Endura win Tour Series to consolidate lead

Endura needed only a handful of points to secure the overall win at the Halfords Tour Series which they duly collected with two third places in the final two Stoke rounds.

Their overall win in the Series gives their Super Team Challenge lead an extra boost as Rapha continue to lead the charge behind and Raleigh consolidate their third place by breaching the 100 point barrier. 

Big points are on offer at this weekend's National Championships although teams and riders will have to work hard to get in and amongst the strong Sky squad that will line up in North Yorkshire. 

Round 18: Tour Series round eleven, Stoke-on-Trent (Tommy Godwin TTT), June 14

1. Rapha-Condor-Sharp 12pts

2. UK-Youth 8pts

3. Endura Racing 6pts

4. Node4-Giordana 4pts

5. IG-Sigma Sport 2pts

Round 19: Tour Series round twelve, Stoke-on-Trent (Grand Final), June 14

1. Node4-Giordana 12pts

2. Raleigh-GAC 8pts

3. Endura Racing 6pts

4. UK-Youth 4pts

5. Rapha-Condor-Sharp 2pts

Round 20: Tour Series Overall Standings, June 14

1. Endura Racing 12pts

2. Rapha-Condor-Sharp 8pts

3. UK-Youth 6pts

4. Raleigh-GAC 4pts

5. Node4-Giordana 2pts

Current overall standings

1. Endura Racing 224pts

2. Rapha-Condor-Sharp 132pts

3. Raleigh-GAC 102pts

4. Node4-Giordana 86pts

5. UK-Youth 84pts

6. IG-Sigma Sport 24pts

7. Cycle Premier-Kovert 12pts

8. VanillaBikes.com 6pts

9. Herbalife-LeisureLakesBikes 5pts

10. Pedal Heaven 4pts

Endura Racing still lead Cycling Weekly's Super Team Challenge, but the battle for second is becoming a close contest.

Rapha-Condor-Sharp are still the best of the rest, but Raleigh-GAC are now the best of the rest. However, combined, their two scores would still fall short of Endura's tally.

VanillaBikes.com and Herbalife-LeisureLakesBikes scored ther first points in our standings last weekend.

