Pfeiffer Georgi wins women's British road race title

Pfeiffer Georgi (Team DSM) won the elite women’s road race at the British national championships, storming up the final ascent of the Michaelgate climb to take victory by several seconds. 

The 21-year old also took victory in the Under 23 category contained within the race.

Michaelgate, a steep cobbled climb that rises towards the city centre, has shaped every bike race situated in Lincoln and it once again proved decisive. 

On the very first ascent, Anna Henderson (Jumbo-Visma) and Anna Christian (Drops-Le Col s/b Tempur) forced a split in the peloton and a group composed of most of the pre-race favourites escaped. Although there were repeated counter-attacks from the peloton, this group remained ahead to fight for the title.

Georgi first displayed her strength on the sixth ascent of Michaelgate, obliterating the front of the race, though the group later regathered itself on the flatter sections of the course. 

April Tacey (Drops-Le Col s/b Tempur) launched a late solo attack on the final lap but was unable to fend off the marauding Georgi on the final climb of Michaelgate and up to the finish line.

Josie Nelson (Team Coop-Hitec Products) finished three second behind and Joss Lowden (Drops-Le Col s/b Tempur) finished third at seven seconds.

“I did this race once before and the key is positioning into this climb because it’s so narrow and things can go at any lap,” Georgi said at the finish. 

“We saw that today when it split on the first lap. I didn’t believe that I could win from a sprint so with two laps to go I attacked and I saw that I had a gap so I started to believe that if it all stayed together I would have a chance. 

“The last time up I just went full gas, didn’t look behind and I couldn’t believe that I’d won! A short climb is her [Henderson’s] speciality and she’s in such good form after winning the time-trial. I just tried to get ahead of her and I’m so happy!”

“I love racing in the rain and I’m more of a classics rider so I spent my whole season in Belgium racing on wet cobble. I did Roubaix a few weeks ago so that set me up well for this because these aren’t Roubaix cobbles.”

How it unfolded

Following the late withdrawal of 38 riders, a reduced peloton of just 81 emerged from Lincoln’s narrow streets to take their place on the start line. In the rain, clothed in jackets and framed by an umbrella-shaped crowd, they assumed the familiar multi-coloured but faceless formation of a wet bike race.

After the flag drop the pace lifted in preparation for a descent greased by rain and falling leaves. Due to these slippery conditions the peloton initially remained intact and once the descent had been negotiated, Rachel Langdon (Instafund Racing) launched the day’s first attack but was brought back immediately.

Then, on the cobbles of Michaelgate, Henderson and Christian moved to the front, forcing a split to which only ten other riders were attentive.

Most of the pre-race favourites made the move. Four Drops- Le Col riders were present: Christian, Dani Christmas, April Tacey and Joss Lowden, as well as Alice Barnes (Canyon-Sram), the defending champion Jo Tindley (Pro-Noctis-Redchilli Bikes), the newly crowned circuit race champion Josie Nelson, Danielle Shrosbee (Team LDN-Brother UK), Sophie Wright (Alè BTC Ljubljana), Anna Shackley (Team SD Worx) and Georgi.

Behind, Storey Racing led the chase but without making considerable inroads into the time gap. 

The front group began to extend their advantage until it had reached 50 seconds as they completed the third lap of the race.

Nonetheless, repeated counter-attacks continued from the peloton and on the third ascent of Michaelgate Louise Hart (Campinense-Velo Performance) and Victoria Smith (AeroCoach) opened up a substantial gap. 

They were later joined by Lucy Gadd (Storey Racing), Poppy Thompson (Pro-Noctis-Redchilli Bikes), Katie Scott (CAMS-Basso) forming a sizable, cohesive chase group. 

As the race entered its fifth lap they were assimilated back into the peloton and the advantage held by the lead group plateaued at a little over a minute.

The firepower of this lead group seemed to be diminished by the fifth ascent of Michaelgate, as Christmas and Tindley were both dropped, although they were able to latch back on after the climb. From the peloton, meanwhile, Leah Dixon (Team TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank) launched her own offensive in a speculative attempt to bridge across to the front of the race.

Where the fifth ascent of Michaelgate had cracked the cohesion of the lead group, the sixth ascent shattered it as Georgi attacked shortly before the climb, distancing everyone except Henderson and Lowden. Though the group eventually came back together again on the flatter sections of the course, it indicated Georgi’s strength.

The penultimate ascent of Michaelgate was a cagier affair, and the lead group started the final lap together. Aware that they could not maintain the pace of the climbers on Michaelgate, Drops-Le Col s/b Tempur used their strength in numbers to launch a series of attacks. 

Christian accelerated and was brought back by Tindley and Georgi on the descent. Undeterred, Christian attacked once more and was countered by Tacey, her teammate, who was initially unable to break clear. 

