TAVISTOCK'S Louise Amery, riding in her first ever cycling road race, battled against the odds to claim a morale-boosting result in the National Women's Series Race held at Southwick, Hampshire.
Bikinmotion /Lower Chelston Flat Roofing Cycling Club junior Louise had only returned to training the week before the race after a two-month lay-off due to a wrist fracture, sustained whilst training.
The race, which featured the top women in the country, started at a ferocious pace. This led to the field splitting into four groups on the first hill.
Louise found herself in the second group which, with a determined effort over the next five miles, regained contact with the leaders. An untimely puncture left her again chasing the lead group, this time working with two other riders.
The gap to the leaders had opened after the puncture, was decisive and proved impossible to bridge.
At the finish line Louise demonstrated how strong she was by outsprinting her group, which included British international track rider Jo Tinley.
With normal training resumed and better luck, Louise will be able to show her full potential at the next round of the series, to be held on April 25 in Cheshire.