Weekly Women's Cycling News 29.04-05.05.2013

Karla Boddy wins Cheshire Classic - Wiggle-Honda at Nocturne - UK women-only MTB marathon - Sheffield GP secure women's race sponsor - Kaarle McCulloch wins Sportstar award - other news - Tweets - Photo of the Week

Karla Boddy wins Cheshire Classic

Karla Boddy

She only had two team mates to back her up (other riders had seven) and was far from a favourite to win, but Karla Boddy (MG Maxifuel) knows that clever tactics will frequently prove mightier than brute strength. After she'd spent the Cheshire Classic (28th April)  biding her time in the peloton, preserving her strength while attention was drawn away by the more crowd-pleasing, theatrical attacks of Penny Rowson (Breast Cancer Care) and Amy Roberts (Wiggle-Honda), most of those riders who were favourites had probably forgotten that she was even there; or if they knew they didn't pay any notice. Until, that is, she launched her sprint some 300m from the finish line during the tenth and final lap of the 7.7km circuit, catching the peloton by surprise. Matrix Racing Academy's Emma Grant responded quickest and went after her - but had she been quick enough? Even the two riders weren't sure at first, with joyous fans taking great pleasure in being able to reassure Boddy that she'd won. More here.

Cheshire Classic Top Ten
1 Karla Boddy (MG-Maxifuel)
2 Emma Grant (Matrix Racing Academy)
3 Emily Kay (Scott Contessa Epic)
4 Amy Roberts (Wiggle-Honda)
5 Gabriella Shaw (Breast Cancer)
6 Charline Joiner (MG-Maxifuel)
7 Hannah Walker (Matrix Racing Academy)
8 Louise Mahe (Team Mulebar Girl-Sigma Sport)
9 Amy Hill (Abergavenny RC)
10 Kayleigh Brogan (Breast Cancer Care)

Rowsell, Trott and King

Wiggle-Honda to race at London Nocturne
The Women's Criterium at the IG Markets London Nocturne has, within just a few years, become one of the most prestigious women's cycling events in the UK, able to attract the top names in the sport - to take part in the race and to support its future, as became necessary last year when pressure from British Cycling (who were concerned that the riders might be too tired to take part in a BC event the following day) very nearly led to the women's race being cancelled. This year, it's pulled in none other than the best-known women's team in the country: Rochelle Gilmore's British-registered Wiggle-Honda are sending Olympic stars Jo Rowsell, Dani King and Laura Trott to make the team's British racing debut at the event, which takes place at Smithfield Market on the 8th of June. More details here.

Britain's first women-only MTB marathon
I don't usually cover mountain biking on this site (the excellent Mountain Biking UK magazine and others began reporting on female riders and races right from the start of their existence, at a time when the road cycling mags didn't seem aware that women's road cycling even existed), but news that Wales is about to host Britain's very first women-only MTB marathon is well worth spreading.

The non-competitive event takes place near Builth Wells and features 20 and 40km off-road routes with something suitable for everyone; there is camping available and plenty of stuff to amuse children and dads whilst the mums are busy riding. For more information, see British Cycling.

Sheffield GP secure women's race sponsorship

Sheffield Grand Prix ‏@SheffGrandPrix
More big news. We are proud to announce that we have secured a headline sponsor for the Women's Grand Prix. All set for a fantastic race!!

McCulloch and Meares, 2011

Kaarle McCulloch is Tynan-Honda Sportstar of the Year
Chances are that, as the Olympic glow fades with every passing month since August last year, before too long the majority of the world's population will have once again forgotten that women's cycling exists as a sport. In the meantime, however, we can all enjoy seeing the athletes receive the attention they so rightfully deserve - as was the case with Australia's Kaarle McCulloch when she was named Tynan-Honda Sportstar of the Year this week. McCulloch, born in New South Wales, became Elite National 500m Champion for the fifth time in January this year.

McCulloch received the award for her bronze-winning Team Pursuit performance alongside Anna Meares - Australia's first track cycling medal at the Games.

Other News
UK
Cheshire Classic (Northwich Guardian)
An insight into cycle racing by Karla Boddy (ThameNews)
Jess Varnish: Pendleton left a void (Track Cycling News)
Chris Newton is new British Cycling women's Team Pursuit coach (Eurosport)
Worldwide
Grey Ghost Bicycles will host a Women’s Cycling Series event featuring Megan Guarnier (PostStar, NY, USA)
Tunisia to host third Arab Women's Cycling Championship (Magharebia)
Women-only cyclocross team races onto the Bay Area cycling scene (Bay Area Living)
Putting on a show in the Norwegian Cup (Tone Hattland, Cycling News)
Celebrate women in cycling on Women's Ride Day (CatWalkChatt, North Georgia, USA)
Cyclists get hearts racing at Spartanburg's Spring Fling (GoUpstate, USA)
All-women bike rides around the globe (Canoe Travel)
Bangladesh Ansar won two gold medals in the 8th Bangladesh Games (Financial Express)
Wiasak 'stoked' with hard-fought time-trial win (Canberra Times)

Tweets
Ashleigh Moolman ‏@ashleighcycling
"@TheDailyPeloton: Giro Rosa unveils participating teams and stages http://www.dailypeloton.com/displayarticle.asp?pk=20520 … #womenscycling @GiroRosa2013" looking forward :-)

Marianne Vos ‏@marianne_vos
Meet the riders of my team @RaboLivGiant: http://youtu.be/kqsTNstYHsQ 
Proud to be part of this motivated group!

