Saint Piran WRT takes top spot in the British Women’s Team Cup Series
This weekend saw the first round of the British Women’s Team Cup Series and with it the first opportunity for Saint Piran’s Women’s Race Team to take part in an event as a team unit to show what they can do. And that’s exactly what they did!
The British Women’s Team Cup series combines multiple events throughout the race season and it’s a fantastic opportunity for teams to work together to accumulate points. The series has been running since 2000, but has run into Covid restrictions this year. While the intention is for the series to resume in May as a road race event, in the meantime the series has moved to a Zwift format, with four races planned for the early part of the season. A total of 22 teams are currently registered.
The first race on Sunday featured 45 competitors from 15 teams. The Saint Piran WRT team consisted of four riders - Bexy Dew and Laura Senior from the first team, and Bekki Seal and Fran Brown from the second team. This was a great way to combine the two tiers within our set up and for all to be involved, racing and gaining experience together.
The entire team did an amazing job, with Bexy, Laura and Bekki showing strong teamwork in the front group while Fran was working hard in another group that had formed. It was by no means a flat, easy course, and there was some brutal climbing and big attacks from other riders. DS on the day was James Bevan, who did a great job of managing the riders. A huge thanks goes to him.
As the front group was gradually being whittled down, Saint Piran WRT was a united force, making up three of the seven leading riders. Everything lined up for a sprint finish and big congratulations to Victoria Lovett who’s sprint was who came out ahead. Laura Senior came in second, Bekki Seal fourth and Bexy Dew fifth - three Saint Piran WRT members in the top five.
Adding in Fran’s final position, Saint Piran WRT’s accumulated points puts the team comfortably at the top of the overall team cup standings. Fantastic work by all the riders and a huge thank you to the organisers who have worked with all the restrictions to come up with a different format for this year. It’s one that we are very excited to be a part of.
Saint Piran WRT rider Bekki Seal says:
“It was a pleasure riding the first race of the British Team Cup for Saint Piran WRT. We didn’t expect the first race to be on Zwift so we were pleased to get four riders together to take on the challenge. This was always going to be a team effort and we executed this plan to the letter. It was a race of attrition, with each surge thinning the leading pack. The hills played to Bexy and my own strengths, and Laura planned to take on the sprint to the line. My role was to respond to any surges and breaks and for Laura to sprint on through, sticking to the wheel of the rider we marked to push for the win. What a race, and what a result for Saint Piran WRT’s first as a team - albeit in the virtual world. We can’t wait to see what the rest of the season brings.”
Team manager Jenny Bolsom added:
“Round Two, around the Surrey Hills on Sunday 11th April, will again take place on Zwift. Live streaming is available via Full Speed Events. The commentary was brilliant today, though we’re not sure who San Peeeran is…”
