The Tour Series, Britain’s largest annual racing series, will not be held this year, due to financial constraints. 

Instead, it will take a one-year hiatus, with a vision to return in 2024. 

The decision was announced on Monday by the event organisers, SweetSpot, who cited “the most challenging economic climate the series has faced” as a determining factor. 

A statement shared by the Tour Series read: “It has proved impossible to compile a commercially viable calendar of events for May due to the pressures on local authority funding, combined with the wider economic challenges all businesses face.”

The Tour Series, which was first launched in 2009, has become an important event on the British domestic calendar, running criterium races in the month of May. 

Over the past 14 years, the series has seen the country’s best riders and teams compete in cities such as London, Manchester and Edinburgh. Previous round winners include former world cyclocross champion Tom Pidcock, Olympic track gold medallist Ed Clancy and 2018 national road champion Jess Roberts. 

The statement continued: “SweetSpot will use this break to work with British Cycling and partners on plans for the return of the series in 2024 to celebrate its 15th anniversary, complete with a refreshed format and events in Britain’s major cities as part of a fun filled, community day celebrating cycling and active travel.”

The news of the Tour Series’s postponement comes just two months after it was announced that the calendars for the men’s and women’s National Road Series would shrink in 2023. 

This year, both calendars will lose two races: the three-day Manx International stage race and the Stockton Grand Prix. Speaking to Cycling Weekly last year, Geoff Lloyd, the organiser of the latter, pinned the event’s axing on “the current financial climate” which, he added, “came up and bit us”. 

In a statement regarding the National Road Series, British Cycling’s acting cycling delivery director, Jonathan Day, explained that the governing body always strives to support race organisers, but “simply [doesn’t] have the means to underwrite all of [its] events”.  

It is hoped that, like the Tour Series, both races will return to the domestic calendar in the near future. 

SweetSpot, which has organised the Tour Series since its inception in 2009, is also responsible for running the Tour of Britain and the Women’s Tour, the UK's two flagship stage races. Both events are expected to run as usual this year, but are yet to find title sponsors. 

If you think of some of the world's best bike handlers then you probably think of the likes of Peter Sagan and Vincenzo Nibali, but some of Britain's finest home-grown talent has been on display in the last couple of weeks at the Tour Series.

The last two rounds of the series at Wembley Park and Salisbury saw some incredible bike handling with Tom Pidcock (Team Wiggins) and Ed Clancy (JLT Condor) at the heart of the action.

At Wembley Park on Tuesday, Pidcock was in a two-man break with Connor Swift (Madison-Genesis) but very nearly came to grief thanks to a speed bump before the final corner.

Coming in with plenty of speed, Pidcock went airborne through the corner, unclipping to regain his balance, before incredibly managing to get his feet back in the pedals to out-sprint Swift to take individual victory on the night.

Two days later in Salisbury and Pidcock was once again living on the edge as a Canyon-Eisberg rider crashed ahead of him in early stages of the final round of the series.

With riders slamming the brakes on in front of him, Pidcock once again unclipped to somehow skirt around the side of the crash.

Meanwhile Ed Clancy, who was sitting on Pidcock's wheel, employed a slightly different technique to get around the carnage - bashing into a Madison-Genesis rider to help keep himself upright before heading off in pursuit of Pidcock.

>>> Handling technique: How to corner on your road bike

His technique might have not been quite as slick, but the end result was certainly better for Clancy, with the track specialist out-sprinting his younger rival to take the individual victory on the night.

However the team victory on the night and in the men's Tour Series overall went to Canyon-Eisberg who edged out Madison-Genesis by just two points, while the women's Tour Series overall was won by Team Breeze despite Storey Racing taking victory on the night.

Gabriel Cullaigh (Team Wiggins) and Megan Barker (Team Breeze) came away with the victories in the opening round of the 2018 OVO Energy Tour Series hosted by Redditch on Thursday evening.

Cullaigh came out on top in the final sprint in the men's race, out-pacing Tobyn Horton (Madison Genesis) and Tom Moses (JLT Condor) from the reduced lead group.

Cullaigh said that the key to success on the Worcestershire circuit was to take the bull by the horns.

“We rode aggressively as a team – you’ve got to ride like that in the Tour Series," he said. "We never missed a beat today.

“Getting into the final lap with the six of us together I knew I could win it – I just had to keep the pace high and lead coming out of the final corner. Tobyn was coming up quickly but I knew he wouldn’t get past me.”

Despite Cullaigh's win for Team Wiggins it was defending champion JLT Condor who took the team honours on the night ahead of Madison Genesis and Canyon Eisberg, with Team Wiggins in fourth.

>>> Tour Series 2018: Latest news, reports and race info

Barker took the victory in the women's race after putting herself into a three-rider break alongside Anna Henderson (Team OnForm) and Nikki Juniper (NJC-Biemme-Echelon).

Barker's Team Breeze also took the team honours on the night.

Barker said after the race: “It was an attacking race from the start. My Team Breeze team-mates were getting involved brilliantly – I knew that if there was going to be a split one of us would be in it because we were always up there.

"I ended up making the move that stuck by counter-attacking one of my team-mates, so that worked really well. I was finding it tough so I thought everybody else would be, too, so I really dug in.”