CyclingFlash ‏@CyclingFlash
VIDEO Women Cyclingfever: G. Bronzini (@GiorgiaBronzini, @WiggleHonda) wins 1st stage #ElsyJacobs 2013 - http://women.cyclingfever.com/stage.html?etappe_idd=MjkxMzQ=&_ap=video …

Photo of the Week

From the Gracia Orlova
Photo by Bell X One; do not use without owner's
permission

Idiocy at the Olympics does women's cycling no favours

So here we are, a week after a British rider won the world's greatest race and with cycling enjoying more popularity than ever before in Britain - and there's a major, international race going on courtesy of the Olympics. Great. Loads of people will be watching.

Which means loads of people will have just heard Chris Boardman's idiotic and destructive suggestion that the reason Jeannie Longo is still taking part in - and winning - races at the age of 54 must mean that women's cycling isn't as competitive as the men's.

Anyone who has ever watched a women's bike race will know that this is about as wrong as it's possible to be - so it's a pity that absolute morons come out with such utter tripe and discourage people who haven't seen a women's race before from doing so. It's precisely because of the smaller audiences, caused by this sort of thing, that women's cycling has difficulties in attracting sponsors and teams exist of annual budgets that wouldn't even cover the cost of the mood lighting on Sky's team buses.

IG London Nocturne Rapha Women's Criterium

Hannah Barnes won for the
fourth time

Following an outcry from riders and fans when British Cycling asked organisers to drop the women's race this year, Nocturne officials announced they'd go ahead and run the race provided sufficient female riders signed up - and so it was great to see more than 30 lined up on the start line, among them some of the best racers Britain and Europe have to offer.

It had rained for much of the week and many riders will have been expecting treacherous conditions on the several tight corners along the technical 1.05km parcours around Smithfield Market in London, but the riders enjoyed glorious evening sunshine as the race began. The weather also encouraged fans and interested onlookers to turn out in their thousands, and since the racing was first-rate, at least a few spectators with no previous interest in cycling will have gone home thinking that they might quite like to see some more in the future - making the event every bit as advantageous to women's cycling as it was to the local pubs, cafes and shops that did a roaring trade keeping everyone topped up with drinks and food.

Despite puncturing right at the start (Team UK Youth entered into the festival spirit of the event by supplying her with one of their own replacement wheels) Hannah Barnes of Ibis Cycles won for a fourth time after she successfully held off strong competition, not least of all from the older and more experienced big stars Helen Wyman and Sarah Storey who came eighth and tenth respectively. Dutch rider Hannah Welter was second, closely followed by Australian Belinda Goss (Escentual For VioRed).

A highlights programme including footage of the Rapha Criterium, the Elite Men's race, the penny-farthing and folding bike races and the longest fixie skid competition will be shown next Sunday at 07:10 on Channel 4 - the first cycling the broadcaster has scheduled since 2001 and, hopefully, the first of many (if you have better things to do at that time on a Sunday morning, it'll also be available on the 4OD catch-up service).

"I love the London Nocturne because of the course and the crowd support – the atmosphere is electric. It was great to race it and win it for the fourth time and I hope to be back again next year." - Hannah Barnes

Photos by Wig Worland

Results
1.      Hannah Barnes           Ibis Cycles
2.      Hannah Welter           Netherlands
3.      Belinda Goss            Escentual For VioRed
4.      Julia Soek                      Netherlands
5.      Harriet Owen            Node4 Giordana
6.      Nicola Juniper          Corvida Allpress
7.      Natalie Creswick                Team Mule Bar Girls
8.      Helen Wyman                     Kona Factory Racing
9.      Alice Barnes            23c Orbea
10.     Sarah Storey            Escentual For VioRed
11.     Corrine Hall            Node4-Giordana
12.     Lydia Boylan            Look Mum No Hands!
13.     Louise Mahe                     Team Mule Bar Girls
14.     Estelle Rogers          Corvida Allpress
15.     Elise Sherwell          Look Mum No Hands!
16.     Jo McRae                        Look Mum No Hands!
17.     Collyn Ahart            Eagle Road Club
18.     Emma Craddock           South Downs Bikes
19.     Jessie Walker           Matrix Fitness-Prendas
20.     Sarah Brook                     Team Mule Bar Girls
21.     Delia Beddis            ViCiOUS Velo
22.     Emily Bagnall           WyndyMilla-UK Youth
23.     Elle Hopkins            Escentual For VioRed
24.     Fiona Strouts           Stevens Bikes p/b Pactimo
25.     Elinor Winter           Corvida Allpress
26.     Elizabeth Chittenden    Eagle Road Club
27.     Stephanie May           Team Quest-The BIKE Shop
28.     Julie Granshaw          WyndyMilla / UK Youth
29.     Rohan Battison          Escentual For VioRed
30.     Sarah Kent                      Escentual For VioRed
31.     Eryn Nolan                      Pretorius Bikes

