The 2015 Pearl Izumi Tour Series will hold its grand finale in Bath on Thursday 11th June, with riders giving it their all to be crowned Britain’s fastest team.
Top British men’s teams will be battling it out a closed road circuit that takes in the Royal Crescent, Marlborough Buildings, Brock Street, The Circus, Gay Street and Royal Avenue.
Bath & North East Somerset Council is working with the community and the organisers to ensure the event goes ahead and attracts lots of interest from local people.
Activities will start at 10.30am in Royal Avenue with cycling activities for local primary and secondary school children.
This will be followed by an amateur event for keen local cyclists and the opportunity for eight corporate teams to enter and race on the Pearl Izumi route.
The day will culminate with the Men’s Grand Final at 7.30pm.
The day will combine the cycle racing with a festival atmosphere for spectators, as the three acre piece area of Royal Victoria Park (in front of Royal Crescent) hosts activities and entertainment for all, with local food and drink available.
Members of the public are invited to line the route where they will be just feet away from the riders making for a fantastic day that will bring Bath’s streets to life with world-class cycling.
Councillor David Dixon (Lib-Dem, Oldfield), Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, said: “We’re very excited to be hosting the 2015 Pearl Izumi Tour Series Final in Bath, on the back of hosting last year’s Tour of Britain.
“We want to use the event to continue to inspire people to cycle, particularly young people and will be ensuring there are activities for the whole community to enjoy throughout the day in Royal Avenue and Royal Victoria Park.
“There are many health benefits associated with cycling, and by holding an event of this scale, which we expect to attract around 10,000 spectators, we have a great opportunity to promote cycling and a more active lifestyle to local people.”
The series starts in Ryde on the Isle of Wight on Thursday 14th May and will culminate five weeks and 12 events later in Bath.
There will be two new teams among the nine squads: 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.
Highlights will be shown on ITV4, screened the following evening, the seventh successive year it has been televised by ITV.
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).
You can follow The Pearl Izumi Tour Series on Twitter @TourSeries #tourseries or Facebook or via the official website at www.tourseries.co.uk