The British Continental

In this episode, we sit down with British Cycling CEO Jon Dutton OBE for an exclusive interview, following the organisation’s much-anticipated update on implementation of the 43 recommendations put forward by the elite road racing task force.

The task force was charged with developing recommendations for British Cycling to implement in 2024 and beyond, aimed at breathing new life into the ailing, fragile elite road racing scene. 

Jon Dutton promised that the task force would not be "a talking shop" and said “there are a number of areas where we can and will make immediate progress” [Ed: emphasis added].

In January 2024, the task force's report presented 43 key actions for British Cycling to implement, condensed into 16 published recommendations, with British Cycling responding that a "long-term action plan" was already in development in response.

Our latest conversation with Jon Dutton dives into what progress has been made so far. Dutton emphasises the organisation's efforts to implement one of the standout recommendations - saving the Tours of Britain - but what about the other 42 actions, the ones directly aimed at revitalising the elite level? Fans were promised fast results, but has British Cycling delivered?

In this candid discussion, recorded just before the publication of the official progress update on 13 September, Jon sheds light on British Cycling's efforts so far and whether he is satisfied with progress.

For domestic road racing enthusiasts, this episode offers a deep dive into the state of the sport, what’s been done so far, and what the future holds. Listen in to hear whether British Cycling is meeting expectations, and check out our upcoming progress scorecard on the website to see our own assessment of their efforts.

Support the show

The British Continental. Proudly presented by Le Col, supported by Pro-Noctis

Ever wondered what it takes to manage a professional cycling team on the cusp of a major race? Tom Varney, the General Manager of Lifeplus-Wahoo, joins us on The British Continental podcast for an eye-opening discussion on the eve of the Tour of Britain Women. 

Tom discusses the importance of the race for British cycling teams and riders, highlighting the what it means for exposure and sponsorship. We also explore the mix of WorldTour and Continental teams in this year's edition, and why it presents opportunities for the Lifeplus-Wahoo team. 

The conversation touches on Kate Richardson's horror crash just days out from the race when she was knocked off her bike by the driver of a 4x4 vehicle. 

Tom's disappointment at not being selected for the Tour de France Femmes this year is palpable, but hear also reflects on the silver-linings to non-selection. Tom sheds light on how they're revising their calendar, seeking alternative races, and revising the team's approach. The implications on morale and commercial aspects are significant, but the team remains hopeful and forward-focused.

Tom takes us through the team's plans to step up to ProTeam level in 2025 and the hurdles that will need to be overcome to make that happen. We reflect on the growth of UCI Continental teams in the UK .

In the final segment, Tom considers what has enabled the team to continue for so long, and reflects on the team's past successes and achievements as the it nears its ten year anniversary. 

Support the show

The British Continental. Proudly presented by Le Col, supported by Pro-Noctis

Welcome back to another episode of The British Continental podcast, where we delve deep into the world of domestic road racing, bringing you stories, insights, and conversations with the people shaping the sport. 

In this episode, we have the honour of speaking with Jon Dutton OBE, the Chief Executive of British Cycling. 

Jon has been at the helm of British Cycling since April 2023. With a wealth of experience in sports management and a deep passion for cycling, Jon is uniquely positioned to discuss the current state of British cycling, its future direction, and the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

We speak to him on the eve of the Tour of Britain Women, an event that British Cycling has stepped in to save and revive after the demise of the Women's Tour and its organiser, Sweespot.

In our conversation, Jon shares the behind-the-scenes efforts that have gone into organising the race, the strategic decisions made to ensure its success, and British Cycling’s ambitions for the Tour of Britain Men too. 

We also revisit the Elite Road Racing Task Force, something we discussed with Task Force Chair Ed Clancy OBE in a previous episode. The Task Force was set up in August 2023 by British Cycling with the aim of energising the elite road racing scene. Its recommendations were published in January 2024, and I ask him when British Cycling will begin to implement the recommendations, given Jon's previous emphasis on the need for the Task Force process to deliver 'immediate progress'.

We conclude by discussing British Cycling’s new sponsorship deal with Lloyds Bank and what that will mean for the sport’s elite level.

Support the show

The British Continental. Proudly presented by Le Col, supported by Pro-Noctis

The Rapha Lincoln Grand Prix is not just another bike race; it is, in our humble view, the most important one-day road race in Britain, a beacon of British road racing tradition, a race that enters the winners into British road racing folklore. 

Our latest podcast episode delves into the legacy and strategic intricacies of this storied race, featuring firsthand insights from Saint Piran's James McKay and Jo Tindley (Pro-Noctis – 200º Coffee – Hargreaves Contracting Ltd), delving into the nuances of positioning, race dynamics, and the sheer power required to scale the daunting cobbled Michaelgate climb.