London Nocturne - Rapha Women's Criterium

Intro - Parcours - Hazards - Favourites - Weather - Spectating - TV

Smithfield Market (in the foreground, East Poultry Lane) -
the riders will race for 30' + three laps around it

Today is the 9th of June - and that means tonight is the night of the unique, spectacular and enormously popular IG Markets London Nocturne in which the best riders Britain has to offer go head-to-head with the best of the rest of the world (Elite Women start list here).

The women's race almost didn't happen this year after British Cycling approached organisers and asked for it to be dropped. Their reasoning was that the riders might favour the Nocturne over another race taking place the next day (one organised by British Cycling, funnily enough). Team Mule Bar Girl were first on the case, drumming up support for the race with their Facebook page:

"So British Cycling have asked Smithfield Nocturne NOT to hold a women's race because it makes the girls tired for a big BC race the next day. The last I checked we weren't living in North Korea and we are allowed to choose how we spend our time. The Nocturne Women's race is one of the most talked about on the calendar, it's the one we get bubbly with excitment for. It took a big effort and some beautiful support for it to happen in the first place, just to have it taken away, it totally sucks!!!"

Stefan Wyman , as owner and manager of one of Britain's best-known women's teams Matrix-Prendas and perhaps the foremost advocate of women's cycling in the country, also felt that the riders should have the choice to enter whichever race they preferred. He also revealed that British Cycling had made their request without first asking the riders for their opinions, and highlighted the fact that as the Nocturne is televised and attracts a huge crowd it's a more important event as far as women's cycling is concerned:

"The Smithfield nocturne was a stand out event in 2011.  Professional promotion, closed circuit, exciting commentary and a huge crowd, made for a thrilling evening race.  This was all topped off with television coverage making this event exactly what I feel women’s cycling in the UK needs." (Wyman was kind enough to pen a statement on the matter, which can be read here)

Then the fans got involved, emailing and writing to the Nocturne organisers in huge numbers asking them to go ahead with the race as well as letting British Cycling know what they thought of their request. It didn't take long for the Nocturne to announce that, provided sufficient riders signed up to take part, they'd reinstate the race - and it happened, living proof that team officials, race organisers, riders and fans can all help promote women's cycling and do something towards getting it the recognition, coverage and respect it and the riders deserve. Congratulations are due also to Rapha for giving the race financial backing.

The Parcours

The parcours (click the image to enlarge)

The races takes the simple, familiar criterium format that is so ideally suited to TV on a 1.05km circuit around Smithfield Market with the women racing for 30 minutes plus three laps from 20:45 (race programme here). They begin on Long Lane (51°31'7.61"N 0°6'5.29"W) at the Rotunda Garden, now a tranquil place among the insane London traffic but for centuries the site of public executions, then head south-west and follow the curve of the road as it leads for 237m to a tight right corner after onto Snowhill before an even tighter right 80m and mere moments later back onto Long Lane. After passing the Poultry Market on the left, they turn 90 degrees left into East Poultry Lane and under an 81m covered section (signs at both ends say "DEAD SLOW," but the riders won't be paying much attention to those) and then right again onto Charterhouse Street for a straight and almost flat 210m blast along the northern side of the Meat Market. Another 90 degree right turn takes them onto Lindsey Street, then 90m later they arrive at the last right turn back onto Long Lane to pass by the VIP area and pass the finish line to begin a new lap. To add to the fun, the race features the IG Speed of Execution Challenge a an alternative to intermediate sprints - timing chips fitted to each bike will measure the speed at which they cross the line after each lap, the fastest riders winning £500. For many of the riders, especially in the women's race, that's a lot of money: expect it to be hotly contested (it's also an excellent idea aimed at making the race more thrilling to those spectators who are watching the race simply because they happen to be in the area but don't follow the sport - exactly what cycling needs to gain new fans).