The next round of the eight-date series takes place in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire, on Tuesday, May 15. The series concludes in Salisbury, Wiltshire, on May 31.

Television highlights of the race will be shown on ITV4 on Saturday, May 12, at 10.45pm.

>>> Tour Series 2018 TV guide

Results

OVO Energy Tour Series 2018, roud one: Redditch, Worcestershire

Men's result

1. Gabriel Cullaigh (GBr) Team Wiggins, in 1-12-19

2. Tobyn Horton (GBr) Madison Genesis

3. Tom Moses (GBr) JLT Condor

4. James Lowsley-Williams (GBr) Canyon Eisberg, at 1 sec

5. Hayden McCormick (GBr) One Pro Cycling, at 2 sec

Men's team standings

1. JLT Condor, 10pts

2. Madison Genesis, 9pts

3. Canyon Eisberg, 8pts

4. Team Wiggins, 7pts

5. ONE Pro Cycling, 6pts

Women's result

1. Megan Barker (GBr) Team Breeze, in 45-50.254

2. Anna Henderson (GBr) Team OnForm, at same time

3. Nikki Juniper (GBr) NJC-Biemme-Echelon, at 1 sec

4. Manon Lloyd (GBr) Trek-Drops, at 25 secs

5. Neah Evans (GBr) Storey Racing, at 26 secs

Women's team standings

1. Team Breeze, 10pts

2. NJC-Biemme-Echelon, 9pts

3. Team OnForm, 8pts

4. Storey Racing, 7pts

5. Trek-Drops, 6pts

Defending Tour Series champions JLT Condor got their 2017 campaign off to a perfect start, winning the opening races of the series in Redditch on Tuesday.

The series kicked off with a team time trial event in the afternoon. JLT Condor's five-man squad of Ed Clancy, Jon Mould, Alex Frame, Ian Bibby and Breton Jones set the quickest time of 3-49 on the technical course, during which teams had to use regular bikes rather than time-trial-specific machines.

Bike Channel-Canyon came home for second place, with Madison Genesis in third spot out of the seven squads starting the event.

>>> Tour Series 2017: Latest news, reports and info

JLT Condor then backed up the TTT win with a team victory in the criterium race in the evening.

Although the race was won by Bike Channel-Canyon's Chris Opie, JLT's Jones and Frame placed second and fourth in a strong showing for the squad.

The opening round of the Women's Matrix Fitness Grand Prix was won by Alice Barnes (Drops), who sprinted ahead of Olympic team pursuit gold medallists Katie Archibald (WNT) and Elinor Barker (Team Breeze).

Barnes's Drops squad also take the lead in the team standings.

The next round of the 10-round 2017 Tour Series takes place in Stoke-on-Trent on Thursday, May 11. This also includes the second round of the Women's Matrix Fitness Grand Prix.

Highlights of the Redditch round of the Tour Series are on ITV4 at 7pm on Wednesday, May 10, with a repeat the following day, and available on-demand via the ITV Hub.

Results

Tour Series 2017, Redditch: Team time trial

1. JLT Condor

2. Bike Channel Canyon

3. Madison Genesis

4. One Pro Cycling

5. Raleigh-GAC

6. Metaltek-Kuota

7. Morvelo-Basso

Men's race (individual)

1. Chris Opie (Bike Channel-Canyon)

2. Brenton Jones (JLT Condor)

3. Enrique Sanz (Raleigh-GAC)

4. Alex Frame (JLT Condor)

5. Tobyn Horton (Madison Genesis)

6. Tom Stewart (Madison Genesis)

7. Ed Clancy (JLT Condor)

8. Rory Townsend (Bike Channel Canyon)

9. Matt Holmes (Madison Genesis)

10. Jon Mould (JLT Condor)

Men's race (team)

1. JLT Condor

2. Bike Channel Canyon

3. Madison Genesis

4. Raleigh GAC

5. One Pro Cycling

Tour Series team standings after round one

1. JLT Condor, 20pts

2. BIKE Channel Canyon, 18pts

3. Madison Genesis, 16pts

4. Raleigh GAC, 13pts

5. One Pro Cycling, 13pts

6. Metaltek Kuota, 10pts

7. Morvelo Basso, 8pts

Women's Matrix Fitness Grand Prix, round one

1. Alice Barnes (Drops)

2. Katie Archibald (Team WNT)

3. Elinor Barker (Team Breeze)

4. Rebecca Durrell (Drops)

5. Eileen Roe (Team WNT)

6. Lydia Boylan (Team WNT)

7. Lucy Shaw (Drops)

8. Emily Nelson (Team Breeze)

9. Megan Barker (Team Breeze)

10. Charmaine Porter (Team Ford EcoBoost)

Women's Matrix Fitness Grand Prix team standings after round one

1. Drops, 96pts

2. Team WNT, 95pts

3. Team Breeze, 88pts

4. Team OnForm, 51pts

5. NCC Group Kuota Torelli, 44pts

Jon Mould (JLT Condor) took his fifth individual win in the 2016 Pearl Izumi Tour Series, sprinting to take round eight in Stevenage on Monday evening.