On her second attempt, Tacey built up an advantage of 14 seconds. She seemed set for victory but was then unable to fend off the rest of the group on the final climb, and it was Georgi who attacked, passed her and took the British title. 

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Results
Pos.Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Pfeiffer Georgi (GBr) Team DSM 2:38:43
2Josie Nelson (GBr) Team Coop-Hitec Products 0:00:03
3Joscelin Lowden (GBr) DROPS-LE COL SUPPORTED BY TEMP... 0:00:07
4Anna Henderson (GBr) Team Jumbo-Visma 0:00:09
5Anna Shackley (GBr) Team SD Worx 0:00:12
6April Tacey (GBr) DROPS-LE COL SUPPORTED BY TEMP... 0:00:22
7Sophie Wright (GBr) Alè BTC Ljubljana 0:00:27
8Danielle Shrosbree (GBr) Team LDN - Brother UK 0:00:41
9Jo Tindley (GBr) Pro-Noctis - Redchilli Bikes -... 0:00:44
10Alice Barnes (GBr) CANYON - SRAM RACING 0:00:52
11Dani Christmas (GBr) DROPS-LE COL SUPPORTED BY TEMP... 0:01:04
12Anna Christian (GBr) DROPS-LE COL SUPPORTED BY TEMP... 0:01:08
13Leah Dixon (GBr) Team TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank 0:02:58
14Becky Storrie (GBr) CAMS-Basso 0:03:01
15Daisy Barnes (GBr) Brother U.K - Cycle Team OnFor... 0:03:15
16Beth Harley-Jepson (GBr) Jadan - Vive le Velo 0:05:53
17Elizabeth Bennett (GBr) DROPS-LE COL SUPPORTED BY TEMP... 0:05:57
18Natalie Grinczer (GBr) CAMS-Basso
19Isabel Darvill (GBr) Pro-Noctis - Redchilli Bikes -...
20Illi Gardner (GBr) CAMS-Basso 0:06:00
21Holly MacMahon (GBr) Bianchi Dama 0:06:02
22Elizabeth Sanders (GBr) Avid Sport 0:06:03
23Francesca Hall (GBr) Loughborough Lightning - TRG
24Alice McWilliam (GBr) Grinta Coaching 0:06:05
25Megan Dickerson (GBr) SKODA DSI Cycling Academy
26Victoria Smith (GBr) AeroCoach 0:06:08
27Charlotte Berry (GBr) Pro-Noctis - Redchilli Bikes -... 0:06:10
28Anna Morris (GBr) AeroLab Ward WheelZ 0:06:15
29Jasmine Jones (GBr) Bianchi Dama
30Kate Richardson (GBr) 0:06:18
31Gwenno Hughes (GBr) Crimson Orientation Marketing ... 0:06:49
32Samantha Fawcett (GBr) Pro-Noctis - Redchilli Bikes -... 0:08:44
33Louise Hart (GBr) Campinense - Velo Performance
34Dannielle Khan (GBr) Isorex NoAqua Ladies Cycling T...
35Melissa Greaves (GBr) Crimson Orientation Marketing ... 0:08:52
36Poppy Thompson (GBr) Pro-Noctis - Redchilli Bikes -...
37Suzetta Guerrini (GBr) Team Watto-LDN 0:08:56
38Megan Panton (GBr) MULTUM ACCOUNTANTS - LSK LADIE... 0:09:09
DNFHannah Barnes (GBr) CANYON - SRAM RACING
DNFHannah Bayes (GBr) AWOL- O'Shea
DNFJihanna Bonilla-Allard (GBr) PMRR
DNFSian Botteley (GBr) Brother U.K - Cycle Team OnFor...
DNFLaura Cheesman (GBr) Evans Cycles Race Team
DNFEmily Chilton (GBr) Saint Piran WRT
DNFPenny Colloff (GBr) Paceline RT
DNFAbigail Cooper (GBr) Brother U.K - Cycle Team OnFor...
DNFBexy Dew (GBr) Saint Piran WRT
DNFHarriet Dodd (GBr) Team LDN - Brother UK
DNFSophie Earl (GBr) Crimson Orientation Marketing ...
DNFSophie Enever (GBr) LVIV CYCLING TEAM (Womens)
DNFOlivia French (GBr) SKODA DSI Cycling Academy
DNFLucy Gadd (GBr) Storey Racing
DNFJenny Holl (GBr) TEKKERZ CC
DNFArianne Holland (GBr) Forth Velo
DNFEllen Inglis (GBr) Brother U.K - Cycle Team OnFor...
DNFFlora Knight (GBr) Loughborough Lightning - TRG
DNFHannah Lancaster (GBr) Loughborough Lightning - TRG
DNFRachel Langdon (GBr)
DNFSophie Lankford (GBr) Jadan - Vive le Velo
