Madison-Genesis, JLT-Condor and NFTO qualify for Tour of Britain

Pedal Heaven and Raleigh-GAC miss out for selection in the Tour of Britain as Madison-Genesis, JLT-Condor and NFTO qualify.

Johnny McEvoy.
(Image credit: Andy Jones)

After a qualifying period that has spanned more than three months, Madison-Genesis, JLT-Condor and NFTO have earned the right to compete at this September's Tour of Britain.

SweetSpot, the organisers of the national tour, decided to implement a qualifying system for Britain's Continental teams in the wake of last year's race, partly motivated by the sixth stage from Stoke-on-Trent to Nottingham when the gruppeto rolled in more than 45 minutes in arrears with only one domestic-based team rider  in the front group.

It meant that, for the first time since the race's 2004 revival, all of Britain's professional teams would not get a spot in the 2.HC race.

>>> Tour of Britain 2016 route: stage by stage

A selection method made up of nine  events - the five UK spring/summer UCI races, National Road Race Championships, Tour Series and Motorpoint Spring Cup and GP Series - counted with points awarded for team placings.

Madison-Genesis qualified after the Nationals and at the GP of Wales last Sunday, JLT-Condor and NFTO made sure of their place with one counting race remaining - July 31's RideLondon.

>>> André Greipel, Tom Boonen and Dan McLay confirmed for RideLondon-Surrey Classic

It means that Raleigh-GAC - who have only collected one point during qualifying - will miss out, as will Continental debutants Pedal Heaven.

Team Wiggins were already guaranteed of a place by virtue of having the highest placed rider on a British Continental team in the 2015 edition, when Owain Doull (now of Sky) finished third.

Team Sky, One Pro Cycling, a composite Great Britain national team and 10 WorldTour teams will also take part in the September 4-11 race which starts in Glasgow.

Find out more on this and whether the race will seek to become a WorldTour event in the June 21 Cycling Weekly, out today.

Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Chris Marshall-Bell

Chris first started writing for Cycling Weekly in 2013 on work experience and has since become a regular name in the magazine and on the website. Reporting from races, long interviews with riders from the peloton and riding features drive his love of writing about all things two wheels.


Probably a bit too obsessed with mountains, he was previously found playing and guiding in the Canadian Rockies, and now mostly lives in the Val d’Aran in the Spanish Pyrenees where he’s a ski instructor in the winter and cycling guide in the summer. He almost certainly holds the record for the most number of interviews conducted from snowy mountains.