Clean sweep of prizes for Annie Simpson and her Matrix Fitness – Prendas
on St Giles circuit
Annie Simpson of the Matrix Fitness – Prendas team took the honours in
the opening round of the Johnson Health Tech Grand Prix Series in
Oxford. Simpson took a clean sweep of prizes, adding the evening’s
Sprint prize and helping her Matrix Fitness – Prendas squad to the team
prize, launching a well-timed attack on the final lap.
Simpson jumped clear on the back straight from a select group of five,
and endeavoured to hold off the pursuers, including the hard charging
Junior World Champion Lucy Garner, who almost caught the break in the
final metres.
A 50-rider strong field has assembled on St Giles in Oxford for the
first round of the Johnson Health Tech Grand Prix Series in a strong
entry headlined by World Champion Garner and last year’s Series Champion
Helen Wyman.
The main move of the race came halfway through, when five riders went
clear with Simpson joined by British Circuit Race Champion Hannah
Barnes, Corrine Hall, Jo McRae and Jo Tindley.
The five worked well together to build what looked an unassailable lead.
But over the closing laps the gap gradually came down thanks to the work
of Garner who pulled a small group closer and closer.
Simpson and Tindley duked it out in an incredibly close second Sprint,
which the VC St Raphael rider just edging Simpson, but there was no
stopping the Northumbria University student who did enough to collect
the Sprint honours for the evening.
Onto the final lap and Simpson attacked coming onto the long back
straight, powering clear of her four breakaway companions. Through the
final hairpin of the St Giles circuit the group closed, with the Garner
led chasers in turn closing.
Simpson held on though, just crossing the line ahead of Barnes and
Tindley for the win and the Series lead.
Speaking after her win, Simpson said; /“It was all or nothing for me
tonight. I thought that I was just going to go for it, my legs held in
there and it’s so nice to get my arms up, it was really good./
//
/“I’ve just finished University on Wednesday so I’ve got a full summer
of cycling ahead and that gave me a bit of a lift I think today.”/
//
Talking about the Series, in which she won a round at Oldham in its
inaugural year in 2011, the Matrix Fitness – Prendas rider commented,
/“It’s amazing. Everyone hears about you, they know your name and it
gets the team out there. That’s brilliant as they give us so much
support. To give TV time to them is the best thing I can do. Without my
sponsors I wouldn’t be here at all.”/
Simpson’s Matrix Fitness – Prendas team take a narrow two point lead
over rivals Node4 – Giordana Racing into the second round of the Series
in the team competition, while Simpson herself enjoys a slightly larger
three point buffer atop the Sprint standings.
Highlights of Round One can be seen as a part of The Halfords Tour
Series on ITV4 at 8pm on Wednesday 23^rd May. Round Two of the Johnson
Health Tech Grand Prix Series takes place at 17:00 in Peterborough on
Tuesday 29^th May.
Johnson Health Tech Grand Prix Series, Round One, Oxford, Provisional
Results
Round One Individual Result
1) Annie Simpson, Matrix Fitness - Prendas
2) Hanna Barnes, Team Ibis Cycles
3) Jo Tindley, VC St Raphael
4) Corrine Hall, Node4 - Giordana Racing
5) Jo McRae, Look Mum No Hands!
6) Lucy Garner, Node4 - Giordana Racing
7) Helen Wyman, Kona Factory Racing
8) Tamina Oliver, Abergavenny Road Club
9) Natalie Creswick, Mule Bar Girls
10) Sarah Reynolds, Matrix Fitness - Prendas
11) Lydia Boylan, Look Mum No Hands!
12) Adele Carter, Team Hope Factory Racing
13) Penny Rowson, Matrix Fitness - Prendas
14) Adel Tyson-Bloor, VC St Raphael
15) Amy Roberts, Scott Contessa Epic
16) Harriet Owen, Node4 - Giordana Racing
17) Louise Mahe, Mule Bar Girls
18) Rachel Stokes, Zappi's Cycling Club
19) Alice Barnes, Twenty3c.co.uk - Orbea
20) Laura Massey, Vivelo Bikes / Inverse Cyclaim RT
Round One Team Result
1) Matrix Fitness - Prendas, 39pts
2) Node4 - Giordana Racing, 37pts
3) Look Mum No Hands!, 26pts
4) VC St Raphael, 25pts
5) Mule Bar Girls, 16pts
6) Team Hope Factory Racing, 9pts
7) Scott Contessa Epic, 6pts
8) Zappi's Cycling Club, 3pts
9) Vivelo Bikes / Inverse Cyclaim RT, 1pt
Overall Team Standings, post-Round One
1) Matrix Fitness - Prendas, 39pts
2) Node4 - Giordana Racing, 37pts
3) Look Mum No Hands!, 26pts
4) VC St Raphael, 25pts
5) Mule Bar Girls, 16pts
6) Team Hope Factory Racing, 9pts
7) Scott Contessa Epic, 6pts
8) Zappi's Cycling Club, 3pts
9) Vivelo Bikes / Inverse Cyclaim RT, 1pt
Sprints winner Oxford:Annie Simpson (Matrix Fitness - Prendas)
Sprints standings, post-Round One
1) Annie Simpson, Matrix Fitness - Prendas, 8pts
2) Lucy Garner, Node4 - Giordana Racing, 5pts
3) Jo Tindley, VC St Raphael, 5pts
*2012 Johnson Health Tech Grand Prix Series Calendar*
Round One Tuesday 22^nd May Oxford, Oxfordshire
Round Two Tuesday 29^th May Peterborough, Cambridgeshire
Round Three Thursday 7^th June Colchester, Essex
Round Four Tuesday 12^th June Woking, Surrey
Grand Final / Round Five Thursday 14^th June Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire
About Johnson Health Tech UK Ltd
Johnson Health Tech UK Ltd is based in Stoke-on-Trent and was founded in
1998. It is the UK subsidiary of the Johnson Health Tech Co. Ltd., one
of the world’s largest and fastest growing manufacturers and
distributors of commercial and home fitness equipment.
About the Johnson Health Tech Grand Prix Series
Launched in 2011, the Johnson Health Tech Grand Prix Series brings
top-class televised women’s racing to towns and cities across the UK as
part of The Halfords Tour Series.
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