| A quintet of London 2012's Olympic Champions will take to the streets of Redditch this week, as the Pearl Izumi Tour Series cycling returns to Worcestershire on Tuesday 19 May. Double Olympic Champion Laura Trott, as well as her victorious Team Pursuit teammates Dani King and Joanna Rowsell will all be taking part in the opening round of the women's Matrix Fitness GP Series at 1800 in Redditch, while fellow Olympians Ed Clancy and Steven Burke will also be in action in the men's event at 1930. The event takes place on a 1.4-kilometre circuit in the centre of Redditch, starting and finishing on Church Green West, including the climb of Union Hill every lap, with local support events going on from 1400. Trott will be leading her Matrix Fitness team in the first event of the five-round women's Series, with local Solihull rider Lucy Shaw and World Track Champion Elinor Barker among her teammates for the 45-minute race. Rowsell will be racing for the Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International team, who could also include Birmingham based Great Britain rider Ciara Horne and multiple Paralympic Champion Dame Sarah Storey. The third member of the victorious Great Britain team pursuit squad Dani King will represent Wiggle Honda in the race, while Team WNT will feature Commonwealth Games medallist Charline Joiner to complete a star studded field of over 60-riders. Worcestershire spectators can also get behind local riders Emily Kay, a Junior World Pursuit Champion, from Bromsgrove and Great Britain mountain biker Beth Crumpton, who hails from Redditch itself. In the men's Series, which visits Redditch for a fourth year in a row, it will be the ONE Pro Cycling team co-owned by England cricketer Matt Prior, who took maximum points from last week's double-header opening round at Ryde on the Isle of Wight. Defending Pearl Izumi Tour Series champions JLT Condor will hope to bounce back after a disappointing opening event and will again field Ed Clancy, while Team WIGGINS will have fellow 2012 Team Pursuiter Steven Burke in their line-up for the race. |
Round One Thursday 14 May Ryde, Isle of Wight Round Two Tuesday 19 May Redditch Round Three Friday 22 May Aberystwyth Round Four Tuesday 26 May Motherwell Round Five Thursday 28 May Durham Round Six Friday 29 May Barrow Round Seven Tuesday 2 June Croydon Round Eight Thursday 4 June Canary Wharf Round Nine Tuesday 9 June Peterborough Round Ten Thursday 11 June Bath The nine teams for the 2015 Pearl Izumi Tour Series will be JLT Condor presented by Mavic; Madison Genesis, NFTO Pro Cycling, ONE Pro Cycling, Pedal Heaven RT, SportGrub Kuota; Team Raleigh – GAC; Team WIGGINS; and Velosure Starley Primal. Joining them will be one guest team per round. |