things up and we got working smoothly together again. As we came up to one km to go the motor bike told us we had around 40 seconds, but as riders began to sprint my legs buckelled I had nothing left in the tank and rolled over the line at the back of the break in 10th. I was disappointed with my result but had never finished a road race so tired, I felt I gave that race everything. 

Stage 4

The final day of racing was at Milbrook test track, an awesome venue as it’s a closed circuit, but with some awesome features of an almost alpine climb and then a super fun descent which brings you down to finish in the pan flat ‘bowl’. This year for the first time the organisers had got some great sponsorship and we were lucky enough to be allowed inside to use the facilities…great call by the organisers and a big thank you for that! The first stage at Milbrook is the individual TT around the bowl, there’s not much to say about that, I went hard and came in 12th. As I don’t consider myself much of a tester I can’t really complain about that result.

Photos: Courtesy of Huw Williams

Stage 5

The final stage, which takes you around all the awesome course, again still low on GC I had very little to loose. 

Photos: Courtesy of Huw Williams

So when Hannah Barnes went on the attack I knew that she was a rider to watch and went tits out to get across to her. However when we passed the finish line, me in the red just trying to hang onto her wheel, and saw six of the nine laps still to go I could have cried…I stayed with her until the hill where she just rode away from me and I slunk back to the safety of the bunch. With some strong riders uling on the front Barnes was back in the bunch a lap later and that’s how the race remained until the end. With the elastic stretching each time up the hill as the laps ticked down and gradually riders were dropped it was obvious it was going to come down to a bunch gallop. Positioning myself on what I thought would be a good wheel I felt quietly confident. Until I reaslied the rider I was expecting to be up there contesting the sprint didn’t bother, and I rolled over the line near the back of the bunch. 

Photos: Courtesy of Huw Williams

Photos: Courtesy of Huw Williams

I wanna say a quick thank you to Jon Miles for organising this race year after year, for as long as I can remember. Also Stef Wyman deserves a big thanks too for helping promote and back this race through his great #fanbackedwomenscycling initiative. There are load of other people out there also helping move womens cycling forward in leaps and bounds. So many people support womens teams as DS’s or mechanics, or come along and provide neutral service or photograph and report our racing on a regular basis, y’all know who you are and it’s much appreciated ☺ 

Lou xxx

Bedford 3 Day: Blood, Sweat and Tears

We are lucky enough to have the superbly talented Clemence Copie guesting for the team throughout 2013. Here's her take on the Bedford 3-Day... 

With a new stage on the Saturday on a new course (4 laps of a 15km loop around Great Barford), I decided to go check it out after work on Friday by riding easy around and taking notes. That is when I noticed a very tight right corner following a long descent and took it full speed to judge the angle - I nearly came off the edge of the road as I exited the turn. As it started raining the next morning, I warned my teammates to move up near the front of the bunch after our third left hand turn and before the descent. Surprisingly the crash happened on the left hand side before the corner (probably due to poor bike handling skills), GB-Cycles and MG-Maxifuel had most of their riders at the back on the left who all got caught in the crash whilst other teams, Matrix and BCC were near the front so after narrowly avoiding the crash, Adele and I chased onto the front group and managed to stay safely there for the rest of the race taking a few turns near the front to keep the pace going before some riders rejoined with 1 lap to go ending in a bunch sprint won by Hannah Barnes. This course also featured a sprint competition on a 2% climb which suited me so won the second sprint while Jo Tindley took the first one from the bunch.

The next day saw a team time trial of about 9km in Keysoe followed by a 80km road race (5 laps of 16km). With most riders guest-riding for Mulebar Girl and no practise of TTT riding, we warmed up and set off early towards the start for some last minute practise and focused on communication during TTT with Louise and myself stepping up to take additional turns when other riders couldn't, this seemed to work well as we clocked a respectable 9.47min placing joint 7th with Team CTC. 

 Being joint leader on the sprint competition with Jo Tindley and her teammate Harriet Owen close behind in 2nd, I was to focus on the sprint which unfortunately for me was on a flat straight. With a full lap to do before the first sprint lap, I hid at the back of the bunch probably a bit too far back so struggled to move up before the sprint and with Matrix team leading their sprinters at the front, I had no chance to get through so decided to make up for it on the second sprint narrowly missing it by crossing the line fourth behind Jo Tindley after an early attack from Lydia Boylan. Following complaints from other riders from the first day, MG-Maxifuel were fined and relegated for infringement (something about being towed back to a group following crash, fault still very unclear) and saw their key riders, Hannah Barnes and Karla Boddy losing time on GC so attempted an escape. Charline Joiner who had suffered the previous day a puncture followed by horrible crash in a lamppost as she was chasing back, broke from the bunch on her own before Louise Mahe jumped to get across. Being the only Mulebar Girl rider there at the time, I moved to the front of the bunch to hold helped by Laura Massey from Abergavenny whilst a few escapees managed to get across, notably Alexie Shaw from Les Filles RT and Amy Hill from Abergavenny, who went onto to win the stage. Louise managed to hold onto to the break after taking many turns at the front and making up some lost time from previous day whilst I crossed the line about 50sec down on the winning break in the bunch with Adele and Emily Barnes, who had suffered a nose bleed close to the finish!

