Laws storms to GB women's road race glory

Sharon Laws was crowned Great Britain's Women’s National Road Race Champion after soloing to victory in the title race in North Yorkshire on Sunday.

The 37-year-old from Cheltenham, who was overlooked for the Team GB Olympic squad earlier this month, led a 1-2-3 for the AA Drink-Leontien.nl team, with Lizzie Armitstead taking second, just ahead of Emma Pooley at the end of the 107-kilometre event based around Ampleforth.

Laws escaped from the bunch with Armitstead and Pooley as well as Nikki Harris (Young Telenet) early in the race, and they quickly established a big lead over the chasing bunch who were struggling to maintain the same pace.

With four minutes’ lead, the group were being chased by Sarah Storey (Escentual For Viored), and although she never made contact with the leaders managed to maintain a gap of around a minute.

But with a lap and a half (around 15 miles) to go Laws attacked and ploughed up the road powerfully on a climb, quickly establishing a lead of around a minute. Armitstead and Pooley responded, but the injection of pace proved a little too much for Harris who was left behind.

By the line, Laws had a lead of more than a minute, while Armitstead took second from Pooley.

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Full Results
1Sharon Laws (AA Drink leontien.nl)3:11:50
2Elizabeth Armitstead (AA Drink leontien.nl)0:01:36
3Emma Pooley (AA Drink leontien.nl)0:01:41
4Nikki Harris (Young Telenet Fidea Cycling Team)0:02:43
5Sarah Storey (For Viored)0:03:52
6Nicole Cooke (Team Faren - Honda)0:09:02
7Catherine Williamson (Team Bizhub-SCF)0:09:04
8Katie Colclough (Specialized-lululemon)Row 7 - Cell 2
9Emma Trott (Dolmans Boels)0:09:44
10Natalie Creswick (Mulebar Girl)0:09:51
11Sarah Byrne (For Viored)0:10:08
12Claire Galloway (For Viored)0:16:34
13Penny Rowson (Matrix Fitness - Prendas)Row 12 - Cell 2
14Annabel Simpson (Matrix Fitness - Prendas)0:16:36
15Gemma Neill (Team Leslie Bike Shop - Right Move Windows)0:16:40
16Rebecca Heath (VC St Raphael)0:16:48
17Corrine Hall (Node 4 Giordana Womens Team)0:18:03
18Eileen Roe (Team Ibis Cycles)Row 17 - Cell 2
19Laura Massey (Vivelo-Bikes/Inverse Cyclaim RT)Row 18 - Cell 2
20Hannah Barnes (Team Ibis Cycles)0:18:09
21Lowri Bunn (Abergavenny Road Club)0:18:13
22Delia Beddis (Vivelo-Bikes/Inverse Cyclaim RT)0:18:14
23Nicola Juniper (Corvida Allpress)0:18:22
24Kayleigh Brogan (City of Edinburgh RC)0:18:28
25Karla Boddy (High Wycombe Cycling Club)0:19:10

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