Series leaders Anna Henderson and Rory Townsend will both be looking to add to their impressive starts to the road season with victory at round two of the HSBC UK | National Road Series - the Chestnut Homes Lincoln Grand Prix - this weekend.
Henderson and Townsend – who were both victorious at round 1 last month – will be among the stellar line-up which will tackle the iconic cobbled course on Sunday.
Henderson (Brother UK – Tifosi p/b OnForm) may well be identifying her own team-mates as among her biggest threats; Rebecca Durrell won the women’s race last year, while Leah Dixon was third at the series opener, the East Cleveland Klondike.
Joscelin Lowden (Brother.uk Fusion RT), who was outsprinted by Henderson in the closing stages of round 1, lines up in Lincoln, as does Elynor Backstedt (Storey Racing) who has enjoyed a sensational period of recent success racing on the continent. She will be joined by team-mate and multiple world and Paralympic champion, Dame Sarah Storey.
National champion Jess Roberts will be among the Team Breeze contingent on the start line, while Fiona Hunter-Johnson (Campinense – Velo Performance) and Molly Patch (Brother.uk Fusion RT) will both be looking to build on top-ten finishes at the East Cleveland Klondike.
On the men’s side, Townsend is part of a strong-looking Canyon DHB p/b Bloor Homes team, which includes last year’s Lincoln Grand Prix winner, Alex Richardson, and second-placed rider, Andy Tennant.
Scott Thwaites (Vitus Pro Cycling p/b Brother UK) narrowly lost out to Townsend in round 1, and will be looking to exact revenge this weekend, while Ian Bibby (Madison Genesis) who won the event in 2017 will also be among the ones to watch.
Gabz Cullaigh (Team Wiggins Le Col), Matt Holmes (Madison Genesis) and Alex Luhrs (Ribble Pro Cycling) all performed well at round 1, and will be targeting more success this weekend.
Following this weekend’s round 2, the men’s series moves on to the Lancaster Grand Prix and the women’s to the CiCle Classic (both June 9).
