Joe Cooper (Avanti) became the first New Zealander to win the NRS outright in 2014(Image credit: Veloshotz Photography)
Ruth Corset celebrates in the NRS Series leader jersey (Image credit: Cycling Australia - Tim Bardsley-Smith)
Cycling Australia have released both the men and women's Subaru National Road Series (NRS) calendars for 2015, featuring 21 events over 57 race days that will take place in six states and one territory. The women's calendar is expanded to 10 events in 2015 due to the introduction of new international races at the beginning of the year, the World Tour Santos Tour Down Under (TDU) and Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race.
"The introduction of two new women's events is a positive and critical step forward for the sport, in particular women’s cycling, within Australia,” said Cycling Australia CEO Nick Green.
"As the cycling world turns its eyes towards Adelaide for the first WorldTour event of the year, and then Victoria for the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race, it is fantastic for the Subaru NRS season to be able to share the international stage."
While there is no return of the Goulburn to Sydney to the men's calendar, iconic races such as the Tour of Tasmania, Grafton to Inverell and Australia's oldest one-day race, the Melbourne to Warrnambool, all return next year.
The men's NRS is set to be contested by a record number of UCI Continental teams next year with CharterMason Giant Racing Team, search2retain-health.com.au, Navitas-Satalyst Racing Team and Data#3 Symantec Racing Team all submitting applications to upgrade their racing licenses. Team Budget Forklifts and African Wildlife Safaris are expected to retain their status while six-time NRS champion team Avanti Racing will race under a Continental license registered in New Zealand for 2015.
Several former WorldTour riders will be seen contesting the NRS next year with former Orica-GreenEdge rider Wes Sulzberger at Navitas-Satalyst and four members of Australia's reigning team pursuit world champion outfit including 2011 Australian road champion and individual pursuit world record holder, Jack Bobridge and 2012 Subaru NRS champion Luke Davison lining up for Budget Forklifts.
Men’s 2015 NRS races:
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Woodside Tour De Perth: 26-29 March Jayco Adelaide Tour: 9-12 April FKG Tour of Toowoomba: 21-24 May Battle on the Border: 28-31 May Tour of the Murray River: 28 Jul-2 August Tour of the Great South Coast: 12-16 August Tour of Gippsland: 2-6 September National Capital Tour: 18-20 September Tour of Tasmania: 6-11 October Melbourne to Warrnambool: 17 October Grafton to Inverell: 24 October
2015 Women's NRS races:
Santos TDU Women’s Tour: 17-20 January Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race Women’s Elite Race: 31 January Jayco Adelaide Tour: 9-12 April Mersey Valley Tour: 1-3 May (Women and Juniors) Battle on the Border: 29-31 May Tour of the Murray River: 31 July-2 August Sam Miranda Tour of the King Valley: 21-23 August Amy’s Otway Classic: 13 September National Capital Tour: 18-20 September Tour of the Goldfields: 23-25 October
