The five-stage race is due to get underway in Oundle, Northamptonshire, and finishes in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, where the first ever winner of The Friends Life Women's Tour will be crowned.

The race has been granted the highest possible ranking for a stage race by the International Cycling Union (UCI) putting it on a par with the world's top races for women.

The agreement sees the race renamed to the Friends Life Women's Tour with the leaders' yellow jersey also set to bear the company's name.

Andy Briggs, group chief executive of Friends Life, was joined by Olympic gold medal winner and triple world champion Dani King and double world junior road race champion Lucy Garner for the announcement of the sponsorship at Friends Life's headquarters in London.

"We are delighted to be the main sponsor of the first ever Women's Tour and we are proud to support cycling and women's sport in general," said Briggs.

"The Women's Tour is an ideal partner for Friends Life as we continue to build our brand.

"Our business is about developing financial fitness through each stage of life whether it's saving for retirement or financially protecting families.

"We fully support what the Women's Tour is trying to achieve - there are many other great activities connected to the race giving opportunities for more people to get involved in sport."

The Friends Life Women's Tour will feature some of the worlds best female riders including Olympic and World champion Marianne Vos and British Champion Lizzie Armitstead
©Getty Images



The announcement comes as Women's Tour organisers Sweetspot released the names of more top riders who will compete in the event, including reigning World and Olympic Champion Marianne Vos, world number one Emma Johansson and current leader of the UCI World Cup and British Champion Lizzie Armitstead.

"We are delighted to be working alongside Friends Life for The Women's Tour this May and we are looking forward to working with them to ensure that women's cycling gains the platform it deserves and hope this partnership grows ever stronger in the future," said Sweetspot chief executive Hugh Roberts.

"This partnership is very much an affirmation of what we wanted for the Women's Tour when we set out on this journey.

"Securing the support of such an established blue chip organisation will raise the profile of not only women's cycling but women's sport in general within the UK - Friends Life are the perfect fit."

The inaugural UK Women's Tour will see 96 of the world's best female cyclists line up in Northamptonshire as they battle for the first ever Friends Life Women's Tour title.

The race will see the riders travel through the counties of Leicestershire, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Essex with a "Women in Sport" festival set to take place in each of thekey stage towns.

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