Profile - click to enlarge

Hazards

Hannah Barnes

This being one of the world's busiest cities, there is street furniture aplenty all along the parcours - it'll all be covered in thick padding, of course, but it still hurts if a rider hits it. One obviously hazardous point, especially on the first and last laps when a large number of riders are altogether and traveling at speed, is the intersection between Snowhill and Long Lane where riders are squeezed into a narrow section bending to the right: a place where it will be very easy to collide with the crowd barriers. An added danger, and one far harder to predict than street furniture, is diesel spills left by the hundreds of trucks that make deliveries to and pick up from the Meat Market - this is especially likely to be the case along Lindsey Street where riders will pass through the loading bays right after the corner (Edit 10.06.12 - there was in fact a crash at precisely this point during the men's race!). If the roads are wet, diesel can be lethal. There are more loading bays all along Long Lane, making the Lindsey Street/Long Lane corner (by the brasserie) another potential dangerpoint. There's also a tricky bottleneck section just before arrival back at the Rotunda Garden where the footpath juts right out into the road, reducing the width of the road from 10m to 4m - if all the riders try to get through at the same time, there'll be problems.

Favourites

Helen Wyman - Les Déesses choice for
today

Likely winners? Hard to say in a race like this, when there are so many variables and such a strong field. Helen Wyman (Kona Factory Racing) and Sarah Storey (Escentual for VioRed) both compete at the top levels of cycling and are obvious choices. Stef Wyman's Matrix-Prendas riders are all on first-rate form at present, as we've seen with their stunning performances in the Johnson HealthTech GP series. Then there's Ibis Cycles' Hannah Barnes (current British Criterium Champion) and Eileen Roe (who won the criterium in Colchester on Thursday), also lighting up similar races on the Johnson GP in recent weeks, and Node4-Giordana's Sarah King, Corinne Hall and Harriet Owen, and all the riders from the lesser-known clubs for whom victory in this race could lead to a step up to the next level. If I had to pick one, it would be Helen - her extensive experience of the short, intense cyclo cross courses in Belgium and the Netherlands combined with her famously fast starts and powerful sprints are likely to be very useful on this parcours, which in many ways resembles an asphalted 'cross course.

The only thing that's certain, however, is this is going to be one of the most hotly-contested races Britain has seen for some time.

Weather
Well, how about that? After nearly a week of rain and with another week of rain expected to start tomorrow, it looks as though Saturday is going to be dry and even quite warm at 20C - which will come as good news to the participants of the London Naked Bike Ride also taking place today. It'll be a little cooler this evening when the race kicks off, but since large cities remain a few degrees warmer than surrounding countryside and the buildings provide shelter from the wind around 16C can be expected during the women's race.

Spectating
All points along the parcours are easily accessible and the event is free to watch. Obvious vantage points are the start line (especially due to the Speed of Execution Challenge), though large crowds will gather here (51°31'7.61"N 0° 6'5.11"W); the Snowhill/Long Lane corner (51°31'3.87"N 0° 6'16.84"W); the exit of East Poultry Lane (especially if the cafe over the road is open, 51°31'9.59"N 0° 6'10.61"W) and the Charterhouse Road/Lindsey Street corner (51°31'12.48"N 0° 6'0.86"W).

TV
Channel 4 will be showing highlights of all the races - including the penny-farthing race and the longest fixie skid contest - in a 55-minute programme to be broadcast at 07:10 on Sunday the 17th, the first time they've covered cycling since they gave up the right to broadcast Tour de France coverage eleven years ago. Channel 4 is available via online streams around the world and the programme will be made available on their 4OD catch-up service.

Who's who at the 2012 Track World Cup?

Australia
CURE Amy - 19-year-old Tasmanian Amy already has one World Championship listed on her palmares after she won the Juniors Scratch race at Moscow in 2009. She's also won a total of four National Championships, on the track and on the road. (image)
EDMONDSON Annette - At 20 years of age, Annette has no fewer than eight National titles at both Junior and Elite level under her belt. She also won three gold medals and one bronze at the 2007 Oceania Cycling Championships. (image)
HOSKINS Melissa - Melissa, also 20, has won six National titles. She also excels on the road and won Stage 2 at the Czech Tour last year, earning her a place with the new GreenEDGE team for 2012. (image)
MCCULLOCH Kaarle - 24-year-old Kaarle has won eleven National and three World titles, as well as three gold medals at the Oceania Cycling Championships and another at the Commonwealth Games. (image)
MEARES Anna - Anna, who is 28, is the younger sister of Kerrie Meares, also a professional cyclist. She has won seven World titles, three of which she currently holds, fourteen National titles, four gold medals at the Commonwealth Games and one at the Olympics. (image)
TOMIC Josephine - 22-year-old Josephine has won thirteen National and five World Titles. She's also a talented road rider, having won the Tour de Perth in 2008. (image)

