A field of 100-riders will start the 35th NFTO Junior Tour of Wales cycle race this weekend battling for the yellow jersey in the three day five stage race in South Wales.
With over 200 entries from Britain's best junior riders, and their international counterparts, the 2015 NFTO Junior Tour of Wales is set to be the most competitive yet with a field of 100 of the best junior riders. The British competitors will be looking for points as they battle for the British Cycling Junior Road Series overall win, and tested against their international rivals.
Race Organiser, Richard Hopkins said: “Every year we seem to say that the entry has broken all records. This year, we have been totally overwhelmed. Nearly 230 entered – and the quality was so high, selecting down to only 100 starters was very difficult.
We have the domestic riders who have been fighting it out in the British Cycling Junior Road Series all season. And we have teams from across the world, including riders from as far afield as the USA, Canada, Australia and Uzbekistan."
Over the last 35 years, the race has gone from strength to strength and has seen past competitors achieve at World and Olympic level. Wales' Geraint Thomas and Luke Rowe both took part in the race, and this year rode together in the Tour de France for Team Sky, bringing home the yellow jersey in Paris.
Joe Holt, Peter Kibble, Jacob Phelps and Alexandre Touche will compete for Wales. In 2014, Joe Holt won the points jersey and returns in 2015 in search of more success. A full rider list is available in the spectator programme.
The race starts on Saturday 29 August with an individual time trial followed by a 45.4 mile road race departing from Brynmawr town centre. Sunday will begin with 20 mile circuit race at Parc Bryn Bach, with the afternoon road stage favouring the sprinters as it departs Abergavenny Leisure Centre at 3.00pm. Monday's fifth and final stage will take the peloton on a 55.5 mile route through the Brecon Beacons, finishing on the summit of the famous Tumble Mountain.
