Joe Laverick was one of the standout British talents through his junior years and earned a place on one of the top development teams in cycling: Hagens Berman Axeon. He spent two seasons there under the guidance of the world-renowned Axel Merckx.

Joe had hoped to make the jump to the WorldTour, but things didn’t fall into place, and he found himself without a contract at the end of 2022 — facing an uncertain future.

Instead of walking away, Joe built something completely different: a one-man privateer project that blends road racing, time trialling and gravel, fuelled by spreadsheets, sponsors, side clients and a serious obsession with marginal gains.

Joe lifts the curtain on:

• What it actually costs to race as a privateer (race budget, travel, equipment)
• Why you need to be more than “just a bike racer” in 2025
• Balancing being a rider, writer, team owner, sponsor-hunter, soigneur and logistics manager
• How he uses products like the Castelli Gabba R and new gravel kit – and why honest feedback matters
• The learning curve of gravel: tyre pressure, technical skills and why it’s an “untapped jigsaw of performance”
• 200+ days on the road in the US gravel scene, host housing, burnout, and finding balance
• Why enjoyment is the ultimate performance metric, and his advice for young riders choosing between the pro pathway and privateer life
• We wrap up with Joe’s dream Girona loop over Sant Hilari and Montseny – a 6.5-hour, 180–200 km that he still calls one of the best rides in the world.

– LINKS –

Joe Laverick

https://www.instagram.com/joe.laverick/

https://www.strava.com/athletes/7026027

Sant Hilari Ride

https://www.strava.com/activities/10469253051

Castelli SOG

https://www.castelli-cycling.com/spirit-of-gravel

Men’s Unlimited Gravel Collection:

⁠https://www.castelli-cycling.com/IT/en/Men/Collection/Unlimited/c/Man-Col-Unl⁠

Women’s Unlimited Gravel Collection:

⁠https://www.castelli-cycling.com/IT/en/Woman/Collection/Unlimited/c/Wom-Col-Unl⁠

Castelli's Xmas Ride, Nov 29:

Overview | ⁠https://www.strava.com/clubs/66959⁠

Italy | Signup form: https://www.castelli-cycling.com/castelli-unlimited-christmas-ride-2025

CHAPTERS

00:00 – Intro, Castelli Christmas Gravel Ride & Spirit of Gravel Cabal

02:00 – Who is Joe Laverick? Beating Remco & Girona life

04:00 – Quickfire round: fashion crimes, coldest rides & junior chaos in Belgium

09:10 – Contracts dry up: Tour of Alsace, injuries & the decision to go privateer

14:30 – Building “Joe Laverick the brand”: writing, sponsors, and race budget reality

18:30 – Gear geek: equipment choices, spreadsheets, and why the Gabba R blew his mind

22:00 – Influencer vs athlete: social media, honesty and choosing the right partners

27:20 – 200 days on the road: US gravel, burnout and learning to say “no”

32:30 – Gravel as an “untapped jigsaw”: tyre pressure, skills and doing more with less budget

44:40 – Joe’s favourite Girona mega-loop & how not to bonk

47:00 – Advice to young riders: pro vs privateer, happiness and why fun has to come first

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