Pearl Izumi Tour Series – The Final Week

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With one point between the two leading teams, the Pearl Izumu Tour Series result is on a knife edge with two rounds to go

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Pearl Izumi Tour Series – The Final Week

Over the years, teams like UK Youth, Endura and Rapha Condor Sharp have dominated the team series to such an extent, the race for the title was a foregone conclusion coming into the final few rounds. Not in 2015 with one point between the two leading teams Madison Genesis and One Pro Cycling, the Pearl Izumu Tour Series result is on a knife edge with two rounds to go.

The racing has been ever so brutal in 2015 and with every round won by a different rider, it says a lot about how the strength in depth of the series has improved over the years.

Two teams have dominated the series, Madison Genesis who lead by a single point from One Pro Cycling. Both teams have had their bad luck although I think it is fair to say, Madison Genesis have had awful luck in the last two rounds with crashes. Despite them, they have fought like tigers and still finished second to keep the series race well and truly and alive.

There are many other side stories going on as well like Pedal Heaven’s rise up from a guest team to the third ranked team in the series and the race for the points title between world champion Morgan Kneisky (Raleigh GAC) and Tom Stewart (Madison Genesis).

It is the best series so far with so much brutality to the racing. Never any lulls and always constant attacking and riders breathing through their ears before crying enough and dropping away from the front. Who’d have thought in one race (Croydon) there would only be FIVE riders on the same lap at the front.

Who will win the series? Too hard to call because both leading teams are so so strong. Unfortunately, Lady Luck will have as much to do with affecting the final result as the strength of the individual riders and their tactics. A puncture or a rider crashing in front of a rider in the leading teams for example could decide the series. However, should both teams avoid that bad luck, one thing is for certain, the battle will be as intense as any race you could wish to name.

Its why the Tour Series is so special… Here is a summary of the series so far:

ROUND BY ROUND

Round 1 Ryde, Isle of Wight  – REPORT & PHOTOS
Team Time Trial: 1. One Pro Cycling, 2. Madison Genesis 3. Pedal Heaven
Individual:
1. Tom Scully (Madison Genesis),
2 Ian Bibby (NFTO)
3 Jonathan McEvoy (NFTO)

Team: ONE Pro Cycling (Madison Genesis 2nd)

Round 2 May Redditch – REPORT & PHOTOS
Individual:
1 Jon Mould (ONE Pro Cycling),
2 Morgan Kneisky (Raleigh – GAC)
3 Mike Northey Madison Genesis

Team: Madison Genesis (One Pro Cycling 4th)

Round 3 Aberystwyth (inc. Hill Climb) – REPORT & PHOTOS
Hill Climb:
1. George Harper (ONE Pro Cycling)
2 Jonny McEvoy (NFTO)
3 Tom Stewart (Madison Genesis)

Team: One Pro Cycling (Madison Genesis 3rd)

Individual:
1 Ed Clancy (JLT Condor)
2 Tom Stewart (Madison Genesis)
3 Jon Mould ONE Pro Cycling

Team: Madison Genesis (One Pro Cycling 2nd)

Round 4 Motherwell – REPORT & PHOTOS
Individual:
1 Kristian House JLT Condor
2 Chris Opie ONE Pro Cycling
3 Mike Northey Madison Genesis

Team: Madison Genesis (ONe Pro Cycling 2nd)

Round 5 May Durham – REPORT & PHOTOS
Individual:
1 Richard Handley JLT Condor
2 Kristian House JLT Condor
3 Chris Lawless Team WIGGINS

Team: ONE Pro Cycling (Madison Genesis 2nd)

Round 6 May Barrow – REPORT & PHOTOS
Individual:
1 Chris Lawless Team WIGGINS
2 Will Bjergfelt SportGrub Kuota
3 Steele Von Hoff NFTO Pro Cycling

Team:  Madison Genesis (One Pro Cycling 2nd)

Round 7 Croydon – REPORT & PHOTOS
Individual:
1 Marcin Bialoblocki ONE Pro Cycling
2 Andrew Tennant Team WIGGINS
3 Tobyn Horton Madison Genesis

Team: ONE Pro Cycling (Madison Genesis 2nd)

Round 8 Canary Wharf – REPORT & PHOTOS
Individual:
1 Steele Von Hoff NFTO
2 Ed Clancy JLT Condor
3 Chris Opie ONE Pro Cycling

Team:  ONE Pro Cycling (Madison Genesis 2nd)

TO COME
Round Nine Tuesday 9 June Peterborough
Round Ten Thursday 11 June Bath

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