More details have been released about the OVO Energy Women’s Tour which will pass through Powys in June.
Stage Five on Friday, June 14 begins in Llandrindod Wells, home of the National Cycle Collection, and finishes at the Royal Welsh Showground, Llanelwedd, covering a 140km loop around Powys. The stage will take in two Skoda Queen of the Mountains climbs - at Gorddwr Bank and Epynt - and two sprint points - Knucklas and Beguildy - offering points for the Eisberg Sprint Jersey.
All 15 of the world’s top teams from the UCI Women’s WorldTour rankings have accepted their invitations to the event, and will be joined by British team Drops to complete the 16-team, 96-rider field for the race that gets under way in Beccles, Suffolk, on Monday, June 10.
The total elevation gain of 2,206 metres during stage five of this year’s race makes the stage the hardest in the event’s history.
To mark one month to go until spectators can cheer on the world’s best in this free-to-attend event, spectators now can find full details of all six stages on the event website, womenstour.co.uk.
The overall winner of the 2019 OVO Energy Women’s Tour will again be presented with the OVO Energy Green Jersey following the final stage finish at Pembrey Country Park in Carmarthenshire, South Wales, while riders and teams will benefit from an overall prize fund rises of €97,880 (approximately £83,500), up from €89,999 in 2018, thanks to OVO Energy.
“Excitement is building with one month to go for what will be the toughest edition yet of the OVO Energy Women’s Tour, bringing the race, and the world’s very best cyclists, to new areas and audiences and hopefully inspiring new, existing and returning cyclists,” said OVO Energy Women’s Tour Race Director Mick Bennett.
“This year’s race has our best ever line-up of teams and we look forward to seeing them racing across our six stages from Suffolk to Carmarthenshire next month in what is sure to be an action packed edition of the race.”
Adrian Letts, CEO of Retail, OVO Energy, said: “We’re incredibly excited for this year’s OVO Energy Women’s Tour to begin, bringing fans and spectators across the country unparalleled access to watch the world’s best teams and riders competing on their doorsteps. From more challenging routes to professional facilities and race infrastructure, the most prestigious multi-day stage race in women’s cycling has been a notable example of what’s right in women’s professional cycling. Last year we announced the top cyclists at the Women’s Tour would compete for equal prize money, taking a meaningful step towards gender parity in cycling. We’re proud to have committed to matching the prize money again, helping to provide an equal platform and continuing to inspire increased participation in one of the lowest carbon forms of transport."
Television highlights of the stages will be broadcast on ITV4 at 8pm each evening.The StagesStage One, Monday 10 June, Beccles to Stowmarket, 157.6kmStage Two, Tuesday 11 June, the Kent Cyclopark Stage, 62.5kmStage Three, Wednesday 12 June, Henley-on-Thames to Blenheim Palace, 145.1kmStage Four, Thursday 13 June, Warwick to Burton Dassett Country Park, 158.9kmStage Five, Friday 14 June, Llandrindod Wells to Builth Wells, 140kmStage Six, Saturday 15 June, Carmarthen to Pembrey Country Park, 125.9km The TeamsAlé Cipollini (Italy)Bigla Pro Cycling (Switzerland)Boels Dolmans Cycling Team (Netherlands)Canyon//SRAM Racing (Germany)CCC – Liv (Netherlands)Drops (Great Britain)FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine-Futuroscope (France)Mitchelton-SCOTT (Australia)Movistar Team (Spain)Parkhotel Valkenburg (Netherlands)Team Sunweb (Netherlands)Team TIBCO-SVB(USA)Team VIRTU Cycling (Denmark)Trek-Segafredo (USA)Valcar Cylance Cycling (Italy)WNT-ROTOR Pro Cycling (Germany)