AN ALTRINCHAM coffee shop is at the cutting edge of Britain's most successful sport - cycling.

Velo Espresso Coffee Shop runs a woman's cycling team - Sunsport Velo Women's Race Team - that boasts champions and international athletes among its members.

The team will be holding its official 2017 launch at the Albert Square Chop House, Manchester on Thursday, February 23.

Sunsport Velo WRT is a collaboration between Sunsport Coaching and Velo Espresso Coffee Shop in Altrincham who have now joined forces to launch the new Sunsport Velo Performance Hub.

This season the team will be competing on both the domestic and international scene with a squad of eight riders.

Headline sponsor for the team is Brother Cycling which is also hosting the event in conjunction with Sunsport. Other sponsors include Pactimo Clothing, Slater Heelis Solicitors, Sunsport Velo Performance Hub, Betts Geo, Chris Meads Photography, Edco Wheels, On2 Media, Peak Cycles Cervelo, Pink Ribbon Foundation, Arrow Solicitors and Acrobat Online

Riders in the team include Commonwealth Games Triathlete Seonaid Thompson and current British Universities and Colleges Hill Climb Champion Lizzy Banks.

The team has expert backing from a nutritionist and several of the regions premier cycling coaches. It will be riding prestigious Cervelo R2 bikes supplied by Peak Cycles.

Sunsport Coaching uses cutting edge equipment to analyse the riders physiology and has access to onboard performance monitors leaving nothing to chance in their rider development strategy. It is based in the Performance Hub at Velo Espresso.

Unique in the area, the hub serves coffee and freshly made culinary treats as well as offering quality bikes for sale, providing a bespoke bike fit facility and also carries out bike servicing. Alongside an established coaching facility it also offers training camps.

Future plans for the Sunsport Velo Performance Hub include Watt Bike classes, yoga, pilates, nutritional advice and Information and a resident physiotherapist.