Halfords Tours series

Katie Noakes Report

That was a pretty good race for me. I was racing in stoke tonight in the women's johnson's health tech race. The women's version of the tour series.
The race went off like a firework!!! I think I got a great start, top ten for half a lap but then I drifted backwards. I stuck in there but I was dropped quickly. It was a half an hour race plus 5 laps. I enjoyed the race and I know that I have so much to improve but tonight was a good start!!!! so overall it been a fun evening and it will all happen again on thursday in Oldham. Well done to all the girls racing today and the winner Dani King.

Nikola Butler of the Inverse RT/Cyclaim racing team writes …



It’s been a whirlwind of a year so far. After consulting a few people following my first season racing cyclo-cross, I decided I needed to get faster and that to get faster, I needed to do a bit of racing on my road bike.
But how would I learn how to road race? I’m not a school kid, I’ve come to the sport recently and I’m in my late twenties. What exists for people like me?

Nikola wasn’t the only former rower racing at Bashall Eves as Rebecca Romero was in the peloton as well.

I had made a plan to try a few circuit races at Tameside with some of the lads from my club, Pedalsport. Training was to involve hanging onto the Pedalsport chaingang for as long as possible but would that be enough? I’d read a lot on Twitter and in cycling magazines about 3/4 cat races being dangerous and full of newbies who were fit but clueless when it came to racing and being pretty self conscious anyway, I didn’t want to be one of those.
As I was considering my options, my club mate James posted on the club forum suggesting that I go to some women’s road race training Jenny Gretton and Matt Winston were running at the Tameside Circuit in Ashton-Under-Lyne (Manchester). I made enquiries and nervously went along to the second session in February not really knowing what to expect.
Ten weeks later and I actually felt like I could go out and race without making a fool of myself and more importantly, without being a danger. I was more confident in my ability and speed and I’d met a great mix of girls too. I have learnt something different from them all and had a great time with them too.
As we were approaching the last couple of sessions, Jenny Gretton helped me find a couple of road races but I was adamant I wanted to try a few circuit races first and master that before I was let loose on the roads. Then I got the offer of doing the Women’s Bedford 2 Day with the Inverse women’s team, in two weeks time. It all felt a bit mad doing a Two day stage race as my first road racing so I asked a few people whose views I really respect and they all said go for it.
So I did.
In 10 days, I did my 1st and 2nd time trials, first team time trial, 1st, 2nd and 3rd road race. I finished Bedford in the top 50 and managed to cling on at Bashall Eaves (a Jo Bruton National Trophy Road Race) the following week and finished at the back of the bunch. I call that a good start and now I’m hooked!
I love going fast on my bike. I love the feeling of conquering a big hill and of taking a corner well. I’m even starting to enjoy descending. My favourite routes for climbing are around Bowland. It’s quieter than the Dales but I think it’s just as scenic over there. The Nick of Pendle, Waddington Fell and the Trough of Bowland are some of my favourite places. For going faster, I love riding out to Saddleworth. There are so many different routes to take from where I live in Halifax. And I love riding around Rivington when I’m over at my boyfriend’s in Bolton. I’m spoilt for routes really.

Bashal Eaves RR

There’s nothing better than riding over Saddleworth moor on a glorious day speeding down from Buckstones after a long climb from Denshaw.
Racing is also a welcome distraction from what is a busy time at work, full of change and uncertainty. It’s also making me think carefully about my ‘work life balance’. A couple of years ago I spent more time on trains to London than I did on my bike. Now I’m carefully considering if I really need to travel because I want to be out training and racing. Work was a major factor in my decision to finally give up on rowing and concentrate on doing something with my bike.
Trying to row in a crew with other busy professional women was a real struggle. We were travelling, studying and trying to spend time with our loved ones so the crew started to come to a natural end. I’d been rowing since university and it was a big decision to try something new and leave a club I’d become a big part of but I could be more selfish on the bike; I could keep my friends at the club and, at 5’ 4”, I was never going to make a big impression on the national rowing scene!
Pedalsport is big on cyclo-cross and I’d done a few races in the Yorkshire points series. With no training, I’d done pretty well, so decided that I would have a go at doing it properly. I had a great mentor in Mark Rushby, whose ear got bent on many occasions, and still does, and some very talented riders around me who were all very supportive. Last year I entered some National Trophy races and learned a lot from them. I’ve already started preparing for next season – warm ups, food, drink, gels, kit, spare bikes.

Nikola with one of her teammates during the final stage of the Bedford Two day at Millbrook.

All things you just don’t know too much about when you turn up at your first race.
I didn’t even know where to pin my number on for my first National Trophy. I also rely on my team mates’ pit crews and the fact that Pedalsport is run from a bike shop for my maintenance. I know girls that can’t even take a wheel off but my boyfriend doesn’t cycle so I have got to grips with some basics out of necessity (and pride!) but I know that the shop is only five minutes away when I need them. And I can ask them stupid questions knowing I’ll only get a bit of stick…
Sitting on the start line at a National Trophy was very daunting last year. All the other girls seemed to know each other and I didn’t know any of them. I didn’t want to go into road racing feeling like that so jumped at the chance of riding with the Inverse girls. They’ve been fantastic and made me feel like one of the team straight away. It was also great that three of us ended up working together for a large part of the first road race at Bedford. I feel lucky to have two great teams around me and a number of people to talk to. I’ve stayed close to Jenny and Matt after the Tameside sessions and the other girls pop up at local races.

Getting to grips with the challenges of road racing at Millbrook and the tough climbs is Nikola (left) in a small group.

Next for me is preparing for the Tour Series (Johnson Health Tech Women’s Tour Series) rounds in Stoke and Oldham. I’ve been working with a coach to prepare for that. It’s still early days but I feel like I’m improving every time I get on the bike but still I’m still very aware of how much I have to learn. I want to be able to stay in the bunch and be in a position to attack. The bunch is quite an intimidating place and it’s easy to end up at the back without even realising it. It’s also much harder work at the back as my legs can testify.
The opportunities Inverse have opened up for me, like the Tour Series, are things I never imagined I’d be doing last year when my mind was on the upcoming 2010/2011 Cyclo-Cross season, so a big thanks to Andy Saunders and what he’s doing for women who want to race.