DNFLucy Lee (GBr) Team LDN - Brother UK
DNFBeth Maciver (GBr) Torvelo Racing
DNFAmy Marks (GBr) Team LDN - Brother UK
DNFPhoebe Martin (GBr) AWOL- O'Shea
DNFMorgan Newberry (GBr) SKODA DSI Cycling Academy
DNFMadeleine Nutt (GBr) Paceline RT
DNFGeorgina Panchaud (GBr) Bianchi Dama
DNFLaura Pittard (GBr) Brother U.K - Cycle Team OnFor...
DNFRebecca Richards (GBr) SKODA DSI Cycling Academy
DNFAmy Roberts (GBr) Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus
DNFCatriona Ross (GBr) Bridport CC
DNFGemma Sargent (GBr) Saint Piran WRT
DNFKatie Scott (GBr) CAMS-Basso
DNFMillie Skinner (GBr) Pro-Noctis - Redchilli Bikes -...
DNFAnya Tamplin (GBr) HuntBikeWheels
DNFAbbie Taylor (GBr) Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus
DNFFiona Turnbull (GBr) LVIV CYCLING TEAM (Womens)
DNFChloe Vickers (GBr) Loughborough Lightning - TRG
DNFDannielle Watkinson (GBr) Team Watto-LDN
DNFLydia Watts (GBr) AWOL Worx Galliard
DNSMadeleine Aldam-Gates (GBr) SKODA DSI Cycling Academy
DNSElynor Backstedt (GBr) TREK - SEGAFREDO
DNSElla Barnwell (GBr) Team Breeze
DNSOlivia Bent (GBr) AWOL- O'Shea
DNSOlivia Bentley (GBr) Torelli-Assure-Cayman Islands
DNSSarah Briggs (GBr) RFDA
DNSCharlotte Buchanan (GBr)
DNSGeorgia Bullard (GBr) Natural Greatness - Vib Sports
DNSImogen Chastell (GBr) Brother U.K - Cycle Team OnFor...
DNSNicole Coates (GBr) Torelli-Assure-Cayman Islands
DNSFrancesca Cutts (GBr) Team LDN - Brother UK
DNSLucy Ellmore (GBr) SKODA DSI Cycling Academy
DNSJessica Finney (GBr) CAMS-Basso
DNSAnnabel Fisher (GBr) Ilkley Cycling Club
DNSMadeleine Gammons (GBr) Jadan - Vive le Velo
DNSAmy Gornall (GBr) Pro-Noctis - Redchilli Bikes -...
DNSConnie Hayes (GBr) AWOL- O'Shea
DNSLauren Higham (GBr) Team LDN - Brother UK
DNSGeorgia Hilleard (GBr) Team Boompods
DNSEluned King (GBr) Team Breeze
DNSAlice Lethbridge (GBr) AWOL- O'Shea
DNSSophie Lewis (GBr) Team Breeze
DNSPolly Mason (GBr) Team LDN - Brother UK
DNSEmily Meakin (GBr) DROPS-LE COL SUPPORTED BY TEMP...
DNSKerry Middleton (GBr) Team LDN - Brother UK
DNSBeth Morrow (GBr) Storey Racing
DNSAbby-Mae Parkinson (GBr) Lotto-Soudal Ladies
DNSGwyneth Parry (GBr) SKODA DSI Cycling Academy
DNSMolly Patch (GBr) Sopela Women’s Team
DNSJennifer Powell (GBr) Pro-Noctis - Redchilli Bikes -...
DNSHelen Ralston (GBr) Paceline RT
DNSAmelia Sharpe (GBr) NXTG Racing
DNSCorinne Side (GBr) Pro-Noctis - Redchilli Bikes -...
DNSHayley Simmonds (GBr) CAMS-Basso
DNSAbi Smith (GBr) Team Breeze
DNSSophie Thackray (GBr) CAMS-Basso
DNSAlice Towers (GBr) DROPS-LE COL SUPPORTED BY TEMP...
DNSEmily Wadsworth (GBr) NXTG Racing
DNSChristina Wiejak (GBr) Saint Piran WRT
DNSEleanor Wiseman (GBr)

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Issy Ronald has just graduated from the London School of Economics where she studied for an undergraduate and masters degree in History and International Relations. Since doing an internship at Procycling magazine, she has written reports for races like the Tour of Britain, Bretagne Classic and World Championships, as well as news items, recaps of the general classification at the Grand Tours and some features for Cyclingnews. Away from cycling, she enjoys reading, attempting to bake, going to the theatre and watching a probably unhealthy amount of live sport.

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