Hammer Series Sportzone Limburg

2 4 June, 2.1, Netherlands

It's road racing, but not as we know it. Velon, the organisation owned by 10 of the WorldTour teams, is taking a punt that there is an appetite among cycling fans for points-based stage races contested by teams, not by individuals. The premise is that points are allocated in regular sprints on the opening two days, one hilly, one lat. The teams' positions after each day are rolled into a classi ication, from which the starting order in the inal stage, a team time trial-cum handicap race, is dictated. Fourth rider of the irst team across the line wins. There'll only be one Hammer race this year, in Limburg, home of the Amstel Gold, with more planned next year, and it's a brave move to go up against the Daupiné For more on the Hammer races, see our feature on page 94.