With just over two weeks to the 2012 edition of the Rutland – Melton CiCLE Classic 34 teams have been confirmed as starting the race.
Nine foreign based teams add the international flavour to the ever popular race which has once again seen over 60 entries turned away in the last few weeks. As expected, all the leading British teams are represented in the final line up. With an increasing foreign contingent now represented in the British teams, a record of over 20 different countries will be represented on the start line in Oakham town Centre on Sunday 29April which will once again be flagged away by local MP and Secretary of State for Overseas Development, The Rt. Hon. Alan Duncan.
Several of the foreign squads come to race fresh from extensive stage race experience already this year in races such as the Tour of Morocco and several South American races such as the Tour of San Luis which saw many of the World’s top teams taking part.
The most interesting entry comes from Austria who field Tobias Erler, a former Austrian national road champion and former member of the HTC –Highroad team. Erler comes to the CiCLE Classic with a reputation for featuring strongly on challenging courses such as those which will be covered in Rutland to Melton so is expected to figure in the final stages of the race.
Other interesting entries involve the newly formed Metaltec team based in Melton Mowbray and the inclusion in the race for the first time of a British Cycling National Under 23 Academy team including former national junior Road Race Champion and Delhi Commonwealth Games Silver medallist George Atkins, from Market Harborough. Atkins who started the year with two very convincing wins on the road in 2012 is now returning to top class form after suffering a viral infection which has affected his fitness for some weeks.
The CiCLE Classic also takes on greater importance this year as the first major sporting event to be staged in Leicestershire and Rutland forming part of the nationally promoted ‘Community Games,’ initiative as a legacy from the London Olympics.
Colin Clews, Race Director said: “ The CiCLE Classic has always prided itself on the involvement of the whole community through which the race passes and is held and many cultural and enduring sporting activities are now strongly associated with the event. It is gratifying that this is being recognised through this very worthwhile and valuable initiative which it is hoped will encourage the growth of other local sporting events along the same lines”.
List of Teams:
Endura Racing (GBR) UCI Continental
Arbo-Gerbruder-Weiss (AUT) UCI Continental
Cycling Premier (GBR) Dom Elite
Wheelbase MGB (GBR) Dom Elite
Node 4 –Giordana (GBR) UCI Continental
Herbalife-Leisure Lakes (GBR) Dom Elite
Raleigh –GAC (GBR) UCI Continental
Vanilla Bikes (GBR) Dom Elite
Rapha-Condor-Sharp (GBR) UCI Continental
Performance Bikes U23 (GBR) Dom Elite
Hargroves Cycles (GBR) Dom Elite
SportsCover –Altura (GBR) Dom Elite
Glud & Marst.d LRO (DEN) UCI Continental
B.C East Mids Region (GBR) Dom Elite
Velo 29 (GBR) Dom Elite
Dirtwheels Cycles (GBR) Dom Elite
Start Atacama (PAR) UCI Continental
Etcetera-Worldofbike (GRE) Dom Elite
Team UK Youth (GBR) UCI Continental
Hope Racing (GBR) Dom Elite
KTM Murcia (ESP) Dom Elite
Team Wallis-CHH (GBR) Dom Elite
Deschuytter – WestKerke (BEL) Dom Elite
Willier-Live2Ride (GBR) Dom Elite
Geofco-Ville Alger (ALG) UCI Continental
Loughborough Univ. (GBR) Dom Elite
Asfra –Flanders (BEL) Dom Elite
Great Britain U23 Academy (GBR) Dom Elite
CMI – Loyalty (USA) Dom Elite
GWR-Swindon (GBR) Dom Elite
Metaltec (GBR) Dom Elite
Corley Cycles (GBR) Dom Elite
IG Markets- Sigma (GBR) UCI Continental
Twenty3C.co.uk-Orbea(GBR) Dom Elite
