Readers may remember back in January, OnTheWight announced the Pearl Izumi Tour Series was coming to the Isle of Wight.
Sue from Visit Isle of Wight give us an update to the event. Ed
The 2015 Pearl Izumi Tour Series will start with a ticket to Ryde for Britain’s nine fastest teams, as they head to the Isle of Wight on Thursday 14 May, which will culminate five weeks and twelve events later in the world-famous city of Bath on Thursday 11 June.
Four new venues join the unique, team based Pearl Izumi Tour Series, sponsored by leading cycling, running and triathlon apparel brand Pearl Izumi, with Motherwell in Scotland and Croydon joining Ryde and Bath on the ten event schedule, with two debutant teams among the nine squads that will take part in the 2015 Series.
Team WIGGINS
The brand new Team WIGGINS formed by 2012 Tour de France winner Sir Bradley Wiggins and the ONE Pro Cycling team of England cricketer Matt Prior join the list of teams headlined by defending champions JLT Condor presented by Mavic, who hope to become the first squad to defend their Tour Series title.
Commenting on the announcement, Kellie Parsons, Marketing Director of Madison, Series sponsors with the Pearl Izumi brand said,
“This is our third year as title sponsor of the Pearl Izumi Tour Series. Last year’s Series was a huge success and the line-up of venues sets the tone for an exciting five weeks of racing.”
Opening the series in Ryde
Week One sees the opening round take place on the Isle of Wight in Ryde, with a tough climb of Union Street shaping the circuit that will play host to an opening team time trial and traditional circuit race.
Week Two continues with the return of two regular venues, Redditch in Worcestershire on the Tuesday evening before the Aberystwyth event on the Friday night kicks off the weekend festival of cycling in the Welsh resort with both a circuit race and a hill climb up to Constitution Hill overlooking the town.
Half-term events
A triple-header week of events will take place during half-term, with a new race in Motherwell, host to the triathlon events during the 2014 Commonwealth Games, before Thursday night’s notorious Durham race and a return for the very popular Barrow event in Cumbria on the Friday night.
The penultimate week of racing will see two events in London, with a first visit to Croydon on the Tuesday before the Thursday night’s race in Canary Wharf, which will also include the popular Corporate Grand Prix event.
The final week of racing will see Peterborough host Round Nine before the final event in the historic city of Bath, using an iconic circuit that takes in the Royal Crescent. All ten rounds will once again have highlights on ITV4, screened the following evening, the seventh successive year it has been televised by ITV.
Thornton: “A major coup for the Island”
David Thornton, CEO, Visit Isle of Wight said:
“Securing pole position of the prestigious Pearl Izumi Tour series – AND hosting the opening team time trial – is a major coup for the Island.
“The Isle of Wight is the only place on the south coast where you can see the race and we look forward to welcoming visitors from Portsmouth, Southampton, the New Forest and further afield. Not only will they be able to enjoy the thrills of the racing action, but also use it as a reason to stay over and embrace the unique atmosphere that a sporting event of this stature brings to an area.”
“We are delighted to announce the seventh season of the Pearl Izumi Tour Series with prestigious new venues and high-profile new teams,” said Mick Bennett, Race Director of Series organisers SweetSpot.
“The season ahead is certainly going to be highly-competitive and we look forward to what will be an action packed five weeks of competition with Britain’s fastest teams vying for the title.
“As always we have tried to challenge our teams with something new, so we have four new circuits plus what will be a very tough hill climb event as a part of the Aberystwyth event.”
Other cycling teams
Alongside JLT Condor presented by Mavic, ONE Pro Cycling and Team WIGGINS, three further British registered UCI Continental teams will take part – Madison Genesis, NFTO Pro Cycling and Team Raleigh – GAC.
Three further non-UCI British teams will also enter the full Series, Pedal Heaven RT, SportGrub Kuota and Velosure Starley Primal, with a new trophy being inaugurated for the highest placed non-UCI team at the end of the Series.
The Pearl Izumi Tour Series will also once again include a five-round women’s Grand Prix Series, culminating just a week before the biggest women’s cycle race in the UK, the Friends Life Women’s Tour (17-21 June). Further details of the Grand Prix Series, including venues, will be announced shortly.
Past winners of the unique, team based Pearl Izumi Tour Series are Team Halfords Bikehut (2009), Motorpoint Marshalls Pasta (2010), Rapha Condor Sharp (2011), Endura Racing (2012), Team UK Youth (2013) and Rapha Condor JLT (2014).
