Powell Turns Bronze into Gold at Southern Champs

Jennifer Powell (EliteVelo Kalas Sportswear CRT) turned bronze into gold, taking the South Region road title 3 weeks after finishing third in the circuit race championships at Winchester.

Powell, Fiona Redding (Radeon Bike Science RT), Florence Cox (Equipe Flamme Rouge) & Kate Baker (Performance Cycles) had pressed on through the feed zone on the second of four 13 mile laps of the Stockbridge Down circuit.

Powell instigated the move and the quartet quickly established a gap. Baker struggled into the headwind on the A30, falling back into no man’s land, eventually finishing fourth.

The three “new best friends” communicated well as they built a lead of 2 mins 30 secs on the dwindling bunch. The co-operation came to an end as Redding pulled on the front, Powell was comfortable but Cox fell back as the hills took their toll. It was Redding on the front as they crested the final climb but it was 28 year old Powell on the front at the line.

Jennifer Powell
“I could see the race was stringing out, I said to Kate and Fiona, we can snap this, we pushed through Crawley, it was windy on the A30 and Kate was missing turns, the three of us pushed on, when we got a time check it was 3 minutes, we knew it was in the bag”
Fiona Redding
“I can’t believe it, this is my first season racing, I wanted to know what being in a break feels like, to have that excitement of being out the front, being chased and its happened”
Florence Cox
“I could see they were stronger on the hills”

Result
1st 4 Jennifer Powell Elite Velo Kals Sportswear
2nd 12 Fiona Redding Radeon - Bike Science RT st
3rd 5 Florence Cox Equipe Flamme Rouge @ 0:05
4th 9 Kate Baker Performance Cycles @ 2:40
5th 11 Ellie Gilham Primera-Teamjobs @ 6:34
6th 13 Sophie Herbert Southampton University Road Club @6:55
7th 24 Phoebe Davis VeloVitesse/ALLCAPS/Push @ 7:40
8th 10 Joanne Jago Performance Cycles @ 9:40
9th 2 Lizzy Campbell Bournemouth Jubilee Wheelers @ 1 lap
10th 19 Harriet Hernando Velo Club Venta st
11th 8 Victoria Lovett i-team Cyclists Club @ 2 laps
12th 25 Hollie Dowling West Wight Wheelers st
13th 23 Louisa Vere Velo Club Venta st
14th 20 Imogen Hutchings Velo Club Venta @ 3 laps
ENTRANTS 25
STARTERS 21


Most Aggressive Rider Fiona Redding £50 sponsoed by “Local Riders,Local Races"