Matrix Fitness Racing Academy presented in style in central London

by Ben Atkins at 11:27 AM EST

Vulpine and Look Mum No Hands play host to the launch of British women’s team

The British-based Matrix Fitness Racing Academy was launched in some style in central London on Friday evening as the riders were hosted by sponsor Vulpine clothing in the afternoon, followed by a presentation at Look Mum No Hands. Team manager Stefan Wyman is entering his eight year as a manager in the women’s peloton, and is excited by his almost completely changed line up for 2013.

Matrix Fitness returns for the second year as title sponsor, following sister company Horizon Fitness’ two years with the team, meaning that Johnson Healthtech companies have supported Wyman’s team for four years.

“We have always been performance based,” he said. “Results are a bi-product of performance and we’ll stick to that principle. We have a very talented group of riders and I’m confident we can fast track their success, hopefully making their professional ambitions a reality.”

Matrix Fitness’ 2012 roster included World and Olympic track champions Joanna Rowsell and Dani King, while riders to feature in Wyman’s teams in the past include Emma Pooley and Dame Sarah Storey. Rowsell and King have departed for the new Wiggle Honda team, but Wyman has managed to recruit a host of promising new riders.

The only two riders to remain from 2012 are Hannah and Jessie Walker [who are unrelated - ed], while new names include Emma Grant, who spent 2012 racing for Optum Pro Cycling, and Jo Tindley, who made a successful return to the sport last year.

“With the addition of riders like Jo Tindley and Emma Grant, we feel we have the leadership and talent to make a major impact on races in the UK, and still be worthy additions to European races when we venture abroad,” said Wyman. “On top of these we have a much bigger increase in our non-racing activity with our partnerships with Skoda and Matrix as we continue to work with leading brands in the UK.”

The team also brings in Corrine Hall and Harriet Owen from Node4-Giordana, and junior rider Mel Lowther, while Rapha-Focus cyclocross rider Gabby Day will return to Wyman’s team to ride her 2013 road season.

Also to be racing for the team as an occasional guest rider will be Wyman’s wife Helen, the European cyclocross champion.

Understandably, one of the team’s big focusses will be the races of the Johnson Healthtech GP - which will be run alongside the men’s Tour Series criteriums once again - since Johnson Healthtech is the parent company of Matrix Fitness. The team will also be aiming at the Bedford Three-Day - which it will organise this year, as well as the other major races in the UK.

The team’s season will begin in France, however, with the third race in the Coupe de France in April, before returning to the closed circuit race series in Elveden, Suffolk.

“We could have started in Scotland at the National Series, but we feel supporting a new series of women’s events, in a safe environment, will be beneficial to us and the sport in the long term,” Wyman explained. “There are now so many quality teams in the UK, there is absolutely no reason there can’t be multiple events on the same weekend for women. It’s a really positive situation and very exciting for everyone in the sport.”

Present at the launch were Hannah and Jessie Walker, Jo Tindley, Harriet Owen and Corrine Hall. The riders were first outfitted by sponsor Vulpine, which manufactures urban style cycling apparel, before separately heading out into London with a photographer to take some fun pictures.

The team was then reunited in the evening for a presentation at the Look Mum No Hands cyclist cafe in the city of London, where the riders were introduced to the media and a multitude of fans of women’s cycling.

Click on the thumbnails below for a small gallery of images