In photos: Paul Calver shoots Matrix Fitness Vulpine at the inaugural women’s Tour of Britain

James Greig | May 16, 2014

2014 will go down in the history books as an important year for women’s professional cycling. The first ever women’s Tour of Britain graced our TV screens last week, and there’s a one-day event at the Tour de France still to come.

Of course the word ‘equality’ is still missing from the picture, but the huge public interest in and turnout for the UK tour shows that people are hungry for more action.

As for the race itself, well, it was dominated by Dutch star Marianne Vos who took victory with a third successive stage win. But also in the fray (conditions were tough thanks to the usual damp joys of a British spring) were Matrix Fitness Vulpine, courtesy of a wildcard entry into the race. The team’s sponsorship by Vulpine marked the realisation of a lifelong ambition for founder Nick Hussey:

I didn’t want to put Vulpine’s name to any team. It had to have deeply held values. Innovation, dynamism, a strong positive voice and ambitions to change cycling, not just win races. The team has to have meaning. Stef Wyman, the DS of Matrix Vulpine, left his job and sold everything he had to support and coach his wife, repeat European Cyclocross Champion Helen Wyman. He wants to drive women’s cycling forward, with or without governing bodies’ support. He wants to show that women’s cycling is dynamic, exciting and not a pity sport. We want it to demand your attention, man or woman. If you love racing we want you to watch women’s racing, because its fun, not a sympathy vote. Women’s racing is like all bike racing. Brilliant, awe inspiring and a little bit extraordinary.

Luckily for those of us who couldn’t be there, photographer Paul Calver was in the back of the team car to document the thrills and spills of the race…