Excellent field for inaugural Horizon Fitness Women’s Grand

[veloriders]

Top female racers to do battle on the streets of Stoke-on-Trent ahead of The Halfords Tour Series A high-quality field led by the Motorpoint–Marshalls Pasta and Horizon Fitness teams will fight it out for victory in the first ever Horizon Fitness Women’s Grand Prix, taking place in Stoke-on-Trent, on Thursday 17th June. Led by the likes of National Criterium Champion, Dani King, and National Cyclo X Champion and No. 3 in the world, Helen Wyman, (Horizon Fitness), a field containing many of Britain’s top female cyclists will race on the same 1.2km circuit as the Halfords Tour Series later in the evening.

Other names due to take part include Great Britain national team member Anna Blyth, and Welsh Champion Hannah Rich. Further entries are expected and entry positions are still available, however riders and team managers are encouraged to get in touch quickly to ensure their place on the start line.

Commenting on the race, Halfords Tour Series Technical Director Mick Bennett said:

“I’m looking forward to the Horizon Fitness Women’s Grand Prix, as I think it will provide a fantastic showcase for women’s road racing in this country, and the opportunity for some top-class female riders to race in front of The Halfords Tour Series crowds.

“I’d encourage anyone coming along to spectate at The Halfords Tour Series race to come up to the city centre earlier and to lend their support to the women racing in the Grand Prix. It is a great chance to see some outstanding athletes and great prospects for the future racing up close.”

The 15.00 start means the women raise the curtain on an action-packed afternoon of cycling in the city of Stoke-on-Trent, with the Horizon Fitness Women’s Grand Prix lasting for 30 minutes plus 5 laps. Highlights of the race will also be shown during The Halfords Tour Series programme on ITV4 the following evening.

Run under the standard British Cycling rules and regulations for circuit races, the Horizon Fitness Women’s Grand Prix is open to domestically registered British Cycling licence holders with Elite, 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th category licences.

With the winner receiving the same cash prize as the men’s Halfords Tour Series race winner, and additional cash prizes on offer to the top fifteen finishers, there is every incentive to take part in this exciting new race.

Entry to the Horizon Fitness Women’s Grand Prix is £20, with entries available on the line if places are still available on the day. Enquiries and entries should be sent to Andy Hawes via email (hawesa@thetour.co.uk) or via post at the SweetSpot Group Head Office, with cheques made payable to SweetSpot Group Ltd.

For more information on The Halfords Tour Series visit www.tourseries.co.uk or follow the action via Twitter at www.twitter.com/TourSeries

The Halfords Tour Series and The Tour of Britain are proud to be partnered with The Prostate Cancer Charity.
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Notes to Editor

For more information on The Halfords Tour Series, please visit: www.tourseries.co.uk. Follow The Halfords Tour Series on Facebook and Twitter http://twitter.com/TourSeries.

Round 1 25th May Canary Wharf
Round 2 27th May Durham
Round 3 1st June Portsmouth
Round 4 3rd June Exeter
Round 5 8th June Southport
Round 6 10th June Kettering
Round 7 15th June Peterborough
Round 8 17th June Stoke-on-Trent
Round 9 21st June Chester
Round 10 24th June Woking

About Halfords
Halfords is the UK’s leading *CENSORED* retailer for automotive parts and accessories, cycling and leisure. We provide a unique mix of 10,000 products to help keep our customers on the move and enjoy their active leisure time.

We have 10,000 staff and our 469 UK stores puts 90% of consumers in the UK within an average of 18 minutes drive from their nearest Halfords. Meanwhile we are building a significant presence in Ireland. Halfords customers can also shop at our award-winning website to access an extended product range. Through Reserve and Collect they can check availability, order on line and pick up at their local store. Customers can furthermore locate and reserve items for their car through Text and Reserve, and have product delivered to their nearest store through Free Delivery To Store.

About The Halfords Tour Series
The Halfords Tour Series is a calendar of ten cycle races, launched in 2009, based on short, exciting town and city centre circuits at venues across the UK. Each race is action-packed, bringing the thrills, and *CENSORED*, of professional cycling up close to thousands of spectators at every venue. Uniquely, The Halfords Tour Series focuses on the teams rather than individual riders, with ten top British teams battling it out to be crowned the number one team.

The Halfords Tour Series is organised by SweetSpot Group Ltd, the company behind the successful revival of The Tour of Britain, re-launching the event in 2004 after a five-year absence from the calendar. SweetSpot is a sports marketing and events company *CENSORED* in the creation and execution of high quality, commercially successful, annual sporting events.

As well as The Tour of Britain, SweetSpot was responsible for facilitating the Grand Départ of the Tour de France in London 2007 and provided logistical support for Honda’s Earth Dreams Tour.

The company is also the organiser behind The Great Tour – a brand new annual endurance cycling challenge around the coastline of Britain, created to raise awareness and provide a fundraising platform for charities around the UK - www.thegreattour.org

For further information, visit www.tourseries.co.uk
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