Mould accelerated ahead of Johnny McEvoy (NFTO) and JLT team-mate Graham Briggs to take the victory - the 10th Tour Series win of his career.

With Briggs in third, Chris Lawless in fourth and Ed Clancy in eighth, JLT Condor once again took the team victory on the night to extend their leader further in the overall classification.

>>> Tour Series 2016: Latest news, reports and info

JLT Condor now sit 10 points ahead of second-placed Madison-Genesis as the series heads into its penultimate race in Croydon this evening – the route of which, incidentally, runs straight past the front door of Cycling Weekly's office.

Alice Barnes (Drops Cycling) headed up a clean sweep of the top three for Drops Cycling in round four of the Matrix Fitness Grand Prix.

Just as she did during Saturday evening's Mr Porter London Nocturne, Barnes accelerated away from the field to take a convincing solo victory.

>>> Chris Lawless and Alice Barnes win 2016 London Nocturne

Barnes's Drops Cycling team-mates Rebecca Durrell and Laura Massey placed second and third.

The result increases Drops Cycling's lead in the overall standings with two rounds remaining this week.

Pearl Izumi Tour Series round eight: Stevenage

Individual classification for round eight

1. Jon Mould (JLT Condor)

2. Johnny McEvoy (NFTO)

3. Graham Briggs (JLT Condor)

4. Chris Lawless (JLT Condor)

5. Ian Bibby (NFTO)

6. Felix English (Madison-Genesis)

7. Jack Pullar (Pedal Heaven)

8. Ed Clancy (JLT Condor)

9. Matthieu Boulo (Raleigh-GAC)

10. James Lowsley-Williams (NFTO)

Team classification after round eight

1. JLT Condor 85 pts

2. Madison-Genesis 75 pts

3. Pedal Heaven 71 pts

4. Raleigh-GAC 70 pts

5. NFTO 58 pts

6. Team Wiggins 5 pts

Watch: Warming up for a quick race

Matrix Fitness Grand Prix round four: Stevenage

Individual classification for round four

1. Alice Barnes (Drops Cycling)

2. Rebecca Durrell (Drops Cycling)

3. Laura Massey (Drops Cycling)

4. Harriet Owen (Matrix Fitness)

5. Grace Garner (Podium Ambition)

6. Emily Kay (Team Breeze)

7. Charline Joiner (Ford Ecoboost)

8. Neah Evans (Scotland Cycling)

9. Lydia Bolan (Team WNT)

10. Nikki Juniper (Ford Ecoboost)

Team classification after round four

1. Drops Cycling 382 pts

2. Podium Ambition 329 pts

3. Ford EcoBoost 294 pts

4. Team Breeze 277 pts

5. Team WNT 243 pts

Chris Lawless (JLT Condor) won round seven of the 2016 Tour Series in Stoke-on-Trent on Thursday evening, helping to extend his team's lead at the top of the overall standings.

Lawless won ahead of Rory Townsend (Pedal Heaven) in second, with JLT Condor team-mate Ali Slater in third.

It's Lawless's second win in the competition after he took the opening round on the Isle of Man.

JLT Condor's riders edged further ahead in the standings as they collectively finished just one second ahead of Pedal Heaven. JLT Condor now lead Madison-Genesis by eight points with three rounds to go.

>>> Tour Series 2016: Latest news, reports and info

Claire Rose (Podium Ambition) took the individual win in round three of the Matrix Fitness Grand Prix earlier in the evening. Nikki Juniper (Ford Ecoboost) came home for second, with Alice Barnes (Drops Cycling Team) in third.

Although the Podium Ambition squad claimed the team win on the night, Drops Cycling are still leading the overall standings with three rounds remaining.

The next round of the Tour Series and Matrix Fitness Grand Prix will take place in Stevenage on Monday, June 6.

Mike Northey was honoured with a special presentation made by Tour Series organiser Mick Bennett. Northey would have worn the number one this season racing for Madison-Genesis, but retired from racing due to heart damage caused by a viral infection. He now works as assistant team manager with Madison-Genesis.

Pearl Izumi Tour Series standings after round seven

1. JLT Condor, 75 points

2. Madison Genesis, 67 points

3. Team Raleigh GAC, 63 points

4. Pedal Heaven, 62 points

5. NFTO, 52 points

6. Team Wiggins, 0 points

Matrix Fitness Grand Prix Series standing after round three

1. Drops Cycling, 268 points

2. Podium Ambition, 255 points

3. Team Breeze, 230 points

4. Team Ford EcoBoost, 214 points

5. Team WNT, 185 points

Watch: Mike Northey - Show Us Your Scars

Graham Briggs (JLT-Condor) launched a successful solo move to take the victory in round three of the 2016 Pearl Izumi Tour Series in Edinburgh on Thursday evening.

Briggs accelerated away from his rivals and maintained the momentum to the line to take an impressive victory. The team has now provided the individual winner in all three rounds.

Rory Townsend (Pedal Heaven) placed second, with Chris Lawless (JLT-Condor) in third. Townsend also clocked the fastest lap time of 2-32.73 and moved into the lead in the points competition.

Despite Briggs's win, it was Madison-Genesis who took the team victory on the night, closing the gaps between themselves and JLT-Condor.