Belgium
BELMANS Els - 28-year-old didn't begin winning races until two years ago, but has already won three gold medals  and one bronze at her National Championships for 2012. (image)
D'HOORE Jolien - approaching her 22nd birthday, Jolien won the pursuit, scratch, 500m, team sprint and team pursuit at the Belgian Nationals this year. (image)
DRUYTS Kelly (turn the sound down before clicking if you're at work) - Kelly, aged 22, has an impressive palmares from her days in the Novice and Junior classes and has been riding among the Elites since 2007. (image)

Belarus
DYLKO Alena - 23-year-old shared victory for the Team Pursuit at her 2011 Nationals and won bronze in four other events. (image)
LOHVINAVA Maryia - Maryia was on the winning Sprint team at the 2011 Nationals and took silver in three additional events. (image)
PANARINA Olga - Lightning-fast 26-year-old sprinter Olga came away from the World Championships with one gold and two silver medals last year. She's one of the favourites to do well at this event. (image)
PAPKO Aksana - Aksana, aged 23, won the Points race in Beijing earlier this year and was fourth in the same event at the European Championships in October 2011. (image)
SHARAKOVA Tatyana (image)

Brazil
RIBEIRO Sumaia (image)

Canada
BROWN Laura - though she specialises in track, 25-year-old Laura also does well in road races - she won the Tour de White Rock last year. (image)
CARLETON Gillian - Gillian won a silver medal in the Sprint at the 2011 Nationals. At 22, she may be about to emerge as one of Canada's most successful track stars. (image)
GLAESSER Jasmin - at 19, Jasmin has held two National titles, came second behind team mate Laura Brown at the 2011 Tour de White Rock and won a gold medal at the PanAmerican Games. (image)
ROORDA Stephanie - 25-year-old Stephanie has won seven National Championship medals, three of them gold. She's easy to spot on the track due to her close resemblance to actor Drew Barrymore. (image)
SULLIVAN Monique - Monique, aged 22, won the Keirin and the Sprint at the 2011 Nationals. (image)
WHITTEN Tara - 31-year-old Tara enjoyed a successful road race career in the past and now specialises in Omnium, winning eight medals in the discipline last year - including gold in the World Championship. (image)

China
GONG Jinjie - 25-year-old Jinjie was part of the winning Sprint team at Beijing earlier this year. (image)
GUO Shuang - Shuang, also 25, was on the same team as Jinjie and also won a further two gold medals. (image)
HUANG Li - 23-year-old Shuang won a bronze medal at the Astana Omnium in 2011. (image)
JIANG Wenwen - Wenwen, aged 25, won the Team Pursuit at the 2011 Asian Cycling Championships. (image)
JIANG Fan - Fan, aged 21, won the Team Pursuit at the 2011 Asian Cycling Championships. (image)
LIANG Jin - Jin, aged 27, won the Team Pursuit at the 2011 Asian Cycling Championships. (image)

Colombia
CALLE Maria Luisa - Maria Luisa won the Individual Time Trial at her National Championship and at the PanAmerican Games last year. At 43, she's one of the oldest Elite level athletes active today and the oldest in this event, but is more than capable of holding off rivals half her age. In 2004, she was the first Colombian to ever win Olympic gold but had to hand it back after failing an anti-dope test. (image)
GARCIA Diana Maria (image)
GAVIRIA RENDON Juliana - TT, Sprint and Keirin specialist Juliana, aged 20, won a silver medal at the PanAmerican Games last year. (image)
LOZANO RAMIREZ Laura - 25-year-old Laura has concentrated on road racing for the last couple of years, but remains a highly effective Points rider. (image)
SERIKA Guluma - 37-year-old Guluma is one of the oldest athletes in the event, but is highly valued in Team Sprints. (image)

Czech Republic
MACHACOVA Jarmila - 26-year-old Jarmila won thirteen medals in 2011, including two gold. (image)

Denmark
LETH Julie - 20-year-old Julie is current Danish Road Race Champion. (image)

Estonia
ALANGO Monika (image)

Finland
PENSAARI Pia - "I can't believe that I'm packing my bike and heading to London, not for the Olympics but for World Cup," says 28-year-old Pia. "I'm pretty excited!! I'll be there riding with all the greatest track girls in the world! To ride track in Finland is almost as stupid as being a skier in Kenya. We don't have indoor velodrome, our best velodrome was build 1952." That sounds like a rider who'll want to grasp the opportunity to add to her palmares - and as she won numerous medals in 2011, there's a good chance she'll do so. (image)

France
CLAIR Sandie - Sandie, now 23, won her first National title right back in 2005 and a World title the following year. She has been French 500m Champion since 2008 and came second in the event at the Worlds in 2011. (image)
JEULAND Pascale - though she's still only 24, Pascale has seven National titles dating back to 2004. She's aslo won five medals at the European Championships and the Scratch race at the World Championships in 2010. (image)
SANCHEZ Clara - Twice World Keirin Champion Clara won the National Scratch and Sprint titles last year. She is 28. (image)

