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Sun, 15 May 2011
Women's Grand Prix Series is GO!
Johnson Health Tech Women's Grand Prix 2011
The Motorpoint and Horizon Fitness teams came face-to-face for the first time this year as a part of the Johnson Health Tech Women's Grand Prix Series at Canary Wharf.
Riders from both teams were on hand, along with representatives of the Inverse, Mule Bar, Condor Cycles, For Viored and Look Mum No Hands teams, to officially unveil the white Johnson Health Tech leader's jersey for the new-for-2011 Series.
Jon Johnston, Managing Director of Johnson Health Tech UK presented the jersey to just some of the riders who will be taking part in the four round Series, bringing top-class women's racing to The Halfords Tour Series this May and June.
"It's really good publicity for women's cycling to try and grow it and make it bigger," says Hannah Rich of the Horizon Fitness team (pictured centre, with jersey). "I'm really looking forward to trying to make women's cycling a bigger part of cycling in Britain.
"I think all the riders will help make it a good show for everyone coming along to watch. There'll be just as much to watch as in the men's race, we're not just going to sit in and ride around as a bunch, we're going to make it as entertaining as possible.
"I'm really looking forward to it, and I should be racing every round, so looking to the Overall competition too."
As for Rich's aims, then she's looking for her Horizon Fitness team to take the overall team's prize, as well as the sprints classification. The 20-year-old from from Undy in Monmouthshire though predicts a tough and exciting competition.
"There's a lot of good girls around at the moment, including the junior Motorpoint girls, so there's quite a lot of people to watch out for, which will keep us on our toes!"
One of the biggest rivals to Rich and her Horizon Fitness teammates is the aforementioned Motorpoint team. Hannah Barnes (pictured three from right) came second in the Horizon Fitness Grand Prix that supported the Stoke-on-Trent round of The Halfords Tour Series in 2010, and this year she wants to go one better.
"We'd like to win! That's the main aim! Last year in Stoke Horizon Fitness took it over, so I think that's why Phil (Griffiths) has put together a bigger team as we were outnumbered, so hopefully this year we stand more of a chance to get the win.
"Last year when we did Stoke it was really good, so now it's later on in the day there'll be a bigger crowd, so it'll be really good. It's really good for the teams and sponsors, and then you get to watch the men's Halfords Tour Series afterwards, so you're really a part of it."
The Johnson Health Tech Women's Grand Prix Series kicks off at Peterborough on Tuesday 31st May, with the race getting underway at 17.00, with highlights shown on ITV4 the following evening as a part of The Halfords Tour Series action.
Johnson Health Tech Women's Grand Prix Series
Tue 31 May - Round One - 17.00 - Peterborough
Tue 7 June - Round Two - 17.30 - Stoke-on-Trent
Thu 9 June - Round Three - 17.00 - Oldham
Tue 14 June - Round Four - 17.00 - Woking
For further details on the Tour Series, visit www.tourseries.co.uk