The 2017 HSBC UK | Grand Prix Series reaches its second round as the peloton heads to Stockton Grand Prix on Sunday.
The town that hosted the 2016 British Cycling National Road Championships is set for the 2017 Stockton Cycling Festival this weekend - beginning on Friday night with the next round of the HSBC UK | National Circuit Series, before a sportive, traffic-free family ride and culminating in Sunday’s Stockton Grand Prix.
JLT Condor’s Ian Bibby tops the Grand Prix standings after strong rides in both stages of the Tour of the Reservoir.
About the Series
The HSBC UK | Grand Prix Series is a four-round British road race series which runs throughout July and August.
The 2016 series was won by Christopher Lawless of JLT Condor, who also picked up the team honours.
Racing began with the Tour of the Reservoir on Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 July with One Pro Cycling’s Karol Domagalski and JLT Condor’s Tom Moses getting the individual stage wins as Tom Stewart took the overall win.
But it was Bibby’s fifth and second over the two stages that saw him collect the most series standings points.
After the Stockton Grand Prix on Sunday 16 July, racing heads to the Ryedale Grand Prix for the third round on Sunday 6 August before the series concludes at the spectacular Leicester Castle Classic on Sunday 13 August.
The course
Racers face a gruelling 176 kilometres in the Stockton Grand Prix, with the peloton setting off close to the River Tees in Stockton town centre at midday.
They will head north, up the A1305 to the main circuit for ten laps of a course that takes in locations such as Thorpe Thewles, Whitton and Thorpe Leazes before heading back into the town centre for six laps of the riverside circuit.
What happened last year
Adam Blythe claimed national champion’s stripes in the 2016 British Cycling National Road Championships in Stockton - pipping Mark Cavendish to the win in a thrilling sprint finish.
The last Stockton Grand Prix took place in 2015 - with Chris Opie of One Pro Cycling earning the win.
Ones to watch
Ian Bibby’s terrific domestic form in 2017 sees him topping the standings after the first round and the JLT Condor rider will look to extend his slender lead over the streets of Stockton.
Bibby, who won the Velothon on Sunday, currently has 51 points, one more than One Pro Cycling’s Thomas Stewart - but Stewart is not set to race in the north-east.
Instead, Bibby’s biggest challenge could come from his teammate Tom Moses - currently on 43 points and with a second stage victory at the Tour of the Reservoir under his belt.
Team Wiggins’ Andrew Tennant also finds himself in the top ten of the standings after the first round and along with teammate Chris Latham, a winner in the opening HSBC UK | Spring Cup Series round this season, could pose a threat this weekend.
Madison Genesis rider Erick Rowsell and Raleigh GAC duo Sebastian Mora Vedri and Adrian Moreno Sala are always likely contenders and keep an eye out for the 100% ME quartet of Angus Claxton, Adam Hartley, Jacob Hennessy and Reece Wood.
How to follow the racing
- Follow the action from the HSBC UK | Grand Prix Series on our live blog from 11.45am on Sunday for race updates, images and social media.
- Follow @BritishCycling on Twitter for updates throughout the racing
- Video highlights, reports, results, images and reaction will appear on the British Cycling website.