Round four of the 10-round 2016 Pearl Izumi Tour Series takes place in Redditch on Thursday, May 26. Round five then takes place the following day – Firday, May 27 – in Aberystwyth.

Results

Pearl Izumi Tour Series round 3: Edinburgh

1. Graham Briggs (JLT-Condor)

2. Rory Townsend (Pedal Heaven)

3. Chris Lawless (JLT-Condor)

4. Tom Stewart (Madison-Genesis)

5. Albert Torres (Raleigh-GAC)

6. Jack Pullar (Pedal Heaven)

7. Jon Mould (JLT-Condor)

8. James Lowsley-Williams (NFTO)

9. Matt Nowell (Wheelbase Altura)

10. Alex Paton (Pedal Heaven)

Team standings after round three

1. JLT-Condor 39 pts

2. Madison-Genesis 35 pts

3. Team Raleigh-GAC 30 pts

4. Pedal Heaven 29 pts

5. NFTO 27 pts

6. Team Wiggins 0 pts

JLT Condor made it three wins from three in the 2016 Pearl Izumi Tour Series with Jon Mould crossing the line first in Motherwell on Tuesday evening.

Mould crossed the line ahead of Raleigh GAC's Albert Torres and Condor teammate Ed Clancy to continue the team's excellent start to the Tour Series and increase their lead over Madison Genesis to five points.

Condor won both the team time trial and the criterium race in the opening round on the Isle of Man on May 12, with Mould continuing his streak of individual wins.

"Four years on the trot now that I've won an individual round since I started in 2013 with the first Tour Series I rode, it's a nice habit to keep going," he said after the race.

"It's nice, it adds a bit more to it. It's harder to win in the leader's jersey to be honest. The team takes precedent over everything else, so when you've got an opportunity to win in it it's really nice.

"We need to keep going, it's only two rounds in and there's a long way to go. One mistake or one problem and you're on the back foot and chasing for the rest of the night.”

There was also a popular win for Scottish rider Eileen Roe in the Matrix Fitness GP series, beating Lincoln GP winner Alice Barnes (Drops Cycling), national crit champion Nikki Juniper (Ford Ecoboost) and Annasley Park (Team Breeze).

Drops Cycling lead the overall standings in the competition by 19 points from Team Breeze after the first round.

JLT-Condor won both the team time trial and the opening criterium of the 2016 Pearl Izumi Tour Series in the Isle of Man on Thursday.

The men in black covered the 1.5km circuit in 3:54.520 in the TTT, just under two seconds quicker than defending champions Madison-Genesis.

>>> Everything you need to know about the Pearl Izumi Tour Series 2016

Shortly afterwards, under the warm sun in Ramsey, Chris Lawless proved the fastest in a six-man breakaway to take individual honours in the hour-long plus five laps circuit race, with JLT's five riders returning the lowest cumulative time to be the fastest team.

"It was a good start, you can’t deny that. But it’s just that, a good start. It gives us a base to work on," John Herety, JLT's team manager told Cycling Weekly.

Lawless was part of an early race six-man break and despite its size being reduced and added to throughout, he edged out Raleigh's Sebastián Mora and NFTO's Dale Appleby at the end.

>>> NFTO’s start to 2016 ‘couldn’t have gone any better’

Morgan Kneisky (Raleigh-GAC) leads the points championships after one round, a title he won in 2015.

Herety added: "I don’t think it’s big headed [to say JLT have one of the best teams competing]. It's not rocket science to look at a spreadsheet at the riders who have won in the Tour Series and criterium races.

"Our sponsors want us to go for the Tour Series and they backed us. As a consequence we have a really good team for riding for the team and individual classification."

Lawless tells us about his cycling scars

It means after round one JLT have 20 points, Madison have 18 and NFTO are five shy of the leaders in third. Team Wiggins were absent from racing because of other commitments but they will begin their campaign in Motherwell on Tuesday, the second round of the Series and the opening round of the Women's Matrix Fitness GP Series.

The 2016 Pearl Izumi Tour Series will conclude in Portsmouth on June 9, with the race returning to the South Coast city after an absence of six years.

The criterium race will take place around the centre of the city, reportedly based around the Guildhall Square area.

Cllr Donna Jones, Leader of Portsmouth City Council, said: "It is fantastic that Portsmouth has attracted yet another major sporting event and reiterates our commitment to promoting cycling in the city.

Adding: "It's a superb opportunity for residents to watch professional athletes competing on their doorsteps and will clearly demonstrate the city's continued passion for hosting the Tour de France."

The last time the series visited Portsmouth, current NFTO rider Ian Bibby took victory on a circuit near Southsea seafront back in 2010.

To celebrate the announcement, riders from Madison Genesis - winners of the 2015 series - will be at the Pearl Izumi store in Gunwharf Quays on Saturday, February 20 to meet members of the public.

The Tour Series starts on the Isle of Man on May 12 as part of the island's Cyclefest event. Aberystwyth is the only other venue to be announced, with the Welsh city holding the round on May 27.

Full details of the Tour Series will be announced on February 27 at the IceBike* show.