Great Britain
HOUVENAGHEL Wendy - Anybody who believes female cyclists are of less interest than the men should spend five minutes reading up on 37-year-old Wendy: having risen to the rank of Squadron Leader in the RAF (and qualifying as a dentist), she took to competitive cycling and was immediately successful. In 2011, she won the British Road Individual TT Championship. (image)
KING Danielle - 16 years Houvenaghel's junior, Dani rode with her in the winning team at the 2011 World Team Pursuit Championship. At the same event, she won bronze in the Scratch race. (image)
PENDLETON Victoria - Possibly the most famous track cyclist of the last fifty years (and definitely the most famous track cyclist in Britain ever), 31-year-old Victoria has won eight World Championships, an Olympic gold and most of track cycling's most important events. She has been hinting at retirement for some time now; so this could be one of the last chances to see her in action - and Victoria going for a win is one of the most impressive sights cycling has to offer. (image)
ROWSELL Joanna - 23-year-old Joanna, one of Britain's most successful cyclists, competes on road and track. While she has specialised in Team events, early success in individual events is evidence that she may be the one to pick up where Pendleton leaves off. (image)
TROTT Laura - it's no secret that Britain produces better female cyclists than male and 19-year-old Laura is proof that this will continue. Last year, she won six gold medals and, as she enters her early 20s, is likely to get much better. (image)
VARNISH Jess - At 21, Joanna has five European Championship titles under her belt: proof that British Cycling's decision to select her for the Olympic Program when she was a year too young was a wise one. (image)

Germany
BECKER Charlotte - 28-year-old Charlotte is as effective on the road as she is on the track and won several stages in races last year. (image)
BRENNAUER Lisa - 23-year-old Lisa has been entering and winning road races since 2005, the year she became World Junior ITT Champion. She has dotted her palmares with track success along the way and won the National Omnium title in 2011. (image)
GEBHARDT Elke - Elke, aged 28, has won two National Championships and stood on the podium at numerous other events. (image)
SANDIG Madeleine - Now 28, Madeleine won a European Championship in 2005, then National Championships every year through to 2010. Last year, she won three silver medals and two bronze. (image)
VOGEL Kristina - Kristina, while only 21, is one of Germany's all-time most successful track stars having already won five National, two European and six World Championship titles. Right now, she's at the age when excellent young riders become first-rate adult riders - keep an eye on how she does in this event. (image)
WELTE Miriam - Miriam is still only 25, yet she has won seventeen National Championship medals including seven gold, nine European Championship medals including two gold and three World Championship medals. (image)

Hong Kong
DIAO Xiao Juan - 25-year-old Xiao Juan won a silver and a bronze at the Asia Cup in 2011 and a bronze at the Asian Championships earlier this year. (image)
LEE Wai Sze - Wai, who is 24, won the Sprint at the Asian Championships this year. She won the same event at the Asian Cup in 2011. (image)

Ireland
RYAN Caroline - 32-year-old Caroline won her National Individual TT Championship on the road as well as the 500m and Pursuit of track last year. She was third in the National Road Race and in the Scratch race at the National Track Championships. (image)

Italy
SCANDOLARA Valentina - it's hard to believe that Valentina is only 21 because she seems to have been at the top of her game for so long. The reason for that is she won her first National Championship as a novice right back in 2005, when she was 15 and has steadily been adding impressive results ever since. She is the current Under-23 Points Race European Champion. (image)
TAGLIAFERRO Marta - Marta, aged 22, won three National and one European medal in 2007. She concentrated more on road cycling in 2010 but still found time to win silver at the European Track Championships, then took two more silver medals on track in 2011. (image)

Japan
ISHII Hiroko (image)
MAEDA Kayono - 21-year-old Kayono won a silver and a bronze at the 2011 Asia Cup. (image)
TABATA Maki - At 37, Maki has already won three medals this year, including a gold, at the Asian Championships. (image)

Kazakhstan
STEFANSKAYA Natalya - 23-year-old Natalya has won two medals in National Championships and two at the Asian Cycling Championships. (image)

South Korea
LEE Eunji - 29-year-old Eunji won a silver medal in the Team Sprint at this year's Asian Championships. (image)
LEE Hyejin - 20-tear-old Hyejin was part of the same silver-winning team as Eunji. (image)
LEE Min Hye -  Min Hye, aged 26, is one of South Korea's most successful cyclists with an impressive palmares stretching back to 2003 when she won two bronze medals at the World Track Championships. She has also enjoyed a successful road career, winning the Individual TT at the 2010 Asian Games. (image)

