Tour Series dates announced for 2012

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