Madison Genesis was crowned overall team winner of the 2015 Pearl Izumi Tour Series after the final round in Bath on Thursday evening.

One Pro Cycling had gone into the final round with a slim lead over arch rivals Madison Genesis, but a crash for key One Pro Cycling rider Yanto Barker meant that they lost out on the 2015 title.

However, a successful late attack by One Pro Cycling's Marcin Bialoblocki meant that the squad did leave the picturesque Georgian city with the round victory, Bialoblocki's second of the series.

Tobyn Horton (Madison Genesis) out-sprinted Kristian House (JLT Condor) for second place on the tough circuit that included a section of cobbles outside the iconic Royal Crescent.

Earlier in the evening, Dani King (Wiggle Honda) had secured a solo victory in the finale round of the 2015 women's Matrix Fitness Grand Prix. Nikki Juniper (Giordana Triton) won the series overall, but not after a mishap on the closing laps in Bath as she punctured and had to furiously chase back on.

Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International took the overall team prize for the Matrix Fitness Grand Prix.

Television highlights from the final round of the Pearl Izumi Tour Series in Bath will be shown on ITV4 at 8pm on Friday June 12 with a repeat on the same channel at 11.40am on Saturday June 13.

Results

Pearl Izumi Tour Series, Round 10, Bath

Team Result

1. Madison Genesis

2. Pedal Heaven

3. Team Raleigh GAC

Individual Result

1. Marcin Bialoblocki, ONE Pro Cycling

2. Tobyn Horton, Madison Genesis

3. Kristian House, JLT Condor presented by Mavic

Costa Express Fastest Lap

Ed Clancy, JLT Condor presented by Mavic, 1:53.864

Chain Reaction Cycles Points competition, round 10 winner

Marcin Bialoblocki, ONE Pro Cycling

Pearl Izumi Tour Series Final Standings

1. Morgan Kneisky, Team Raleigh GAC, 84pts

2. Tom Stewart, Madison Genesis, 64pts

3. Kristian House, JLT Condor presented by Mavic, 54pts

Chain Reaction Cycles Points Classification, Final Standings

1. Madison Genesis, 112pts

2. One Pro Cycling, 108pts

3. Pedal Heaven, 93pts

4. Team Raleigh GAC, 78pts

5. NFTO, 62pts

6. SportGrub Kuota 57pts

7. Velosure Starley Primal, 55pts

8. JLT Condor presented by Mavic, 49pts

9. Team Wiggins, 34pts

Matrix Fitness Grand Prix Series, Round 5, Bath,

Individual Result

1. Dani King, Wiggle Honda

2. Jessie Walker, RST Racing

3. Charline Joiner, Team WNT

Combativity Award Winner, round five

Dani King, Wiggle Honda

Sprints Winner, round five

Dani King, Wiggle Honda

Team Winner, round five

Team WNT

Final Team Standings

1. Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International, 198pts

2. Team Giordana Triton, 184pts

3. Team WNT, 158pts

4. Team Jadan, 56pts

5. Team USN, 49pts

Final Individual Standings

1. Nikki Juniper, Team Giordana Triton, 90pts

2. Jessie Walker, RST Racing Team, 89pts

3. Charline Joiner, Team WNT, 87pts

Final Sprint Standings

1. Nikki Juniper, Team Giordana Triton, 33pts

2. Jessie Walker, RST Racing, 25pts

3. Lydia Boylan, Team WNT, 16pts

Video: Secrets of the toolbox - JLT Condor

Olympic team pursuit champion Ed Clancy won Tuesday evening's round of the Pearl Izumi Tour Series in Peterborough. The JLT-Condor rider won the sprint from a seven-man group which had escaped the clutches of the peloton with about 15 minutes left to race.

The team prize was taken by One Pro Cycling who edged Madison-Genesis into second place. The win puts the two teams level on points, though it is the former who will wear the leaders’ jerseys at Thursday’s final round as they have more outright race wins.

The race was tightly controlled by the two leading teams, who had representatives at the front of the group throughout, before posting one rider each in the decisive break. One Pro Cycling’s director, Matt Winston was clearly happy with the result and the momentum the team now has.

>>> London Nocturne: what’s it like to race in the dark?

“It was another solid performance,” Winston told Cycling Weekly “We’ve strung a few results together now, back to back, so we are building momentum and brought it into this evening. The victories have helped us get into the jersey going into the last round, but it doesn’t mater how many you’ve won, we’re level on points, so the first team across the line on Thursday is going to win the Tour Series. That should make for quite an exciting race.”

It was Clancy’s second victory in Peterborough and also his second of the year, making him the only rider so far with two victories. The result continues a rich vein of form which includes last Saturday’s London Nocturne and a second place behind NFTO’s Steele von Hoff in last week’s Canary Wharf Tour Series race. This time it was roles reversed with the Australian beaten into second place.

“I’m dead happy,” Clancy told us. “It’s always the plan to win, but it’s easier said than done. There’s been a lot of hard circuits this year, so there hasn’t been that many where I’ve had a real chance.

“I felt good from the off and it’s unusual for me to get in a breakaway and when I do it’s unusual for me to work in a breakaway. Today I felt good and I wanted to drive it, I wasn't confident I could beat Steele but I thought ‘ah, let’s have a go and even if he beats me again it’ll be a good laugh.’”

