Tanya Griffiths will be watching with interest the Women’s Tour that starts in Bury St Edmunds today – hoping one day, she will be part of it.

East Anglian Daily Times: Tanya Griffiths racing at Ixworth on May 5th 2014Tanya Griffiths racing at Ixworth on May 5th 2014

The 29-year-old cyclist from Ipswich, who rides for the Velosure Starley Primal team, will actually be riding the first stage of the event, which goes from Bury St Edmunds to Aldeburgh, ahead of the main field – in aid of charity.

And while she is looking forward to that, she is hoping to be racing the real thing in the not-too-distant future.

“The Tour is prestigious and selects the very top world professional teams,” Griffiths said.

“My team (Velosure Starley Primal) are a British domestic team and are not in the Tour, although one wild card place has been allocated to an all-British team – Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International – and we are hoping that next year, or the year after, that could be us.

East Anglian Daily Times: Tanya Griffiths with her Masters National jersey after victory in LondonTanya Griffiths with her Masters National jersey after victory in London (Image: Archant)

“I’d love to be part of that.”

Now in its second year, the Women’s Tour is proving popular, with 12 of the world’s top 13 teams making up the 16-team roster, with the rider list containing seven of the world’s top ten-ranked riders, headlined by World Road Race Champion Pauline Ferrand-Prevot, who will lead the Rabo Liv team.

The current first and second-placed riders in the UCI Women’s World Cup will also take part, with first overall and Commonwealth Games Road Race champion Lizzie Armitstead leading the Boels Dolmans team, and second-placed rider Elisa Longo Borghini part of the six-rider Wiggle Honda team that also includes double world champion Giorgia Bronzini.

“With a world-class field it can only inspire more women to take up cycling,” said Griffiths, who last weekend won the prestigious Masters National, in West London.

“It was a great win.

“Women don’t get the funding men do and I have to work as well as train.

“I encourage people to go and watch the Tour. You will be able to get autographs and chat to the riders.”

The first stage starts in Bury St Edmunds at 11am this morning and ends in Aldeburgh about 1.50pm.

For live updates, videos, photos and route maps, see our Women’s Tour page here