The final day was held as per usual at the brilliant Millbrook test track with an individual time trial of 6.4km (2 laps of the speed bowl) followed by a final road race of 80km (9.5 laps of 8km including 9 times up the 'alpine climb'). Starting the day 20th overall in the GC, just 1:05min down on leaders and about 40sec down on top-10, I had to give my all in the ITT to make up any time I could although I realised it would be a difficult task with such a short TT. Having only done 1 lap the previous year and being known to start too fast, I wanted to keep a steady pace on the first lap and pick up on the second lap, which I did, crossing the finish line in 9.44min. With blood taste in my mouth, compressed lungs and screaming legs, I knew I had done my best only to turn around shortly after the line to see Laura Massey who had started just 1min down behind me - Laura finished 3rd with Hannah Barnes in a time of 9.27min whilst Louise took 12th spot and Claire Galloway destroyed the field in 9:17min to take the lead and yellow jersey.

After 2 crashes, 4 punctures, 4 stages, 2 days of racing and countless tired legs, the final stage was going to be a race of attrition and soon after the first climb, the race split in two groups with Adele and Emily safely in the second group. My placing on GC remained unchanged after ITT and with yet another flat sprint competition, I decided to try to hold my sprint placing on the first sprint and use it as an attack to break before the climb to test other teams...and myself! MG-Maxifuel were on a mission to prove a point and help Hannah Barnes to make up time so brought me back on the climb - I'm not known for my climbing skills! Many riders came riding past giving me a push up the climb including teammate Lou who got me to the top of the climb with words of encouragement: ‘don’t do that again’! After some big attacks from Hannah Barnes and Louise Mahe during the two hill competition laps, which were brought back by the strong Alexie Shaw, the pace settled with 1 lap to go. Yellow jersey holder Claire Galloway had a mechanical atop the climb and was brought back by her teammates to the speed bowl where the bunch was waiting for her return. It was going to be a sprint finish so despite the fatigue and with only Louise left in the bunch, I focused on following the right wheels and moves and managed with just under 500m to go to get close to Claire Galloway but had nothing left to go past her and finished 8th, moving up another place on GC to finish the weekend 18th with 1min down on leaders and 3rd in the sprint competition whilst Louise rode brilliantly to close her deficit from her stage one’s misfortunes to finish 27th (2:50min down on leaders). Despite some riders tarnishing the race with their unconstructive complaints, the weekend ended on the great image of Adele and the second group crossing the finish line as one and showing the true spirit and sportsmanship of women’s cycling!

The Coming together of the MuleBar Girl Road Race Team

The MBG's have prided ourselves in having a team of girls who have the right attitude, we'd rather race with fun, friendly, supportive and firey girls, than simply someone who gets results. We race as well as we can, and have a wine after. Ultimately, we want a team of friends, because if we're not having fun and having adventures then Mule Bar ain't interested.
So over the last few months we have worked hard at finding guest riders to support the core group in the coming road season. Road racing for women is getting very exciting and it's status is growing, and we don't want to miss out! Finally, at the Bedford 2 day, we had the chance to ride and work together for the first time. Here's how we got on:

team Time Trial

Bedford was an experience as always :-) All the girls did an amazing job and I am really proud of them. It was tough as we were up against teams like Horizon fitness and the Marshall's pasta girls, all of who have competed in many stage races before. 

Stage 1 Team Time Trial
I think we did an awesome job here, we rode really smoothly together and did a respectable time considering we had never done one before. Lou did well over her fare share of work dragging us all home on the last few Km. Thanks so much xxx

Stage 2 Rd Race
This was tough tough tough, the speed of the first lap was the fastest i have ever ridden in a womens team series race. 2 girls broke away straight from the gun which pushed the pace up. Girls were being shelled off the back immediately. it was really exciting and exactly why i like rd racing. I managed to hang on for 1 1/2 laps and then pulled over to spew, Lou clung on for a while longer and then got dropped when she didnt realise she was at the back of the pack when they suddenly attacked on the hill. Kate, Beckie and Francesca managed to form their own chain gang after being dropped. They were working really well together and picking up loads of strays when they got pulled from the race 2 laps early which was really frustrating as this really affected their GC points. 
This was 3 mile TT around the bowl. It was so bloody windy that it felt like you were going no where for about 2/3 or the lap but then you would suddenly get a tail wind and it was awesome. We all did respectable times considering the conditions

Stage 4 - Final Rd Race
This circuit is BRUTAL!!!! It is on a closed motor circuit so there is not traffic to battle with. There are 2 major climbs so the course is suited to the climber. Again it went off realy quickly, I think myself, Francesca and Beckie got shelled on the 1st hill which is not surprising, we were are the back of the pack so it was tough to stay with them as they all attacked on the hill. Lou decided to go for a break on the hill not sure what came of that.  lou and Kate did a great job and I believe stuck with the leading group for a while longer.


Lou and Kate finished in 2nd bunch which at one point was only 40secs behind the man bunch of about 20 riders. Lou even manage to lead out Kate for the final sprint in the small chain ring as her shifter had broken for the last few laps of the race. Lou you are a legend!!!! Francesca and Beckie both finished in small groups behind but looked really strong through out. Francesca dropped her chain so did an awesome job to catch up with other riders and carry on.

All in all a great couple of days and I think we have a fab road team forming.