Teams For Women's Tour Announced

Spanish professional squad Lointek and the Swiss national team have been confirmed as the final two squads for the 16-team Women's Tour line-up.
 
Switzerland will ride The Women's Tour with a young squad, including reigning mountain biking Under-23 World Cross Country Champion Jolanda Neff, ranked fifth in the UCI's world cross country rankings.
 
The Swiss team will compete alongside fellow national teams from the Netherlands and Great Britain.
 
The Spanish registered Lointek will include a mixture of Spanish and French professionals, among the latter former French National Champion Melodie Lesueur and Aude Biannic, tenth in the road race at the 2012 Olympics.
 
In total teams from 10 countries will take part in the inaugural Women's Tour.
 
The full list of teams is as follows:
 
Astana Bepink Women's Team (Ita);

Boels Dolmans Cycling Team (Ned);

Estado de Mexico Faren (Mex);

Great Britain (GBr);

Hitec Products (Nor);

Lointek (Esp);

Lotto Belisol Ladies (Bel);

Matrix Fitness – Vulpine (GBr);

Netherlands (Ned);

Optum P/B Kelly Benefit Strategies (USA);

Orica – AIS (Aus);

Rabo Liv Women's Cycling Team (Ned);

Specialized – Lululemon (USA);

Switzerland (Sui);

UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team (USA);

Wiggle Honda (GBr)
 
The Women's Tour will take place over five stages between Wednesday 7^th and Sunday 11^th May, beginning in Northamptonshire with an opening stage from Oundle to Northampton.
 
Leicestershire, Bedfordshire, Essex and Hertfordshire will all host subsequent stages in the event, before the final stage finish in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, with highlights of every stage shown on ITV4.
 
 
The Women's Tour
Created by SweetSpot Group, The Women's Tour will bring world-class women's cycling to the UK in the country's first ever international stage-race, bringing the world's top riders to compete against Britain's Olympic heroines. 
 
SweetSpot are an event organiser and sports marketing company behind the organisation of The Tour of Britain, the UK's biggest professional cycle race and the country's largest free-to-watch sporting event, and the creation of the unique Tour Series
 
The Women's Tour will run from Wednesday 7^th to Sunday 11^th May 2014.
 
Wednesday 7^th May       Stage One: Oundle to Northampton
Thursday 8^th May           Stage Two: Hinckley to Bedford
Friday 9^th May                Stage Three: Felixstowe to Clacton
Saturday 10^th May          Stage Four: Cheshunt to Welwyn Garden City
Sunday 11^th May            Stage Five: Harwich to Bury St Edmunds