The new look Pearl Izumi Tour Series leaders’ jerseys have been revealed, with just five days to go until the UK’s leading televised cycle race Series kicks off in Scotland.
The leading five-man team in this year’s Series will pull on the highly-distinctive red jerseys, produced by Vitesse, marking them out as the overall leaders of The Pearl Izumi Tour Series.
The winning team in Kirkcaldy, hosts of Round One on Tuesday 14th May, will be the first to pull on the new jerseys, with the ultimate winners crowned five weeks later on Friday 14th June after 12 races spread across 11 venues.
Ipswich hosts the double-header Grand Final, incorporating a mid-afternoon Team Time Trial followed by the evening circuit race, where the final honours will be decided.
The ten teams battling it out across the Series for the honours in 2013 will be:
· Madison Genesis, including the Series’ most successful individual winner Dean Downing
· Metaltek – Knights of Old, containing criterium specialist Tom Murray
· MG Maxifuel, with Paris Roubaix winner Magnus Backstedt among their line-up
· Node4 Giordana Racing, featuring former Sprints winner Steve Lampier
· Rapha Condor JLT, led by double Olympic Champion Ed Clancy
· Spin Rotor – Primal – C-Originals, having George Pym, inspired to take up competitive cycling by watching The Tour Series in Exeter in 2009, among their number
· Team Hope Factory Racing, featuring British cyclo-cross legend Paul Oldham
· Team IG Sigma Sport, including Series debutant and Olympic medallist Ross Edgar
· Team Raleigh, led by former British Circuit Race Champion Graham Briggs
· Team UK Youth, with in form Premier Calendar leader Chris Opie
Past winners of the unique competition include Team Halfords Bikehut (2009), Motorpoint Marshalls Pasta (2010), Rapha Condor Sharp (2011) and Endura Racing (2012).
The Pearl Izumi Tour Series gets underway in Kirkcaldy, Fife on Tuesday 14th May. Highlights will be shown on ITV4 in a 10pm slot the evening after every round during this year’s Series.