Lithuania
GAIVENYTE Gintare (image)
JANKUTE Gabriele - at 18, Gabriele is the youngest rider in this event. (image)
KRUPECKAITE Simona - Simona, aged 29, became 2009 World 500m TT Champion with a time of 33.296" - still the world record. (image)
PIKAUSKAITE Vaida - 20-year-old Vaida won a silver medal at the 2010 European Championships. (image)
SEREIKAITE Vilija - 25-year-old Vilija has been placing well in track and road races since 2006. She won the bronze in the Pursuit at the World Championships last year. (image)
TREBAITE Ausrine - Ausrine is another rider who seems to have been around far longer than her 23 years makes possible. This is because she won her first National title in 2005, when she was 16. One year later and she was competing at Elite level, coming third in the National Road Race Championship for three consecutive years until she won it in 2010. Last year, she became National ITT Champion, also on road. While not an experienced track rider, she was part of the silver medal-winning Pursuit team at the 2010 European Championships. (image)

Mexico
ARREOLA Sofia - 20-year-old Sofia won a silver medal for the Omnium at last year's PanAmerican Games. (image)

Netherlands
HIJGENAAR Yvonne - 31-year-old Yvonne was a successful speed skater who decided she preferred track cycling, then began to compete when she started beating the men in training. Last year, she won silver for the 500m and Omnium at the National Championships. (image)
KANIS Willy - Willy, aged 27, is a cycling polymath who has won World titles in several disciplines including BMX. She is the current National Champion in 500m and Keirin on the track. (image)
KOEDOODER Vera - 28-year-old Vera won her first World Championship in 2000 and has won numerous events on track and road since then. She has held six National, one European and two World Championship titles. (image)
PIETERS Amy - Amy is only 20, but has already won twelve National Championships. (image)
VAN DIJK Ellen - at 25, Ellen is one of the most respected riders of her generation on both road and track with eight National, four European and two World Championships to her name. Earlier this year, she finished in the top three after two stages of the Tour of Qatar and was fourth in the overall General Classification. (image)
WILD Kirsten - 29-year-old Kirsten took third place overall at the Tour of Qatar, having won Stages 1 and 3. She is also a very talented track rider, winner of four National Championships and podium finisher in many others. (image)

New Zealand
ELLIS Lauren - 22-year-old Lauren won a National title in 2005 and came second at the World Championships that same year after discovering a talent for cycling on a bike she bought to use for commuting. She is the current National ITT Champion at Elite level. (image)
HANSEN Natasha - Natasha, aged 22, is largely the reason that New Zealand has a Women's Olympic Sprint Team. She  is the current National Champion in the discipline. (image)
KIESANOWSKI Joanne - 32-year-old Joanne has won eight medals in the National Championships, three of them gold. (image)
NIELSEN Jaime - Jaime, aged 26, won a gold medal in the National Team Pursuit in 2010 and a silver medal for the National ITT Championship earlier this year. (image)
SCHOFIELD Katie - Katie won a gold and a bronze medal at the National Championships in 2010. (image)
SHANKS Alison - 29-year-old Alison has five National and one World Championship on her palmares, She's also won gold at the Commonwealth Games. (image)

Poland
BUJAK Eugenia - 22-year old Eugenia took a silver and a bronze at the European Championships last year. (image)
JASINSKA Edyta (image)
PAWLOWSKA Katarzyna - 22-year-old Katarzyna came second in the Points race in Beijing earlier this year. (image)
WOJTYRA Malgorzata - Malgorzata, aged 22, is the current Under-23 European Omnium Champion. (image)

Russia
BARANOVA Viktoria - 22-year-old Viktoria is current European Under-23 500m and Sprint Champion in addition to National Keirin Champion at Elite level. (image)
CHULKOVA Anastasia - Anastasia, aged 26, win silver for the Omnium and Team Pursuit at the National Championships last year. (image)
VOINOVA Anastasya - Last year, 19-year-old Anastasya won the Team Sprint National Championship, four European Championship titles and three at the World Championships. She was second in the 500m in Beijing this year. Keep an eye on her this weekend - she may prove to be a serious new talent. (image)

Slovakia
PAVLENDOVA Alzbeta - Alzbeta, aged 22, has twice been National ITT Champion of the road. Promising track results including second place in the Scratch and Points races at Wien last year have pointed her in a new direction, and the Slovakian Federation evidently feel she has the potential to go further. (image)

Spain
CALVO BARBERO Tania - At only 19, Tania is among the youngest athletes in this event. However, with four National and one European title already to her name the older and more experienced riders won't want to underestimate her. (image)
CASAS ROIGE Helena - 23-year-old Helena is the current National Keirin Champion. In the past, she held the Elite 500m and Sprint titles despite being 18 at the time. (image)
OLABERRIA Leire - 34-year-old Leire isn't far off twice the age of the youngest member of her team, but as current Scratch, Pursuit and Points Champion she won't be worried about that. (image)
RODRIGUEZ SANCHEZ Gloria - 19-year-old Gloria won both the Juniors National Road Race and ITT in 2009. In 2011 she was third in the Elite Scratch and Pursuit at the National Championships. (image)

