Endura and Motorpoint vow to hit Rapha back at Tour Series

Endura and Motorpoint vow to hit Rapha back at Tour Series

It's been a Tour Series whitewash for Rapha-Condor-Sharp's boys in black so far.

However, rivals Endura and defending champions Motorpoint are keen to see that the leaders don't have it their own way any longer - starting with Tuesday's fifth round in Stoke.

"People are emphasising that it's been Rapha-Endura, Rapha-Endura. It's been like that, yes, but I don't see it as that," said Endura's manager Julian Winn.

His team currently trail Rapha-Condor-Sharp by six points; barring a capitulation, they are realistically the only team in with a chance of overhauling the leaders.

"Rapha have won the first four rounds but they haven't dominated. We'll turn it around," he said.

Meanwhile, defending champions Motorpoint have been a little off colour thus far, sitting sixth at the series' halfway mark.

Effervescent team boss Phil Griffiths chalks it down chiefly to riders being away at the Ras and Tour of Norway.

"We'll come back and win the last few," he said. "If Jonny [McEvoy] or [Ian] Bibby do as well as they can, then they should be able to really move things on."

Malcolm Elliott hits the front during Tuesday's third round of the Tour Series in Peterborough

He continued: "Malcolm [Elliott] is still on the recovery track, which is good. At Stoke we go to war - it's war from then on. Don't call them strange tactics. Just say ‘the boss was sleeping'".

Griffiths added: "We've already won it anyway and Rapha haven't. It's important to let other teams do well. We want more and more sponsors in the sport. We're not into global domination. It's about helping the riders too."

Your chance to ride with Thomas

Thomson Sport and Team Sky's Geraint Thomas have teamed-up to offer cyclists a unique three-day Belgian experience in August.

"De Ronde with Geraint Thomas" gives riders to hit the cobbled lanes of Flanders with the recent Bayern Rundfahrt winner.

Over three days of riding, the iconic climbs of the Koppenberg, Oude Kwaremont and the Muur-Kapelmuur will be tackled, with Thomas offering support and coaching for those on the trip.

Thomas during the Tour of Romandy

The experience starts from £869 per person, which includes luxury coach travel from Manchester, Birmingham or London, three nights' half-board accommodation in a 4* hotel and a tour of the Centrum Ronde van Vlaanderen exhibition with Freddy Maertens.

For more information, click here.

Academy's quiet start to the Tour de Berlin

Erick Rowsell has been the best of the Brits in the Tour de Berlin (June 1-4) thus far, lying 13th overall after the first two days of the race.

Rowsell finished fourth in the bunch sprint at the end of Thursday's second stage around Rudow, which left him 12 seconds off the race lead going into today's 16.4km third stage time trial.

The former national junior road race champion is part of the five-man under-23 Great Britain National Team competing in the 2.2U event.

Dan McLay is also in action, but is riding for the Omega Pharma-Lotto-Davo development team.

Dartmoor Classic looks for Britain's manliest cyclist

Do you ride a hundred miles on a Mars bar? Have a growing face topiary? Maybe you should enter Dartmoor Classic's competition to find Britain's manliest cyclist.

The only pre-requisite is signing up at the sportive's depart stall and providing an account of what makes you the manliest cyclist.

The winner receives a Bluebeards Revenge racing jersey and accessories, a year's supply of the company's shaving cream, a promotional video and £500 to the cycling club of his or her choice.

Related links

British news round-up, May 27: More details of London test event emerge

British news round-up, May 20: Rowe goes close in Holland

British news round-up, May 6: Brammeier:"The novelty will never wear off"