October 18, 2005 – The Women’s Prestige Cycling Series completed its second year at the Bermuda Grand Prix. The Series saw coast-to-coast racing leading up to this off-shore finish. The Series opened at the PoolGel Redlands Bicycle Classic in California in March, then continued at the Nature Valley Grand Prix in Minnesota in June and at the Tour de “˜Toona / International in Pennsylvania in July.

Individual Standings

Webcor Builders continued their season-long domination of the Series, sweeping the top three spots in the individual competition. Christine Thorburn and Erinne Willock were away at the World Championships during the Bermuda race, but had accumulated enough points at previous Series events to secure the top two spots. Team mate and former World Champion Karen Brems moved up to third when she won the Bermuda Grand Prix.

1. 605 – Christine Thorburn (Webcor Builders)
2. 297 – Erinne Willock (Webcor Builders)
3. 220 – Karen Brems (Webcor Builders)
4. 201 – Chrissy Ruiter (Ford Basis)
5. 187 – Lauren Franges (Victory Brewing)

Best Young Rider

Erinne Willcok claimed the Best Young Rider competition for the second year running. Alisha Lion (Ford-Basis) and Lauren Franges (Victory Brewing) took the other two podiums spots, moving up from third and fifth thanks to strong performances in Bermuda.

1. Erinne Willock (Webcor Builders)
2. Alisha Lion (Ford-Basis)
3. Lauren Franges (Victory Brewing)
4. Kathleen Billington (Diet Cheerwine)
5. Stefanie Graeter (Webcor Builders)

Sprinter

Gina Grain was the Series top sprinter, also for the second year. T-Mobile’s Ina Teutenberg had appeared to have the title locked up after the Tour de Toona, but was eliminated from the Series when her team failed to field a team in Bermuda. Christine Thorburn and Subway’s Melissa Sanborn rounded out the podium spots.

1. Gina Grain (Victory Brewing)
2. Christine Thorburn (Webcor Builders)
3. Melissa Sanborn (Subway)
4. Rochelle Gilmore (Victory Brewing)
5. Erinne Willock (Webcor Builders)

Team Competition

Webcor Builders claimed the Series team competition in style, with the top three places in the individual competition and two of the top five Best Young Riders. The competition for second was more dramatic, with Victory Brewing edging out Ford-Basis by a narrow margin of 13 points.

1. Webcor Brewing
2. Victory Brewing
3. Ford-Basis
4. Subway
5. Diet Cheerwine
6. Velo Girls

About the Women’s Prestige Cycling Series

The goal of the Women’s Prestige Cycling Series is to highlight women’s racing by giving them a spotlight that they don’t have to share with the men. The Series grew out of meetings that began in Minnesota in 2003 at the first Yoplait Women’s Cycling Summit Conference hosted at the Nature Valley Grand Prix. The Summits, now sponsored by Yoplait Nouriche, take place twice a year: at the Nature Valley Grand Prix in June and at the Interbike trade show in October.

Visit www.WomenCyclists.com for more information.