Cycling: Widnes star Lucy Martin impresses at British Championships

Jun 30 2011 by David Bergin, Runcorn and Widnes Weekly News

LUCY Martin continues to set a hot pace after impressing at the Elite Women’s British National Road Race Championships.

The former Riverside College student finished an impressive sixth overall in the open-age competition at the event which took place over a 64km course near Newcastle-upon- Tyne.

The race included an Under 23s event within the main championship, where the Widnesian finished second behind team pursuit world champion Laura Trott.

Martin said: “The top four included three of my Garmin Cervelo team-mates so it was a huge day for the team.

“Lizzie Armitstead won the title from multiple world and olympic champion Nicole Cooke, team- mate Sharon Laws and former champion and World TT champion Emma Pooley.

“So the race was full of the top elite women riders in the world and shows the level and success of female British cyclists.”

This week, Martin will compete at the biggest stage race of the season, the Giro d’Italia.

The 10-day race includes mountain passes such as the Motorolia and starts in Rome tomorrow (Friday).

She will be riding as part of Garmin Cervelo Team with seven other team-mates, all looking to support Emma Pooley who has a huge chance of winning the overall race this year.