Switzerland
SCHNIDER Pascale - Pascale, aged 27, is the current National Champion in Road, ITT and Omnium. (image)
WOLFER Andrea - 24-year-old Andrea won silver behind Schnider in the Omnium at her National Championships last year. (image)

Taipei
HUANG Ting Ying - 21-year-old Ting Ying also qualifies for the Australian Nationals, where she won bronze in the Elite Keirin and 500m last year. (image)
I Fang Ju - Fang Ju, aged 23, won a silver and a bronze in the 2011 Asia Cup. (image)

Ukraine
BOCHKAREVA Yelizaveta - Yelizaveta, aged 33, was part of the winning Pursuit team in Beijing earlier this year. (image)
GALYUK Svitlana - 24-year-old Svitlana rode with Yelizaveta in Beijing. (image)
KALITOVSKA Lesya - while 24-year-old Lesya has not held a track title since 2007, consistently good results just outside the top 3 prove she still has the potential. (image)
PAPEZHUK Iryna (image)
SHULIKA Lyubov - Lyubov, aged 23, is the current European Sprint Champion. (image)

USA
BAUSCH Dotsie - 38-year-old Dotsie came to prominence in 2001 when she was fourth in the National Road Race Championships, then added numerous victories before winning the National Pursuit title in 2007. Last year, she was part of the winning Pursuit team at the Nationals. (image)
GODBY Maddie - Maddie, aged 19, was part of the victorious Sprint team at the Nationals in 2011. At the same event, she took the bronze medal in the Inidividual Pursuit. (image)
HAMMER Sarah - Sarah, 28, has held a total of eight National titles (two at present) and three World titles (one at present). (image)
REED Jennie - 33-year-old Jennie has won eleven National and one Keirin World Championship. With Dotsie Bausch and Sarah Hammer, she is current National Team Pursuit Champion. (image)
TAMAYO Lauren - 28-year-old Lauren was part of the fourth place team at the 2010 World Team Pursuit Championship. (image)
WALKER Cristin - 23-year-old Cristin won the Under-23 National 500m title in 2008. Last year, she took silver medals in the National Individual and Team Sprints at Elite level. (image)

Venezuela
GONZALEZ Angie - Angie, aged 31, is current National Road Race Champion. In 2011, she won the Omnium at the PanAmerican Games. (image)
LARREAL Daniela - Daniela, aged 38, shared victory in the Madison with Mariesthela Vilera at the PanAmerican Games last year. (image)
VILERA Mariesthela Carolina - Aged 23, Daniela won a gold medal at last year's PanAmerican Games. (image)

Trade Teams

Catalunya
DIEZ Alba - 22-year-old Alba won a silver medal at the Spanish Nationals last year. In 2007, she took bronze in the National Junior Cyclo Cross Championships. (image)

Friuli
BASSO Laura - 27-year-old Italian Laura is primarily known as a road racer (she won the Giro della Toscana Femminile in 2007). Her presence at this event suggests she may be planning a new direction. (image)

FullGas.org-Gipuzkoa
FERRAN ZUBILLAGA Olatz (image)

Giant ProCycling
JUNHONG Lin - 21-year-old Lin was third in the Sprint in Beijing earlier this year. (image)
ZHONG Tianshi - Tianshi, now aged 21, won the Junior 500m World Championship in 2009. (image)

Moscow Track Team
STRELTSOVA Olga - Olga, aged 24, is current National 500m, Individual Pursuit and Team Pursuit Champion. (image)

Petroholding Leningrad
BREJNIVA Elena - 22-year-old Elena won three silver medals at her National Championships last year. (image)
GNIDENKO Ekaterina - 19-year-old Ekaterina won the bronze in the Under-23 European Keirin Championships last year. (image)

Reyno de Navarra-Telco-M Conor
EL BUSTO ARTEAGA Ainara (image)

Rusvelo
ABSALYMOVA Venera - 25-year-old Venera was born in France but races for Russia. (image)
KONDEL Viktoriya - Viktoiya, aged 24, shares the current National Team Pursuit title with Absalymova and Romanyuta. (image)
MOLICHEVA Irina - 23-year-old Irina was a part of the Pursuit team that took bronze at the 2011 Nationals. (image)
ROMANYUTA Evgeniya - In addition to sharing the National Team Pursuit victory with Absalymova and Kondel last year, 24-year-old Evgeniya is the current National Omnium and European Points Race Champion. (image)

YSD Track Team
MUSTAPA Fatehah - Malaysian Fatehah, aged 22, took second place in the Sprint at this year's Asian Cycling Championships. (image)

(With thanks to all the photograph providers. Les Déesses de la Route cannot be held responsible for the content of external sites)