Organisers of the Tour Series have announced that the city-centre criterium event will be back for a fourth year in 2012, with ten rounds scheduled on Tuesday and Thursday evenings next May and June.
No details of venues will be announced until the new year, but with the event having been reduced to eight rounds last year, it reverts to the ten-round format adopted in its first two years.
Last year, Rapha-Condor-Sharp emerged as series champions for the first time, with the team’s riders also bagging a string of individual wins, including Zak Dempster, who won the opening round in Durham.
Other riders from the team would win the next four rounds – Ed Clancy in Aberystwyth, Graham Briggs in Peterborough, Dean Downing in Colchester and Scott Thwaites in Stoke-on-Trent.
The team’s stranglehold was broken in the final three rounds, with Endura Racing winning in Colchester and Woking courtesy of, respectively Rob Partridge and Ian Wilkinson, while 2010 series winners Motorpoint had to wait until the final round to see one of their riders win, Jonny McEvoy taking the honours.
As for where next year’s races may take place, Series Director Mick Bennett said, “We are currently working with a number of existing and new partners as the 2012 Tour Series begins to come together.
“We’re looking forward to beginning to announce this year’s venues in the New Year, with a combination of existing, fan favourite venues being joined by new towns and cities who want to be a part of professional cycling and The Halfords Tour Series.”
The full dates for the Tour Series 2012 are:
Round 1 Tuesday 15th May
Round 2 Thursday 17th May
Round 3 Tuesday 22nd May
Round 4 Thursday 24th May
Round 5 Tuesday 29th May
Round 6 Thursday 31st May
Round 7 Tuesday 5th June
Round 8 Thursday 7th June
Round 9 Tuesday 12th June
Round 10 Thursday 14th June
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6 comments
Have really enjoyed this over the last couple of years so look forward to another great series.
I wonder wether Woking will be one of the venues following it's reversal on allowing cycling in the town center/ped areas.
Thursday 24th May..... Same day as Aberystwyth Crits. I guess Aberystwyth is going to make the cut too
Durham is a bit of a pain to get to and from for me lets see Newcastle on the list please
Great to hear it's back to 10 dates, but not much use without the venues... now can't wait to hear where.
Any idea whether ITV4 will be covering?
I wonder if Peterborough is making the cut again...
Hope so.