Bowditch shows form in tough two-day event

ISLAND GAMES medal hopeful Ann Bowditch put in three hard stages in two days at the Women's Team Series Stage Race at Bedford. She was riding for Team Letchworth in a team comprising riders from England, Ireland and the Netherlands.

The prologue on the first morning was held on the Milton Keynes Bowl criterium circuit.

The course required good bike-handling skills, as well as speed judgement and suited the more powerful riders.

Bermudian visitor Melanie Claude won the prologue but the first 20 places were separated by only five seconds.

Bowditch was 18th at this stage out of 62 riders, one place behind the eventual two-day winner - Angela Hunter.

In the criterium, Bowditch and the team were tasked with assisting their fourth-placed rider, Nathalie Visser from the Netherlands, to collect sprint bonuses.

Team Letchworth took on the pace from the start, aiming to split the pack early and they achieved this on the first lap.

Most of the race was controlled by Bowditch and her Welsh squad teammate, Nina Davies, as they helped their colleague collect time bonuses on each of the three sprints.

At the midway point, Bowditch put in an attack but was chased down after a lap.

Torrential rain with eight laps to go made the conditions on the circuit difficult for riders as they negotiated the tight bends.

With 35 laps gone, Bowditch was to lead out Visser for the sprint. However, her colleague could not hold Bowditch's wheel which meant she missed valuable sprint points. This was disappointing for Bowditch after the work she had put in for Visser.

Bowditch crossed the line in a satisfactory 10th place.

After the race Bowditch said: 'When you put in a lot of work, it takes the top end power and speed out of your legs so I was reasonably happy to finish in 10th considering my workload during the race.'

The third stage - a 90km road race at Keysoe - began in bright weather with the riders knowing that just seconds separated the top 10 riders and on the undulating circuit there would be some tired legs later.

There were, however, no major climbs to cause serious problems.

With nine kilometres covered, the first attack of the day came. Emma Silversides of Cheltenham and County slipped away and she led for three laps of the 15km circuit.

Although Silversides had a lead of more than two minutes, it was always unlikely that she would stay away with the race leader in the peloton and the strong Team Luciano riders looking after their own interests.

At 12km, riders were beginning to drop off the pack. More were left trailing over a short hill near the finish line on lap two, but suddenly the field was shattered by a turn of pace, with more than half dropping off the back of the pack.

Bowditch was, however, sitting comfortably in the peloton.

She could feel the effects of her previous day's efforts so was prepared to bide her time before she made a move away.

With two laps to go, Bowditch attacked on the main climb, taking Katy Middlehurst of Giant Racing with her.

Middlehurst was unwilling or unable to share the workload and the two riders were chased down by the Team Luciano riders.

Bowditch put in a final attempt to pull away before the final climb; however, with so much at stake, it was clear that every break would be chased down.

With a few miles to go and with riders thinking about that final kilometre long drag, the pace slowed but it was enlivened by two horses on a narrow bridge that took exception to cyclists.

On the final climb it was Angela Hunter who led all the way to wrap up the stage race, with Bowditch taking seventh place.

leads a group of riders during the three-stage race in Bedford.)