Kristen Armstrong Tour de Toona favourite

The second race in the Women's Prestige cycling series continues today with the International Tour de Toona. The standings at the end of this race will also determine the teams that will receive travel grants for the CD&P Bermuda Grand Prix, the final race of the series.

Kristin Armstrong (TEAm Lipton) is the favourite to defend the Series individual leader's jersey that she won at the Nature Valley Grand Prix. Armstrong is having a strong Summer, winning two stages and the overall at June's Nature Valley GP and the two US National Championships in July.

Second place is currently held by Armstrong's teammate Kori Seehafer while third is held by last year's Series Champion, Christine Thorburn (Webcor-Platinum), who is not racing this week. Thorburn's team-mate Erinne Wilcock, currently in fourth, would need some help to challenge Armstrong's lead, but her strong performance in winning the Joe Martin Stage Race demonstrates that she's still a rider to watch for the overall.

Wilcock is also in a strong position win the best young rider award. She secured the lead in this category with an impressive fifth place at the Nature Valley GP. Her most likely competitor will be Katherine Carroll (Victory Brewing), currently sitting in second place. Alex Wrubleski may also move up the young rider standings. The newly crowned Canadian National Champion won the BMC best young rider competition at Nature Valley.

Brooke Miller (PABW Powered by TIBCO) works to defend the sprinter's jersey that she won at Nature Valley. Her competition should come from the TEAm Lipton trio of Kristin Armstrong, Kori Seehafer and Laura Van Gilder, currently holding second through fourth in this competition.

The lead in the team competition is currently held by TEAm Lipton with Webcor-Platinum close behind. Without Thorburn, Webcor-Platinum will be hard pressed to challenge Lipton, however, the team has two U26 riders, Wilcock and Amber Rais, while Lipton has none. The Series team competition offers bonus points to young riders, so Webcor-Platinum may be competitive if both Wilcock and Rais ride well.