Teams announced for 2011 Halfords Tour Series

Ten top teams to do battle in action packed televised Series,

  SweetSpot Group are pleased to announce the identities of the ten teams who will take part in The Halfords Tour Series 2011, the unique team-based televised city centre cycling series.

Defending Champions Motorpoint Pro Cycling lead the entry with a squad containing Ian Bibby and Malcolm Elliott, who both won individual rounds of the Series in 2010.  Last season’s runners up Endura Racing return with a strengthened line-up containing four round winners plus riders from Germany, New Zealand and Australia, while Rapha – Condor – Sharp will be looking to improve on their third place finishes in each of the past two seasons of The Halfords Tour Series.

“We are in our third year of The Halfords Tour Series and this looks to be the strongest line-up of teams and riders yet, which bodes well for the future of domestic cycling” said Series Director Mick Bennett.

“Spectators can look forward to seeing some of Britain’s top cyclists in action in their town or city during the Series, including several who will be in action at the London Olympics in 2012.”

New additions to the Series are Twenty3c – Orbea, Wilier – GoSelfDrive.com and Team UK Youth, the latter of whom are led by former Paris Roubaix winner Magnus Backstedt.

The full list of teams is as follows: CyclePremier.com – Metaltek, Endura Racing, Motorpoint Pro Cycling, Pendragon – Le Col – Colnago, Rapha – Condor – Sharp, Sigma Sport – Specialized, Team Raleigh, Team UK Youth, Twenty3c – Orbea and Wilier – GoSelfDrive.com.

In all Series organisers and promoters SweetSpot received thirteen applications for spots in the Series.  In a new addition to the highly successful Halfords Tour Series, the three teams who were unsuccessful will all be offered the opportunity to ride a week of the 2011 Series as guests in a bid to help their future development and give their sponsors valuable exposure.

These three squads are Felt – Colbournes Racing Team, Team Corley Cycles and Team Herbalife Wheelbase, who will all invited to enter upto two rounds of the Series.

“We would like to thank all the teams who applied to enter the Series for the time and effort put into their presentations,” says Bennett.

“It was a very close and hard decision as to who the final ten teams should be; hence our decision that we should give the three unsuccessful teams the opportunity to still be a part of The Halfords Tour Series.

“Ultimately though we have chosen the ten teams which we believe will be the strongest and best represented in 2011 and have every confidence that they will put on a close and action packed display of racing across the Series.”

The participating teams for the Johnson Health Tech Women’s Grand Prix Series will be announced in due course.

Following the success of the Vitesse jerseys and clothing range at the 2010 Tour of Britain, SweetSpot Group are also delighted to announce that Pro Vision Clothing will also provide the same high-quality Vitesse clothing to The Halfords Tour Series, including the iconic five orange Halfords leader’s jerseys and the Boardman Bikes Sprint Jersey.  Vitesse jerseys will also be worn by the leading rider in the Johnson Health Tech Women’s Grand Prix Series.

“Vitesse Pro Cycling wear are delighted to be clothing suppliers to the 2011 Halfords Tour Series,” said Steve Joughin of Pro Vision Clothing.

“Vitesse was launched in the UK in October 2009 by Pro Vision at the London Cycle Show.  With over 21 years’ experience in manufacturing bespoke clothing for some of the World’s major bike brands and Pro Teams Vitesse has taken off in a big way on to the UK Market, with top quality clothing, fast lead times and very competitive pricing, making them an ideal fit for The Halfords Tour Series.”

Full details of The Halfords Tour Series and supporting Johnson Health Tech Women’s Grand Prix Series will be announced over the course of the next month.