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Fresh from a successful USA Pro Challenge, Team Novo Nordisk are heading to the United Kingdom for the Aviva Tour of Britain, eager to build upon recent results. The eight-day stage race that begins in Beaumaris, Anglesey on Sunday 6 September, will be their second participation in the Aviva Tour of Britain.
Leading the team will be Javier Megias, who took second on a stage of the recent USA Pro Challenge. "Javier just earned the team its best result at a 2.HC race at the USA Pro Challenge. He almost took the win on Stage Six and getting caught at the line has only tripled his desire to get a win,” said Senior Vice President of Athletics Vassili Davidenko. "In addition to Javier, we are bringing our most experienced riders with a mix of sprinting and climbing talent. We will fight every day and hopefully garner more results against the impressive field. "This year marks the second time Team Novo Nordisk is racing at the Tour of Britain, so we are more familiar with the smaller roads and how the race unfolds because of smaller team sizes,” Davidenko continued. "We will use this experience in our daily race strategy and will try to be active every single day.” Team Novo Nordisk are unique in that they are only all-diabetes professional men's team with all of their riders being type 1 diabetics. They have recently raced in the Tour of Denmark, USA Pro Challenge and Tour of California, and will be returning for the second attempt at the Aviva Tour of Britain, having made their debut in 2014. Team Novo Nordisk's six-man roster features Kevin De Mesmaeker (BEL), Joonas Henttala (FIN), David Lozano (ESP), Javier Megias (ESP), Andrea Peron (ITA) and Charles Planet (FRA). All the riders except for De Mesmaeker competed in last year's race. "I have been excited about returning to the Tour of Britain all season because the race is so well organised with phenomenal crowds and a beautiful course,” Henttala said. "The spectators truly make this race special. I'm looking forward to the reduced team sizes because it means the race is less controlled and increases the possibility that a breakaway can make it to the finish.” The Team Novo Nordisk line-up joins the likes of Mark Cavendish, Edvald Boasson Hagen, Gerald Ciolek, Andre Greipel and 2014 overall Tour of Britain winner Dylan Van Baarle as already confirmed for the 2015 Aviva Tour of Britain. Stage One of the Aviva Tour of Britain will be shown live on ITV between 1pm and 4pm, with subsequent stages shown live on ITV4. ITV4 will also broadcast a one hour highlights programme the evening of every stage. British Eurosport will also show live coverage and highlights of the race in the UK. The Aviva Tour of Britain is British Cycling's premier road cycling event giving cycling fans the opportunity to see the world's best teams and riders competing on their door step. |
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Stage One Sunday 6 September Beaumaris, Anglesey to Wrexham, 177.7km Stage Two Monday 7 September Clitheroe to Colne, 159.3km Stage Three Tuesday 8 September Cockermouth to Floors Castle, Kelso, 216km Stage Four Wednesday 9 September Edinburgh to Blyth, 217.4km Stage Five Thursday 10 September Prudhoe to Hartside, 166.2km Stage Six Friday 11 September Stoke-on-Trent to Nottingham, 192.8km Stage Seven Saturday 12 September Fakenham to Ipswich, 227.4km Stage Eight Sunday 13 September London stage presented by TfL, 86.8km The full list of 20 teams for the Aviva Tour of Britain is as follows: An Post Chain Reaction (Ireland); BMC Racing (USA); Cult Energy Pro Cycling (Denmark); Etixx Quick-Step (Belgium); Great Britain national team; IAM Cycling (Switzerland); Lotto Soudal (Belgium); JLT Condor presented by Mavic (Great Britain); Madison Genesis (Great Britain); Movistar Team (Spain); MTN Qhubeka (South Africa); NFTO (Great Britain); ONE Pro Cycling (Great Britain); Team Cannondale – Garmin (USA); Team Lotto NL Jumbo (Netherlands); Team Novo Nordisk (USA); Team Raleigh – GAC (Great Britain); Team Sky (Great Britain); Team WIGGINS (Great Britain); Tinkoff – Saxo (Russia) |