The Brother UK-sponsored Tour Series is Britain's biggest circuit racing series. It's brought adrenaline-fuelled racing to town-centre circuits the length and breadth of the country since 2009. Many household names gained prominence at the Tour Series, including Anna Henderson, the Brother Cycling 'graduate' now winning races in the UCI Women's WorldTour.
Our guests for this investigative edition could scarcely be more qualified to comment. Joey Walker, a rider for Brother UK-sponsored Crimson Performance-Orientation Marketing, is the reigning British Circuit Race Champion. So too is Rebecca Durrell, who won the women's title while riding for Team Brother UK-Tifosi p/b OnForm, now CAMS-Basso.
Rebecca and Joey share insights gained from their experience at the pinnacle of the sport. They lift the lid on start line nerves, riding on the limit of crashing, managing the logistical and tactical demands of the Tour Series and sharing the sensation of victory with crowds of several thousand people.
Mark Botteley offers a manager's viewpoint. He describes the challenges his young riders are likely to face in the 2021 Tour Series, describes the tactical options for a squad long on potential but short on experience, and calls for elite domestic road racing to embrace the Covid-inspired opportunity to restructure.
Peter Hodges is the Communications Director at SweetSpot Group, the Tour Series organisers, and a man who has witnessed an astonishing 102 of the 107 rounds held by the competition since 2009. He describes its challenges, successes and plans for the future, and even shares memories of his favourite venues.
Phil Jones is the Managing Director of Brother UK and this podcast's co-host. As the leader of a major business and sponsor of the Tour Series, Phil is keenly aware of its economic challenges. He offers a positive vision for continued partnerships between the race and local authorities as councils seek new ways to revive town centres decimated by lockdown.
Part one of this eleventh episode of the Brother UK Cycling Podcast offers everything you need to know about Britain's best-loved crit series, from pre-race anxiety to post-race recovery, physical exhaustion to emotional exhilaration. Check out part two for a discussion of the issues featuring co-hosts Tim and Phil and Larry Hickmott, the editor of Brother UK-sponsored
VeloUK.net.