Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

Back to news
news
Racing
Behind the scenes at the Friends Life Women's Tour with Matrix Vulpine - Stage 4 Behind the scenes at the Friends Life Women's Tour with Matrix Vulpine - Stage 4 Behind the scenes at the Friends Life Women's Tour with Matrix Vulpine - Stage 4 Behind the scenes at the Friends Life Women's Tour with Matrix Vulpine - Stage 4 Behind the scenes at the Friends Life Women's Tour with Matrix Vulpine - Stage 4 Behind the scenes at the Friends Life Women's Tour with Matrix Vulpine - Stage 4 Behind the scenes at the Friends Life Women's Tour with Matrix Vulpine - Stage 4 Behind the scenes at the Friends Life Women's Tour with Matrix Vulpine - Stage 4 Behind the scenes at the Friends Life Women's Tour with Matrix Vulpine - Stage 4 Behind the scenes at the Friends Life Women's Tour with Matrix Vulpine - Stage 4 Behind the scenes at the Friends Life Women's Tour with Matrix Vulpine - Stage 4 Behind the scenes at the Friends Life Women's Tour with Matrix Vulpine - Stage 4 Behind the scenes at the Friends Life Women's Tour with Matrix Vulpine - Stage 4 Behind the scenes at the Friends Life Women's Tour with Matrix Vulpine - Stage 4 Behind the scenes at the Friends Life Women's Tour with Matrix Vulpine - Stage 4 Behind the scenes at the Friends Life Women's Tour with Matrix Vulpine - Stage 4 Behind the scenes at the Friends Life Women's Tour with Matrix Vulpine - Stage 4 Behind the scenes at the Friends Life Women's Tour with Matrix Vulpine - Stage 4 Behind the scenes at the Friends Life Women's Tour with Matrix Vulpine - Stage 4 Behind the scenes at the Friends Life Women's Tour with Matrix Vulpine - Stage 4 Behind the scenes at the Friends Life Women's Tour with Matrix Vulpine - Stage 4 Behind the scenes at the Friends Life Women's Tour with Matrix Vulpine - Stage 4 Behind the scenes at the Friends Life Women's Tour with Matrix Vulpine - Stage 4 Behind the scenes at the Friends Life Women's Tour with Matrix Vulpine - Stage 4 Behind the scenes at the Friends Life Women's Tour with Matrix Vulpine - Stage 4 Behind the scenes at the Friends Life Women's Tour with Matrix Vulpine - Stage 4 Behind the scenes at the Friends Life Women's Tour with Matrix Vulpine - Stage 4 Behind the scenes at the Friends Life Women's Tour with Matrix Vulpine - Stage 4
Matrix Vulpine Friends Life Women's Tour Day 04

Behind the scenes at the Friends Life Women's Tour with Matrix Vulpine - Stage 4

Another fast blast as with crashes, mechanicals & a lucky rat too
by Tony Farrelly
Sat, May 10, 2014 20:19
3

Today the riders on the Friends Life Women’s Tour raced an 87.8Km route from Cheshunt to Welwyn Garden City in what proved to be an short but incident packed stage, here’s Robin Godden to tell us how Matrix Vulpine got on…

“Stage 4 was short and fast, giving no time to recover from yesterday’s efforts, as the favourite’s looked to the GC.

“The first 40km’s were eventful with crashes & mechanicals, an early chain slip left Penny with a chase back just as the pace ramped up for the first QOM.

“The stage was neutralized at 20km’s to go due to a traffic accident (on the course) making the final run in very hectic with Helen coming 55th, and Vos taking the stage to put her in control of GC.

“With a hometown finish Jo sprinted to the line to first in her group and Jessie, Harriet, Penny & Mel all finished strongly after two very fast days of constant attacks.

"The final stage kicks off tomorrow with the all 6 riders taking to the start in Harwich.”

As Robin said Marianne Vos further cemented her hold on the race allowing yesterday’s stage win with another today. It was not without controversy though as Giorgia Bronzini claimed a race organiser’s motorbike had impeded her attack in the final spring - Vos was already ahead of the bike at the time. Lucy Garner took third spot on the stage.
Vos goes in to the final stage from Harwich to Bury St Edmunds with a 19 second lead over Emma Johansson, with Rosella Ratto in third, Lizzie Armitstead in fourth and Bronzini fifth.

To find out more about the Matrix Vulpine team via their website http://www.onthedrops.cc/team/
and you can find the Friends Life Women’s Tour online at http://thetour.co.uk/home.php

Matrix Vulpine
Friends Life Women's Tour
Women's Tour 2014
Tony Farrelly

road.cc's founder and first editor, nowadays to be found riding a spreadsheet. Tony's journey in cycling media started in 1997 as production editor and then deputy editor of Total Bike, acting editor of Total Mountain Bike and then seven years as editor of Cycling Plus. He launched his first cycling website - the Cycling Plus Forum at the turn of the century. In 2006 he left C+ to head up the launch team for Bike Radar which he edited until 2008, when he co-launched the multi-award winning road.cc - finally handing on the reins in 2021 to Jack Sexty. His favourite ride is his ‘commute’ - which he does most days inc weekends and he’s been cycle-commuting since 1994. His favourite bikes are titanium and have disc brakes, though he'd like to own a carbon bike one day.

Add new comment

3 comments

Avatar
Bob's Bikes | 10 years ago
0 likes

I also noticed cars parked on the route itself surely if the roads were closed for this event shouldn't those cars have been removed, I'm sure the local residents were all warned/informed prior to the event.

Have just realised the authorities involved probably couldn't be bothered after all it's only bloody cyclists 14

Avatar
Beaufort | 10 years ago
0 likes

Kudos to the Matrix Vulpine racers - most of 'em were having to race in amongst traffic behind the closed roads. Horrible. The roads opened far too soon after the team cars passed IMO.

Avatar
Bhachgen | 10 years ago
0 likes

Yeah I was a bit surprised the tv commentators didn't mention that motorbike at the finish. It obviously impeded a number of riders on the left hand side of the road round the final bend. You could hear at least one of them shouting at it.

Latest Comments