This summer the UK’s top professional cycling teams will do battle in an all-new 10-date town- and city-centre race series across the UK.

The Tour Series aims to bring the top UK race teams to crit races around the UK and is based on team performance for overall victory.

Starting on 21 May in Milton Keynes, 10 teams of five professional cyclists will aim to place their top three riders in the highest positions at the end of one hour of fast-paced racing around a 1 – 1.5km city centre circuit.

The Tour Series promises to create a festival of cycling-based activities and races that will generate a carnival atmosphere at each of the chosen venues. Each round will be televised via a major terrestrial broadcaster.

Nine towns and cities are already confirmed to host a Tour Series event: Milton Keynes, Exeter, Woking, Peterborough, Blackpool, Southport, Stoke-on-Trent and Chester, with the finals of the series being staged at Southend. The final venue completing the line-up is to be announced very soon.

10 of the very best professional teams in the UK have been invited to race in the Tour Series, many comprising internationally and nationally renowned cycling stars, with the teams being chosen on performance, as well as strength in squad numbers. Each team consists of a squad of between eight and 12 riders and from the squad five riders are nominated for each race.

Speaking about The Tour Series, Event Organiser on behalf of SweetSpot, Mick Bennett says: “I’m very happy to see a return to professionally structured, dynamic town and city centre racing, bringing a vibrant and lively atmosphere to towns and cities across the UK this summer. The team responsible for putting the Tour Series together has worked extremely hard to make this a reality. I am proud of what has been achieved and now can’t wait for the events to start.”

Dates and venues