Video: Secrets of the toolbox - JLT Condor

French rider Morgan Kniesky (Raleigh-GAC) won the Chain Reaction Cycles points competition for the evening, meaning he is virtually certain of the winning the jersey overall. The team’s tactics worked perfectly, they dominated the sprints, taking 24 of the 60 points available, Kniesky winning 11 of those. His 11-point lead over second-placed Tom Stewart (Madison-Genesis) should prove unassailable with a maximum of only 20 available on the day.

Dame Sarah Storey won the women’s Matrix Fitness GP event, capping off a long lone breakaway, finishing 19 seconds ahead of second-placed Eileen Roe (Wiggle-Honda).

With two team mates joining Storey in the top ten, they have also nearly sealed the team prize, though with double points available, that could still change in the final round. “We have a very strong team. Joanna [Rowsell] was just firing off the front with Katie [Curtis] covering things, so it was only a matter of time until something stuck.

“The plan almost went a bit dodgy when they nearly came back to us. I spotted that and moved up to the front and launched one just as they were looking as if they would close that down.”

The final round of both the men’s and women’s series takes place this Thursday in Bath.

One Pro Cycling began their maiden Tour Series campaign with two victories in the space of five hours in Ryde on Thursday.

Their five-man squad of Chris Opie, Yanto Barker, George Harper, Jon Mould and Marcin Bialoblocki stormed to victory in the curtain-raising team time trial around the Isle of Wight town yesterday afternoon, before being the only team to place all five in the peloton during the evening's criterium, the individual win in which went to Madison-Genesis's Tom Scully.

The crit was the first test of the series's new format, in which the cumulative times of each team's five riders are used to declare the winners – the squad with the lowest takes the victory.

However, despite Madison's combative display throughout, Mark McNally losing touch with the front group midway through the race put paid to their chances of success. NFTO's Steele von Hoff, the reigning Australian circuit race champion, suffered two mechanicals, thus hindering his team's evening.

Round two of the series takes place in Redditch next Tuesday, with the opening round of the women's Matrix GP Series proceeding the men's event.

Results

Pearl Izumi Tour Series 2015, round 1a: Ryde Team Time Trial

1. One Pro Cycling 3-44.504

2. Madison-Genesis 3-48.576

3. Pedal Heaven 3-52.463

4. Raleigh-GAC 3-53.504

5. NFTO 3-56.419

Round 1b: Ryde criterium

1. One Pro Cycling

2. Madison Genesis

3. NFTO

4. Team Raleigh-GAC

5. SportGrub-Kuota

Round 1b individual result

1.Tom Scully (Nzl) Madison-Genesis

2. Ian Bibby (GBr) NFTO

3. Johnny McEvoy (GBr) NFTO

4. Chris Opie (GBr) One Pro Cycling

5. Chris Lawless (GBr) Team Wiggins

Overall standings after opening rounds

1. One Pro Cycling 20pts

2. Madison-Genesis 18pts

3. NFTO 14pts

4. Raleigh-GAC 14pts

5. Pedal Heaven 12pts

The Pearl Izumi Tour Series kicks off on the Isle of Wight on Thursday (May 14), with Olympic champions Sir Bradley Wiggins and Ed Clancy among the riders who will feature over the 10 rounds.

Over the next five weeks, 10 cities will play host to the circuit-racing series, won last year by the Rapha Condor JLT squad, and ITV4 will broadcast the highlights of each round.

Starting in Ryde, the series heads to Redditch, Aberystwyth, Motherwell, Durham, Barrow, Croydon, Canary Wharf, Peterborough and Bath, where the overall individual winner will be crowned.

ITV4 will broadcast the highlights the day after each round, starting at 8pm on Friday, May 15, for all the action from the Island.

Ned Boulting will be on hand to present the programmes from a number of rounds, with Jill Douglas filling his shoes in his absence, with each programme available to watch online for 30 days after its transmission.

Full TV schedule

Friday 15 May Ryde, Isle of Wight - ITV4, 8pm

Wednesday 20 May Redditch* - ITV4, 8pm

Monday 25 May Aberystwyth - ITV4, 9pm

Wednesday 27 May Motherwell* - ITV4, 10.15pm

Friday 29 May Durham - ITV4, 9pm

Sunday 31 May Barrow - ITV4, 9pm

Wednesday 3 June Croydon* - ITV4, 10pm

Friday 5 June Canary Wharf - ITV4, 10pm

Wednesday 10 June Peterborough* - ITV4, 8pm

Friday 12 June Bath* - ITV4, 8pm

* indicates highlights of the women's Matrix Fitness Tour Series

Yorkshireman Tom Stewart led the way as Madison Genesis closed the gap on Rapha Condor JLT in round 10 of the Pearl Izumi Tour Series in Woking last night.

Stewart broke clear from a small group late on, having been active throughout the race, to solo to victory.

George Harper (Node4 Velosure) outsprinted Adam Blythe (NFTO) for second, but Canary Wharf individual winner Tobyn Horton and Andy Tennant placed fourth and sixth to ensure Madison took the team prize on the night.

