Laura Trott and Giorgia Bronzini will go head-to-head in pursuit of a second Prudential RideLondon Grand Prix title on the streets of central London on Saturday, 1 August, as some of the biggest stars of women’s road cycling gear up for the prestigious criterium race.
Inaugural winner Trott and defending champion Bronzini are just two of the world-class stars who will be hurtling around the 1.3-mile loop course bordering St James’s Park at 18:00.
Trott won the 2013 title in spectacular style – just a year after winning two Olympic track golds at London 2012 – when she outsprinted national criterium champion Hannah Barnes on The Mall to take the title. Bronzini took the victory last year in a thrilling sprint finish against Olympic road race champion Marianne Vos.
Both would dearly love to top the podium for a second time in 2015, when Trott will be leading her new team, Matrix Pro Cycling, with Bronzini again sporting the bright orange stripe of Wiggle Honda.
Both teams will have a big presence in the race as they look to support their star riders. Trott, whose focus is the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, is in good form on the road having come third in the national road race championships in June.
“It’s going to be a great race, with something like the 10 best sprinters in the world competing,” said Trott today as she met the public at the Prudential RideLondon Cycling Show. “My form has been pretty good on the track and although this is a road race, I still hope to do very well.”
Bronzini has had a consistent season and with her Wiggle Honda teammates, including British Olympian Dani King and Scot Eileen Roe, lined up to play a supporting role, she may well be delivered to the line. Roe could even look for a win herself though after coming second on a similarly flat course at the London Nocturne in June.
Many other riders will also relish the flat, fast course, including Sweden’s reigning national time trial champion Emma Johansson of ORICA-AIS. Johansson is one of the most experienced riders in the women’s peloton and has the tactical nous to do well in a field of largely young cyclists.
Scottish rider Katie Archibald is another name to look out for. The 23-year-old Pearl Izumi Sports Tour International cyclist recently won a silver medal in the individual pursuit at the Under-23 UEC European Track Championships and has the ability to ride off the front of the group and stay away.
Lisa Brennauer of Velocio-SRAM Pro Cycling could also make a breakaway stick. Currently ranked second in the world, the German star won the overall title at the recent five-stage Aviva Women’s Tour and was world time trial champion last year.
Nikki Juniper is a strong contender from the UK domestic teams. The Team Giordana Triton rider has shown consistent form this season, winning the individual standings in the Matrix Fitness GP Series.
Molly Weaver of Team Liv-Plantur came fourth in the national road race championships and the 21-year-old is likely to be in good form as she comes fresh from riding the Giro d’Italia Internazionzale Femminile.
The women’s race will be followed by youth races for girls and boys when some of the hottest young cycling talent in the country will race for regional teams on the same spectacular course.
View the full Prudential RideLondon Grand Prix Pro Women's start list here.