Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling’s Laura Trott and Mayuko Hagiwara took victory in the Great Britain and Japanese Road Race Championships in Abergavenny, Wales, and Hachimantai, northern Japan, respectively. This was a first Elite road title for reigning under-23 champion Trott, while it was a fourth for Hagiwara, to add to her six Time Trial titles, and is now current Japanese Champion in both disciplines.
Trott finished at the head of a Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling one-two in the Great Britain Championships, as she and Dani King outsprinted Lizzie Armitstead (Boels-Dolmans) in the centre of Abergavenny. The leading trio had been part of an eight-rider selection that had broken clear of the peloton on the course’s 72km loop. Defending champion Armitstead attacked alone during the second of four 7.2km finishing circuits, but was prevented from opening a decisive lead and caught on the final lap.
Trott also retained her under-23 title while, having done so much work to chase down Armitstead, Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling’s Elinor Barker’s eighth place was good enough to take the under-23 Bronze Medal.
“I was just over the moon when I crossed the line,” said Trott. “I was so disappointed after the time trial, I thought I had good form, but the time didn’t really reflect the form I thought I had, so to come here and win this, I’m just so pleased.
“It’s just unbelievable. It’s up there with a World title,” the double Olympic champion added. “It’s been such a roller coaster recently and I’ve been feeling a bit down, but to come and win this… when I crossed the line I was just so happy, and I think it takes only one race like this to say ‘yeah, I am still there, I am still good enough.’”
With Trott, King, Barker and Armitstead in the leading group were 2010 and 2012 champions Emma Pooley (Lotto-Belisol) and Sharon Laws (UnitedHealthcare), and Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International duo Katie Archibald and Dame Sarah Storey. Armitstead’s attack, along with the strength of the chase, saw the lead group down to just five – with Pooley and Laws – as they entered the finishing straight.
“To be honest, on the first climb after about 16km, I just thought Lizzie was in a class of her own,” Trott admitted. “She just floated up the hill and I just thought it was really not going to go down well. My legs were absolutely killing me, but I just got stuck in and hoped it would pay off by the end.
“Jo [Rowsell] and Amy [Roberts] did so much early on,” Trott added. “Jo attacked three times to start with; Lizzie was straight on them, but it was a case of wearing her down.
“When we hit the finishing lap Emma Pooley was asking me to work, but I was going flat out just to hang on the back. I just stuck in for as long as I could.
“At the finish Lizzie didn’t hug the barrier enough and I saw a gap on the left hand side and just went for it. Dani had led it out perfectly, she’d strung it completely out, so I knew that if I could get in front then nobody was going to get round me.”
Trott hit the front in the final hundred metres, and held on all the way to the line. King’s momentum also saw the Olympic track champion overcome Armitstead, and take the Silver Medal.
“I couldn’t celebrate really because of the right hand corner after the line, but I just didn’t really know how to react,” Trott concluded. “I was just so happy and, when Dan crossed the line and said she got Silver, I was over the moon.”
“It was really good,” echoed King. “I just felt really good today. I don’t know what happened today, it just all came together. We had a plan, we stuck to it, and it worked. So yeah, I’m really pleased. We can’t really ask for more than a Wiggle Honda one-two.
“It was obviously good to have the numbers,” she continued, referring to Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling’s three-rider presence in the decisive break. “We were all rolling through as much as we could. Elinor attacked, which was really good because it forced the others to chase.
“I rode this course in 2009, so I knew that you’re not going to get around many people going into the last 500 metres,” King added. “So I led it out; Lizzie went quite early and Laura managed to come around, and I managed to get back around Lizzie, so it was perfect really.”
A hilly circuit in Japan saw the field quickly reduced to just the big names in the race, with Hagiwara eventually breaking clear with defending champion Eri Yonamine (Saxo Bank FX securities). The Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling rider was too strong on the final climb to the line, however, and finished 13 seconds ahead of Yonamine to reclaim her “Hinomaru” jersey.
“Fortunately I was able to win the road race today too,” Hagiwara said. “I’m very happy that I’m able to bring the Japanese national champion’s jersey back to the team.
“I’m really appreciative of everything Wiggle Honda have done for me,” she added, “and I can’t wait to wear my new jersey next week at the Giro d’Italia.”
Elsewhere in Europe, Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling’s Emilia Fahlin was sadly unable to defend her Swedish national title against World number one Emma Johansson (Orica-AIS), but finished fourth in a cold, wet, hilly race in Götene-Kinnekulle. Charlotte Becker and Anna-Bianca Schnitzmeier were both in action in the German Championships in Baunatal. Schnitzmeier was away in a three-rider breakaway in the first half of the race, allowing Becker to stay safe in the peloton, but former champion Becker was outsprinted in the race for a second bronze medal behind Specialized-lululemon duo Lisa Brennauer and Trixi Worrack.
GB Nationals Photo Credit: Huw Evans Agency
Result GB National Championships
1. Laura Trott (Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling)
2. Dani King (Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling)
3. Lizzie Armitstead (Boels-Dolmans)
8. Elinor Barker (Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling)
16. Amy Roberts (Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling)
17. Joanna Rowsell (Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling)
Result Japanese National Championships
1. Mayuko Hagiwara (Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling)
2. Eri Yonamine (Saxo Bank FX securities)
3. Yumiko Goda (Waseda)
