Hammer Stavanger announced Friday that it will have its first women's category as part of a three-race event to be held in Norway on May 22-24, 2020. The women will compete in the Hammer Climb, Hammer Sprint, and Hammer Chase on the same course as the men's teams to determine the overall winning team. [Veron CEO Graham Bartlett told Cycling News, "In terms of the Hammer Series, we've always wanted to incorporate a women's race, and we're very excited about this.

The Hammer Series was developed by Velon, a company that produces rider data, video, and social media content to increase involvement in professional cycling. Currently, three rounds are being held in Stavanger (May), Limburg (June), and Hong Kong (October), with a new venue set for Colombia next February.

"Together with our partner, the Colombian race organizer, we had planned to host a women's hammer race in Colombia in February, but unfortunately a hammer race in Colombia proved impossible next year," Bartlett said.

Hammer Stavanger has taken over the launch of the women's event for 2020, but Bartlett said they are looking to make it a series.

Each event in the Hammer Series would include climbs, sprints, and chases on a short circuit. In the Hammer Climb and Hammer Sprint, competitors compete for team points each time they cross the finish line; at the end of the day, the team with the highest point total wins that event.

The Hummer Chase is a team time trial. The team at the top of the leaderboard after the first two events starts first, followed by the other teams at regular time intervals. Ultimately, the first team to cross the finish line is the overall winner of the Hammer Race.

Teams also accumulate points during each competition, and the team with the most points at the end of the series is the overall winner.

Event director Roy Hegreberg told Cycling News that the women's team will follow the same format and points system.

"Yes, we will use the same route. I think this format works very well with the way the women's race often works, with the hummer down and the all out." We will talk to the athletes, the teams, and Velon and make adjustments to make it work as well for the women as it does for the men."

Hegreberg also works for Tour de Fjord AS, which operates Hammer Stavanger. The company also hosted the former Tour des Fjords from 2013 to 2018 and the Tour of Norway from 2019, when the two events were merged.

He said the move to launch a women's race in the Hammer series fits well logistically with their other events.

"The Tour des Fjords was launched in 2013, and after the first edition there were plans to include women, but the traditional race had to double up on most things and there was no room for it.

"The Hammer Series is optimal. We can use the same vehicles, people, and structure for both races; we've been talking with Velon since the first edition in 2018."