Round 12: Tour Series round six, Peterborough, May 29

1. Raleigh-GAC 12pts

2. Endura Racing 8pts

3. Rapha-Condor-Sharp 6pts

4. Node4-Giordana 4pts

5. CyclePremier-Kovert 2pts

Round 13: Tour Series round seven, Canary Wharf, May 31

1. Endura Racing 12pts

2. Node4-Giordana 8pts

3. Rapha-Condor-Sharp 6pts

4. UK Youth 4pts

5. CyclePremier-Kovert 2pts

Round 13: Tour Series round eight, Torquay, June 5

1. Node4-Giordana 12pts

2. Raleigh-GAC 8pts

3. Endura Racing 6pts

4. Rapha-Condor-Sharp 4pts

5. UK Youth 2pts

Round 14: Tour Series round nine, Colchester, June 7

1. Endura Racing 12pts

2. UK Youth 8pts

3. Rapha-Condor-Sharp 6pts

4. Raleigh-GAC 4pts

5. Node4-Giordana 2pts

Round 16: IG Markets London Nocturne, June 10

1. Ian Stannard (Team Sky) N/A

2. Kristian House (Rapha-Condor-Sharp) 6pts

3. Niklas Gustavsson (UK Youth) 4pts

4. Davide Appollonio (Team Sky) N/A

5. Dan Holloway (Raleigh-GAC) 1pt

Round 16: South Carrick David Bell Memorial, June 10

1. Chris Jennings (Rapha-Condor-Sharp) 10pts

2. Ben Greenwood (VanillaBikes.com) 6pts

3. Kit Gilham (Herbalife-LeisureLakesBikes) 4pts

4. Richard Handley (Rapha-Condor-Sharp) 2pts

5. Robbie Hassan (Herbalife-LeisureLakesBikes) 1pt

Round 17: Tour Series round 10, Woking, June 12

1. Endura Racing 12pts

2. Raleigh-GAC 8pts

3. UK Youth 6pts

4. Rapha-Condor-Sharp 4pts

5. Node4-Giordana 2pts

Current overall standings

1. Endura Racing 200pts

2. Rapha-Condor-Sharp 110pts

3. Raleigh-GAC 90pts

4. Node4-Giordana 68pts

5. UK Youth 66pts

6. IG-Sigma Sport 22pts

7. CyclePremier-Kovert 12pts

8. VanillaBikes.Com 6pts

9. Herbalife-LeisureLakesBikes 5pts

10. Pedal Heaven 4pts

Round Eight: Tour Series round three, Oxford, May 22

1. Endura Racing 12pts

2. UK Youth 8pts

3. Rapha-Condor-Sharp 6pts

4. Node4-Giordana 4pts

5. Raleigh-GAC 6pts

Round Nine: Tour Series round four, Kirkcaldy, May 24

1. Endura Racing 12pts

2. UK Youth 8pts

3. Node4-Giordana 6pts

4. Rapha-Condor-Sharp 4pts

5. Raleigh-GAC 2pts

Round 10: Tour Series round five, Aberystwyth, May 25

1. UK Youth 12pts

2. Rapha-Condor-Sharp 8pts

3. Raleigh-GAC 6pts

4. Endura Racing 4pts

5. CyclePremier-Kovert 2pts

Round 11: Hillingdon GP, May 26

1. Russell Hampton (Raleigh-GAC) 10pts

2. Blair Windsor (CyclePremier-Kovert) 6pts

3. Allan Ridler (Pedal Heaven) 4pts

4. Matt Holmes (Raleigh-GAC) 2pts

5. Dan Holloway (Raleigh-GAC) 1pt

Current overall standings

1. Endura Racing 150pts

2. Rapha-Condor-Sharp 66pts

3. Raleigh-GAC 57pts

4. UK Youth 42pts

5. Node4-Giordana 40pts

6. IG-Sigma Sport 22pts

7. CyclePremier-Kovert 8pts

8. Pedal Heaven 4pts

Rapha-Condor-Sharp's Kristian House was very nearly the first rider to end the Endura whitewash of this year's Super Team Challenge with a stunning solo win at the Durham Tour Series on May 17. 

However Endura once again wrapped up the team competition and that's the one that counts. Added to their individual and team wins at the opening round in Kircaldy just two days before, where the in-form Scott Thwaites dominated proceedings, and the team's lead is even stronger. 

Round Six: Tour Series Round One, Kircaldy, May 15

1. Endura Racing 12pts

2. Team UK-Youth 8pts

3. Raleigh-GAC 6pts

4. Node4-Giordana 4pts

5. Rapha-Condor-Sharp 2pts

Round Seven: Tour Series Round Two, Durham, May 17

1. Endura Racing 12pts

2. Rapha-Condor-Sharp 8pts

3. Raleigh-GAC 6pts

4. Node4-Giordana 4pts

5. IG-Sigma Sport 2pts

Current Overall Standings

1. Endura Racing 122pts

2. Rapha-Condor-Sharp 48pts

3=. Node4-Giordana 30pts

3= Raleigh-GAC 30pts

5. IG-Sigma Sport 22pts

6. Team UK-Youth 14pts

Another race, another win for Endura. This time it was Russ Downing on the top step of the podium and his fourth win at the Lincoln Grand Prix has taken his team to a commanding 98-point lead. 

It's shaping up to be a ding-dong battle for second and third. Rapha-Condor-Sharp currently lead the way in second place after consistent top five finishes but Raleigh-GAC, IG-Sigma and Node4-Giordana are all right on their tail. 

Today sees the Halfords Tour Series kick off in Kirkcaldy and we'll be keeping tabs on the Super Team Challenge standings as they get shuffled around over the twelve rounds.

Round Five: Lincoln Grand Prix, May 13 (Premier Calendar)

1. Russell Downing (Endura Racing) 14pts

2. Marcin Bialoblocki (Node4-Giordana) 10pts

3. Kristian House (Rapha-Condor-Sharp) 8pts

4. Simon Richardson (IG-Sigma Sport) 6pts

5. Russell Hampton (Raleigh-GAC) 4pts

Current Overall Standings

1. Endura Racing 98pts

2. Rapha-Condor-Sharp 38pts

3= Raleigh-GAC 22pts

3= Node4-Giordana 22pts

5. IG-Sigma Sport 20pts

6. Team UK Youth 6pts

Endura's lead in the Super Team Challenge looks unassailable after yet another Premier Calendar win, this time from Scott Thwaites at the Tour of the Reservoir.

The Scottish squad has accumulated more points that all of the remaining teams put together and has nearly three times as many as second placed Rapha-Condor-Sharp.

A remarkable second place from IG-Sigma's Pete Hawkins, riding his first ever Premier Calendar race, has bumped his team up the rankings and means that the race for second is hotting up going into this weekend's Lincoln GP on May 13.