However, series leaders Rapha placed second to ensure that they go into Friday's double-header in Jersey with a 16-point advantage, with a maximum of 20 points to be won. It would be the biggest surprise if they do not become the first team to win the event for the second time.

One of their former riders and part of their successful 2011 team, Dean Downing, was also commemorated last night on his last-ever Tour Series start. Downing, now at NFTO, will retire at the end of the season.

In the final round of the Matrix GP Series, Eileen Roe took the individual honours to take the overall victory.

Scottish rider Roe (Starley Primal) outsprinted Amy Roberts (Wiggle-Honda) and Grace Garner - younger sister of Giant-Shimano's Lucy - to finish 13 points ahead of compatriot and best friend Charline Joiner.

Roe, who led the standings since round two in Peterborough, will represent her country at this year's Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

Results
Pearl Izumi Tour Series 2014, round 10: Woking

1. Madison Genesis

2. Rapha Condor JLT

3. Node4 Velosure

4. NFTO Pro Cycling

5. Team Raleigh

6. Starley Primal Pro Cycling

7. Pedal Heaven Colbornes

8. Metaltek Kuota

9. Great Britain

Round 10 individual result

1. Tom Stewart (GBR, Madison Genesis

2. George Harper (GBR, Node4 Velosure

3. Adam Blythe (GBR, NFTO Pro Cycling

4. Tobyn Horton (GBR, Madison Genesis

5. Graham Briggs (GBR, Rapha Condor JLT

6. Andy Tennant (GBR, Madison Genesis

7. Matthieu Boulo (Fra) Team Raleigh

8. Chris Opie (GBR) Rapha Condor JLT

9. Morgan Kniesky (Fra) Team Raleigh

10. Dean Downing (GBR) NFTO Pro Cycling

Round 10 Costa Express Fastest Lap: Graham Briggs, Rapha Condor JLT, 1-43.298

Round 10 sprint winner: Jon Mould, NFTO

Overall Team Standings after round 10

1. Rapha Condor JLT, 106pts

2. Madison Genesis, 90pts

3. Team Raleigh, 82pts

4. NFTO Pro Cycling, 73pts

5. Node4 Velosure, 61pts

6. Metaltek Kuota, 45pts

7. Starley Primal Pro Cycling, 39pts

8. Pedal Heaven Colbornes, 38pts

9. Great Britain, 36pts

Overall Sprint Standings

1. Jon Mould, NFTO, 69pts

Matrix Fitness Grand Prix Series

1. Eileen Roe (GBR) Starley Primal Pro Cycling

2. Amy Roberts (GBR) Wiggle Honda

3. Grace Garner (GBR) RST Racing Team

4. Katie Curtis (GBR) Starley Primal Pro Cycling

5. Clemence Copie (GBR) Team MuleBar Girl - Sigma Sport

6. Charline Joiner (GBR) Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International

7. Gabriella Shaw (GBR) Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International

8. Laura Greenhalgh (GBR) Twickenham CC

9. Lydia Boylan (GBR) Velosport - Pasta Montegrappa

10. Jo Tindley (GBR) Matrix Fitness - Vulpine

Round Five Sprint Winner: Helen Wyman, Matrix Fitness - Vulpine

Round Five Team Winner: Starley Primal Pro Cycling

Final Overall Standings

1. Eileen Roe (GBR) Starley Primal Pro Cycling, 104pts

2. Charline Joiner (GBR) Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International, 91pts

3. Amy Roberts (GBR)Wiggle Honda, 69pts

4. Katie Curtis (GBR) Starley Primal Pro Cycling, 69pts

5. Helen Wyman (GBR) Matrix Fitness - Vulpine, 69pts

Final Overall Sprint Standings, post-Round Five

1. Helen Wyman, GBR, Matrix Fitness - Vulpine, 30pts

Final Overall Team Standings, post-Round Five

1. Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International, 227pts

Rapha Condor-JLT took their second victory of the 2014 Pearl Izumi Tour Series in Peterborough last night to open up a three-point lead at the top of the overall standings.

Great Britain's Matt Gibson claimed the overall win with a gutsy solo attack from a four-man group, but 2011 series victors Rapha placed three riders in the top six to take the team prize on the night.

17-year-old Gibson, NFTO's Adam Blythe, Graham Briggs (Rapha Condor-JLT) and Mike Northey (Madison Genesis) broke clear around halfway through the round, and maintained a lead of over 30 seconds on the peloton.

However Gibson jumped clear at the start of the final 1.1-kilometre lap, and held on to take the individual win. Blythe took second in his best Tour Series showing to date, while Briggs was awarded third by the commissaires despite placing behind Northey following a last-corner clash.

Briggs's team-mates Felix English and Ed Clancy led the bunch home for fifth and sixth to earnRapha the team prize. Madison Genesis, winners last time out in Barrow, came second, with NFTO claiming third.

In the women's Matrix GP Series, Eileen Roe (Starley Primal) took the series lead away from fellow Scot Katie Archibald after winning the series' second round.

Archibald, who won race one in Stoke-on-Trent last week, did not start last night, which meant Roe wore the leaders' jersey as the best-placed competing rider.

