Disaster struck 20 minutes into the race, near Northwich, when an oncoming car hit a cyclist on the outside of Ashton’s group, causing a 12-bicycle crash.
The 23-year-old was one of the worst affected as she was hospitalised with a broken wrist and nasty head wound.
Another cyclist, Fern Cotterill, was also hospitalised following the incident with a fractured elbow and cracked wrist.
• See Saturday’s JEP for the full report
