British champion, Hannah Barnes battles up the climbs at Thüringen Rundfarht(Image credit: Sean Robinson/Velofocus)
New British champion Hannah Barnes (Canyon-SRAM)(Image credit: Sean Robinson/Velofocus)
Hannah Barnes (Canyon-SRAM)(Image credit: Sean Robinson/Velofocus)
British champion Hannah Barnes (Canyon-SRAM)(Image credit: Sean Robinson/Velofocus)
British road champion Hannah Barnes (Canyon-SRAM) is reveling in the thought of wearing her special national champion’s kit in front of family and friends as she hunt victory at the Women’s WorldTour Prudential RideLondon Classique on Saturday.
"I love wearing the [national champion] jersey and to wear it at the Prudential RideLondon Classique, the biggest one day race for women in Britain is super cool,” Barnes said in a team press release.
“It's also in the city where the Rapha headquarters are and this is really nice because they have designed a really great looking British national jersey for our Canyon-SRAM team and I can't wait to show it off."
The Prudential RideLondon Classique is the 13th round of the women's world-class series and it will host the peloton on a newly designed 5.5km London circuit, catching sights of Buckingham Palace and Big Ben.
The field will compete for 12 laps for a total of 66km. The finale is expected to cater to the fastest finishers with a flat start and finish along The Mall.
"Racing in such an iconic location is really special, especially in London. I have a lot of family and friends coming to watch, which they very rarely get to do nowadays with the limited amount of times I race in England," Barnes said.
Barnes will have support from her teammates Tiffany Cromwell, Mieke Kröger and Alexis Ryan. She said the race will be challenging but it is expected to be a bunch sprint, much like one-day La Course by Le Tour de France the previous weekend won by Chloe Hosking (Wiggle High5).
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
"I have raced it twice before when it was Prudential RideLondon and not the Classique. I haven't seen the new course yet but I know that it will be a very fast race and I'm anticipating a lot of action at the start.
"With Chloe winning last weekend her team will be dangerous. But I would also say even with four riders we have a very strong team and we will cause some damage."
RideLondon Classic promises to be a rewarding event for the women's field as the organisers are offereing €100,000 prize money, equal to the prizes given at the men's race the following day, which makes it the richest race on the women's calendar. The winner will take home €25,000.