However, her aggressive riding and then a perfectly-timed sprint meant she took the lead of the event outright. She holds an 11-point advantage over comptatriot Charlene Joiner (Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International) ahead of round three in Edinburgh next week.

Results

Pearl Izumi Tour Series 2014: round three, Peterborough

1. Rapha Condor-JLT

2. Madison Genesis

3. NFTO

4. Raleigh

5. Starley Primal

6. Great Britain

7. Metaltek-Kuota

8. Pedal Heaven Colbornes

9. Node4-Velosure

Individual result

1. Matthew Gibson (GBR) Great Britain

2. Adam Blythe (GBR) NFTO

3. Graham Briggs (GBR) Rapha Condor-JLT

4. Mike Northey (NZL) Madison Genesis

5. Felix English (IRL) Rapha Condor-JLT

6. Ed Clancy (GBR) Rapha Condor-JLT

7. Tobyn Horton (GBR) Madison Genesis

8. Tom Scully (NZL) Madison Genesis

9. Tom Stewart (GBR) Madison Genesis

10. Yanto Barker (GBR) Raleigh

Round four Costa Express Fastest Lap: Felix English, Rapha Condor-JLT, 1-17.884

Round four Sprint Winner: Mike Northey, Madison Genesis

Overall team standings after round four

1. Rapha Condor-JLT, 42pts

2. Madison Genesis, 39pts

3. NFTO, 33pts

4. Raleigh, 28pts

5. Great Britain, 23pts

6. Node4-Velosure, 21pts

7. Metaltek Kuota, 18pts

8. Starley Primal, 15pts

9. Pedal Heaven Colbornes, 9pts

Overall Sprint Standings, post-Round Three

1. Jon Mould, NFTO, 25pts

Matrix GP Series, round two
Individual result

1. Eileen Roe (GBR) Starley Primal

2. Nicola Juniper (GBR) Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International

3. Harriet Owen (GBR) Matrix Fitness - Vulpine

4. Jasmine Diotti (ITA) Velosport - Pasta Montegrappa

5. Hannah Walker (GBR) Epic Cycles - Scott WRT

6. Charline Joiner (GBR) Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International

7. Clemence Copie (GBR) Mule Bar Girl - Sigma Sport

8. Lauren Creamer (IRL) Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International

9. Sigrid Jochems (NED) Matrix Fitness - Vulpine

10. Gabriella Shaw (GBR) Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International

Overall Individual Standings, post-Round Two

1. Eileen Roe (GBR Starley Primal, 39pts

2. Charline Joiner (GBR) Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International, 28pts

3. Hannah Walker (GBR) Epic Cycles - Scott WRT, 24pts

4. Natalie Creswick (GBR)  Mule Bar Girl - Sigma Sport, 23pts

5. Harriet Owen (GBR) Matrix Fitness - Vulpine, 21pts

Overall Team Standings, post-Round Two

1. Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International, 98pts

Overall Sprint Standings, post-Round Two

1. Louise Mahe, MuleBar Girl - Sigma Sport, 12pts

2011 champions Rapha Condor-JLT retook the lead of this year's Tour Series after finishing second behind Madison-Genesis in Barrow last night.

Graham Briggs took the individual win for Rapha, although Roger Hammond's Madison team managed to place riders in second, sixth and seventh to claim their second round victory in as many days.

Briggs escaped with Kiwi Tom Scully halfway through the race, before outsprinting him at the finish.

NFTO led the way after the event's opening two rounds in Stoke-on-Trent on Tuesday, but finished a lowly sixth in the team result on the night and relinquished their red and yellow leaders' jerseys.

Peterborough, returning to the series after a year's absence, hosts round three on Tuesday. A round of the women's Matrix GP Series also takes place in the cathedral city.

Results

Pearl Izumi Tour Series 2014 round two: Barrow
1. Madison-Genesis

2. Rapha Condor-JLT

3. Raleigh

4. Node4-Velosure

5. Great Britain

6. NFTO

7. Starley Primal

8. Metaltek-Kuota

9. Pedal Heaven Colbornes

Individal result
1. Graham Briggs (GBR) Rapha Condor JLT

2. Tom Scully (NZL) Madison-Genesis

3. Matthew Gibson (GBR) Great Britain

4. Richard Hepworth (GBR) Node4-Velosure

5. Adam Blythe (GBR) NFTO

6. Mike Northey (NZL) Madison-Genesis

7. Tobyn Horton (GBR) Madison-Genesis

8. Felix English (IRL) Rapha Condor-JLT

9. Yanto Barker (GBR) Raleigh

10. Andy Tennant (GBR) Madison-Genesis

Round Two Costa Express Fastest Lap: Graham Briggs, Rapha Condor-JLT,  1-22.924

Round Two Sprint Winner: Tom Scully, Madison-Genesis

Overall team standings after round three

1. Rapha Condor-JLT 30pts

2. Madison-Genesis 29pts

3. NFTO 21pts

4. Raleigh 21pts

5. Node4-Velosure 19pts

6. Great Britain 18pts

7. Metaltek-Kuota 13pts

8. Starley Primal 10pts

9. Pedal Heaven Colbornes 6pts

Overall Sprint Standings, post-Round Two

1. Jon Mould, NFTO, 18pts