The seventh edition of the Women’s Prestige Cycling Series kicks off this week at the Redlands Bicycle Classic, which begins Thursday in Redlands, California.
Defending Women’s Prestige Cycling Series champion Alison Powers (Team Vera Bradley Foundation) will make the trip to Redlands, as will 2007 Series champion Mara Abbott (Peanut Butter & Co TWENTY12) along with her teammate and last year’s runner-up, Katharine Carroll. Katheryn Mattis (Webcor Builders), who finished in third place in the standings last year, will be there with an aim to improve on her result. 2008 world time trial champion Amber Neben will be participating as a guest on the BMW-Bianchi squad.
National criterium champion Tina Pic's retirement opens the door for a new champion in the Sprint competition. Chasing the red jersey are some of the riders who finished in the top five last year, including Joanne Kiesanowski (Team TIBCO/To The Top Pro Cycling), Gina Grain (Webcor Builders) and Powers.
Rebecca Much (Team TIBCO/To The Top Pro Cycling) is returning to defend her Best Young Rider jersey, and will have to contend with Abbott, who took honors along with the overall crown in 2007. At 25 years of age, this is the last opportunity Abbott have to secure the jersey once more.
Traditionally, the teams vying for the Series team classification are among the top squads in the nation. This year shapes up to follow that pattern, with defending Women’s Prestige Cycling Series champion Team TIBCO/To The Top Pro Cycling returning, along with Powers’s Team Vera Bradley Foundation and the well-rounded Webcor Builders and Peanut Butter & Co TWENTY12 squads.
“With all the roster changes in the off-season, the only thing that’s certain is that the competition this year will definitely be fierce,” Women’s Prestige Cycling Series co-founder David LaPorte said. “Like last year, I expect several of the classifications will not be decided until the final event.”
Four events in four different states comprise the Women’s Prestige Cycling Series. The other three are: SRAM Tour of the Gila, April 28-May 2 (New Mexico), Nature Valley Grand Prix, June 16-20 (Minnesota) and Bend Memorial Clinic Cascade Cycling Classic, July 20-25 (Oregon). The Series awards the top overall individual, best young rider, best sprinter and top team. Clothing manufacturer Champion System provides special jerseys to identify the leaders in the individual classifications.