GB junior success continues at Junior Peace Race

Great Britain's junior riders produced another fine performance in the Junior Nations Cup last weekend at the Junior Peace Race in the Czech Republic.

Tao Geoghegan Hart, who won the overall at the Tour of Itsria in April, finished fifth overall in the four day stage race behind Danish rider Mads Pedersen, also clocking up a second place finish on stage three. 

The highlight of the race was a British one-two on stage 2b thanks to Germain Burton (first) and his leadout man Chris Lawless. Lawless also took third on the final stage to help Great Britain remain second in the Nations Cup rankings behind France. 

"It was a good performance all round from the team, everyone was riding well together and we had a real good boost to morale," Olympic Development Programme (ODP) endurance coach Matt Winston told CW. "Everybody was able to get stuck in and contribute to the team, it was a real team performance."

Burton was riding his first race for the ODP this season after an early season injury but impressed Winston with his stage win.

"This was Germain's first race but he's been on all the training camps and we know what he can do," Winston added. "The lads did a good leadout for him and they finished it off with a one-two, which was pefect."

Great Britain's junior will line up at the next round of the Nations Cup, the Trofeo Karlsberg (May 30 - June 2), before turning their attention to the junior track world championships in Glasgow which start on August 7.

"The track worlds are our big hit this year and we'll skip the last two Nations Cup rounds; one clashes directly with the lead in to the worlds and the other clashes directly with the worlds," Winston explained.

"As long as we finish in the top ten [in the Nations Cup] and qualify six places for the road world championships, which I think we'll do now. We've scored more points than last year, and we qualified six last year." 

Related links

Tao Geoghegan Hart third at Junior Paris-Roubaix