Tom Scully notches first win for Team Raleigh

Team Raleigh notched up its first win of the season thanks to new signing Tom Scully at the Tour of Normandie earlier this week. 

The Kiwi rider, nicknamed 'The Scud,' spent the end of last season as a stagiaire for Garmin-Sharp and clocked the fastest time over the 3.4km of Monday's opening prologue for the UCI 2.2 ranked event. 

Scully relinquished the race lead on Tuesday's opening road stage but former overall winner Alex Blain, now Scully's teammate at Raleigh, finished third to keep his hopes of victory in the six-day event alive. The race concludes on Sunday. 

George Moore gets off to a good start on Ibbo fund

Briton George Moore has taken little time to settle in to racing in France, taking ninth place in the Fléche de Locminé in Brittany at the weekend, an Elite National race. Moore moved to France in February and rides for UCL Hennebont. Along with Joshua Lawless, Moore is backed by the John Ibbotson fund through the 2013 season. Sam Allen, who was backed by the fund two previous years, has stayed in France and also rides for the Hennebont team as does Hammish Graham, a Dave Raynor funded rider.

Cheshire Cat; UK's first super sportive of 2013

Three and a half thousand riders are due to tackle the Wiggle Cheshire Cat this weekend. The sportive is the first of the UK's big events in 2013. The route starts and finishes at Alexandra stadium in Crewe and not only will the riders have to take on the feared Mow Cop climb, they'll have to take on the weather. With no sign of the British winter coming to an end the riders will face temperatures that range from 0 degrees to -3 (with wind chill), although it is due to stay dry. Wrap up warm! For more details go to the Event website

Rowsell takes aim at Fleche Wallonne

The women's Fleche Wallonne on April 17 will be the next target for Wiggle-Honda's Joanna Rowsell as she gets stuck into her first full season on the road. Currently on training camp in Northern Italy, the first time all of the team has got together, the Olympic gold medalist explained to CW that the morale of the team is high after picking up its first two wins this month, most recently with Giorgia Bronzini at the GP Citta di Padova last Saturday where Rowsell was a key domestique.

"We've got a good mixture of people here and although I haven't done much with the team I already feel like I know everybody quite well and get on with everybody," she said. "Just riding alongside Giorgia [Bronzini] and chatting to her about the race we did on Saturday is so helpful, explaining what I did well and what I can work on.

"It was a big shock to the system getting into races. We averaged nearly 42kmph on Saturday for nearly three hours. I just need more race practice, because I can train on my own as much as I want but I can't get that real race fitness without racing."

Rapha launch spring/summer 2013 city riding range

Rapha launched their 2013 Spring Summer city riding range last week, featuring clothing suitable for riding around town without looking like a cyclist. Those in the know will spot it's Rapha straight away as the distinctive arm band is featured, but no one else will know.

Before making your mind up, we recommend you take a look. The clothing looks good and works well, especially the merino hooded. Check out the range on their website

Wally Gimber attracts strong domestic field

Double Olympic champion Ed Clancy leads the field at the Wally Gimber road race in Kent this Sunday. The National B event, first run in 1960, is a mainstay of the racing scene in the South East and has attracted increasingly high quality fields over recent years. Clancy is joined by Rapha Condor JLT team mates Elliott Porter, Felix English, Hugh Carthy, James McCullum and Will Stephenson.

Wouter Sybrandy continues his recovery from his Tour of Britain crash and rides with five IG Sigma Sport team mates. Other teams include Felt-Colbornes, Pedal Heaven, MG Maxifuel, SpinRotor Primal Europe, Team Corley Cycles and Twenty 3C Focus. The event HQ is in Woodchurch, near Ashford in Kent.

Still time to enter the CW South Downs Sportive this weekend

If you haven't yet put your name down for the Cycling Weekly South Downs Sportive, which takes place this Saturday from Plumpton Racecourse in East Sussex, then you still have time to do so. 

The second event in Cycling Weekly Sportive Series gives you a choice of three distances to suit all goals and abilities; the Short (33 miles), the Standard (57 miles) and the Epic (74 miles). All include full signage, mechanical support, feed zones and a complimentary goody bag at the end of the ride. 

Head to the Cycling Shop to get your entry in.

What's on this weekend

International

Ghent - Wevelgem (March 24)

E3 - Harelbeke (March 22)

Criterium International (March 23-24)

British

Wally Gimber Trophy, Kent (March 24)

Cadence junior road race, Brecon - round one of the National Junior road race series (March 24)

Get in touch

We want to hear what's happening in your area - from racing
results to sportives, recreational cycling to commuting. To submit your
stories for CW's British news round-up, please
email Nick Bull or Richard Abraham

Related links

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