Round Four: The Tour of the Reservoir, May 6 (Premier Calendar)

1. Scott Thwaites (Endura Racing) 14pts

2. Pete Hawkins (IG-Sigma Sport) 10pts

3. Russ Downing (Endura Racing) 8pts

4. Graham Briggs (Raleigh-GAC) 6pts

5. Andy Tennant (Rapha-Condor-Sharp) 4pts

Current Overall Standings

1. Endura Racing 84pts

2. Rapha-Condor-Sharp 30pts

3. Raleigh-GAC 18pts

4. IG-Sigma Sport 14pts

5. Node4-Giordana 12pts

6. Team UK Youth 6pts

Endura Racing extended their lead once again in the coveted CW Super Team Challenge thanks to another win by Alexandre Blain.

The Frenchman seems to thrive on the toughest of roads and added the Rutland-Melton CiCLE Classic to his collection after he picked up the first Premier Calendar of the season at Dengie Marshes. 

Raleigh-GAC and UK Youth chalked up their first points this season with strong showings in the torrential rain at the CiCLE Classic, although Rapha-Condor Sharp contiue to lead the charge in second place. 

Round Three: Rutland-Melton International CiCLE Classic, April 29 (UCI 1.2)

1. Alexandre Blain (Endura Racing) 16pts

2. Jamie Sparling (Raleigh-GAC) 12pts

3. James McCallum (Rapha-Condor-Sharp) 10pts

4. Tobias Erler (Arbo Gebruder-Weiss) N/A

5. Yanto Barker (Team UK Youth) 6pts

Current Overall Standings

1. Endura Racing 68pts

2. Rapha-Condor-Sharp 26pts

3= Node4-Giordana 12pts

3= Raleigh-GAC 12pts

5. Team UK Youth 6pts

6. IG-Sigma Sport 4pts 

Endura Racing unsurprisingly extended their lead at the top of CW's Super Team Challenge standings after dominating the Tour DoonHame over the Easter Weekend.

They won all three stages and locked-out the overall podium, which means they took maximum points.

Rapha-Condor-Sharp continue to be the 'best of the rest', as Richard Handley's fourth place gives them six more points. Node4-Giordana have also started strongly, and Mike Northey's consistent riding over the two days in DoonHame secured a fifth-placed finish.

Next up we have the Rutland-Melton CiCLE Classic, before two back-to-back Premier Calendar rounds at the start of May. 2012 has started as a one-horse race; will that change soon, and can the likes of Raleigh-GAC and UK Youth get off the mark after showing great potential thus far?

Round Two: Tour DoonHame, April 8-9 (Premier Calendar)

1. Jonny McEvoy (Endura Racing) 14pts

2. Erick Rowsell (Endura Racing) 10pts

3. Scott Thwaites (Endura Racings) 8pts

4. Richard Handley (Rapha-Condor-Sharp) 6pts

5. Mike Northey (Node4-Giordana) 4pts

Stage one winner: Erick Rowsell (Endura Racing) 2pts

Stage two winner: Scott Thwaites (Endura Racing) 2pts

Stage three winner: Jonny McEvoy (Endura Racing) 2pts

Current overall standings

1. Endura Racing 52pts

2. Rapha-Condor-Sharp 16pts

3. Node4-Giordana 12pts

4. IG-Sigma Sport 4pts

Frenchman Alexandre Blain sprinted to victory in the Maldon Dengie Tour to give Endura an early lead in the CW Super Team Challenge.

Rapha-Condor-Sharp, Node4-Giordana and IG-Sigma Sport also picked up their first points in the race, although Meridiana Kamen do not score despite Roberto Cesaro's fourth-place finish because they are Polish registered.

Round One: Maldon Dengie Tour, April 1 (Premier Calendar)

1. Alexandre Blain (Endura Racing) 14pts

2. Ben Grenda (Rapha-Condor-Sharp) 10pts

3. Matt Cronshaw (Node4-Giordana) 8pts

4. Roberto Cesaro (Meridiana Kamen) N/A

5. Simon Richardson (IG-Sigma Sport) 4pts

Overall standings after Maldon Dengie Tour

1. Endura Racing 14pts

2. Rapha-Condor-Sharp 10pts

3. Node4-Giordana 8pts

4. IG-Sigma Sport 4pts 

Related links

Super Team Challenge 2012: How it works

Premier Calendar 2012: Cycling Weekly's coverage indexHalfords Tour Series 2012: Cycling Weekly's coverage index