Manchester brings the curtain down on cycling’s Sportsbreaks.com Tour Series tonight with two fast circuit races around the city centre.
A one-kilometre loop will be tackled around 40 times each by men’s and women’s teams fighting for points on the finish line, with four individual sprints also making up each race.
A total prize pot of £27,000 and winner’s crown has been fiercely contested by 26 teams including some racing at UCI Continental level.
The series began on 2 May in Guisborough and there has been intense racing so far at six street circuits up and down the UK.
In the men’s event, Wiv SunGod are ahead of Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling – separated at the top by just three points – having each finished on the podium in all but one race.
The series leaders will need to finish no worse than fourth to take the title if Ribble win here on Deansgate.
Results on the night in the team competition are based upon the aggregate finishing times of the first three riders from a starting five from each team to cross the line.
Matthew Bostock, Jacob Scott and Matthew Gibson have been Wiv’s most consistent performers over the series.
Twenty-four-year-old Manxman Bostock has added circuit racing pedigree to his UCI and European track cycling medal hauls.
He has won all bar one of the individual sprint competitions in every round of this year’s Tour Series.
Ribble Weldtite will have their work cut out and preparation has not been helped by teammates and brothers Harry and Charlie Tanfield being involved in an accident whilst training last week.
One day before the round in Barking, Charlie’s was knocked off his bike on the roads of Essex but started nonetheless, although he was a DNF on the night.
Harry Tanfield finished sixth in Essex and both he and Finn Crockett have shown good form in the series so far.
Teammate Ollie Peckover took his first win in the penultimate race at Barking and on a fast course the title should go right down to the wire.
Behind them, Wales Racing Academy and Saint Piran are themselves only separated by three points in the battle for the third podium spot.
In the women’s series, the 2022 title was wrapped up by Pro-Noctis – Rotor – Redchilli Bikes – Heidi Kjeldsen with one race to spare in Barking last week.
Leading the team standings after every round, they have been powered by the consistent sprinting power of Jo Tindley.
The eminent rider in this year’s women’s event has won all of the combined sprint events in each location as well as taking top spot on the individual podium three times.
Tindley has enjoyed a great rivalry in this series with a recent convert to road racing in Sammie Stuart of Team Brother UK – LDN.
Taking up cycling to recover from a broken foot, the rider has delivered constant levels of power across many of the circuits raced.
Her reward has been three fastest laps to add to individual round wins in Sunderland and Clacton.
Team Spectra Wiggle P/b Vitus and Team Boompods will compete for the second step on the podium overall as only four points separate them going into tonight’s race.
The Tour Series has come back with a bang after a shortened three round series last year.
Spectators do not have to pay a fee and racing is scheduled to begin at 5pm.
Televised highlights on ITV4 will be available tomorrow night if you are unable to get along in person tonight.