James discusses why the race is so important to domestic riders, provides an insight track on the circuit and considers Saint Piran's National Road Series dominance. Jo, who has raced every edition of the women's race, describes her love-hate relationship with the Lincoln Grand Prix, her strategic shift for this year's race which involves meticulous training on the Michaelgate, and how Cat Ferguson blew her away at the East Cleveland Classic.

Listen now for exclusive insight into the race, and to find out who James and Jo are tipping to win on Sunday.

Check out the race preview on our website here.

And get 10% of Monument Cycling TV's new subscription to watch the race using this link.

Support the show

The British Continental. Proudly presented by Le Col, supported by Pro-Noctis

Host Denny Gray is joined by Saint Piran's James McKay and Jo Tindley of Pro-Noctis - 200º Coffee - Hargreaves Contracting Ltd to discuss the latest domestic road racing developments. 

The trio consider:

• Saint Piran's decision to close its USKIS development team. Hear directly from James about the team's decision to merge their development and UCI Continental squads.
• The important of competition. James, Jo and Denny compare and contrast the dominance of Saint Piran in men's domestic scene versus the more competitive, less predictable women's racing scene.
• The season so far. We dissect the races that have shaken up 2024, spotlighting riders and teams that have caught the eye. Jo drops insights from last month's the ANEXO CAMS CiCLE Classic. 
• The East Cleveland Classic: James and Jo dish out insider info and make bold predictions for the next National Road Series round.

Listen now to stay ahead of the pack and join the conversation about the ever-evolving landscape of domestic road racing.

Support the show

The British Continental. Proudly presented by Le Col, supported by Pro-Noctis

With the 2024 National Road Series just around the corner, The British Continental podcast is back with a preview of the women's National Road Series and the upcoming ANEXO/CAMS CiCLE Classic, one of the most important elite road races on the British calendar.

Host Denny Gray gathers an insightful panel including Sarah King, the inspirational London Academy manager, and DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK rider Sian Botteley - one of the main protagonists of last year's CiCLE Classic - to discuss what to expect from this year women's National Road Series and why it matters.

The trio also look ahead to this Sunday's ANEXO/CAMOS CiCLE Classic (17 March), which has a stellar startlist. The race occupies a distinctive niche in the UK road racing calendar with its challenging off-road sectors. Its recent rescheduling to March has increased its unpredictability and the harshness of racing conditions. Denny, Sarah and Sian discuss the tricky parcours and how to approach it, and pick out riders and teams to watch.

We also hear from Monica Greenwood, the reigning National Road Series champion. Greenwood shares her pivotal 'now or never' decision to embrace full-time racing at the start of 2023, leading to a standout season. She offers an insider's view on clinching the National Road Series title and expresses her eagerness to compete in the Series again this year, despite her progression to Team Coop-Repsol. Having narrowly missed out on the win at last season's CiCLE Classic, Greenwood has unfinished business at this time around.

Support the show

The British Continental. Proudly presented by Le Col, supported by Pro-Noctis

Welcome back to The British Continental podcast, the show all about domestic road racing.  In today's episode, host Denny Gray discusses the way forward for British road racing with Olympian Ed Clancy.

Last August Ed was asked to chair the elite road racing task force, an eight-person panel of experts tasked with the job of developing a series of recommendations for British Cycling to implement in 2024 and beyond. The task force was given a targeted remit, to consider the composition of the elite national calendar (including road and circuit), the challenges facing domestic teams and the opportunities to grow the reach and profile of domestic races. 

Jon Dutton, British Cycling’s CEO, stressed that the task force would not be a talking shop, saying that there were areas where British Cycling “can and will make immediate progress."

After several months of deliberations the task force published its report on Monday, the 29 January. It contained 16 recommendations for British Cycling to take forward, many of them calling for further exploration and review. 

Ed, a three-time Olympic gold medallist, is no stranger to domestic road racing. He was a long-time member of the renowned JLT Condor squad and was regularly at the pointy end of some the country’s top races, particularly when it came to crits.

In this episode, Denny speaks to him about the challenges facing domestic road racing, why he took on the job as chair of the task force, the task force's recommendations, and what difference he thinks the work of the task force will make. 

Support the show

The British Continental. Proudly presented by Le Col, supported by Pro-Noctis

In today's episode we review stage 4 of the Tour of Britain, a stage every bit as full-on as us fans had been hoping for.

The short punchy stage from Redcar to Duncombe Park was full gas from start to finish, with barely a pause for breath for riders or spectators. Colin Sturgess, Josh Charlton, Ben Perry, Oscar Onley and Steve Lampier all give us their views of how it went in a fascinating set of diary entries.

 As expected, it took a long time for any kind of break to form, with seemingly every team in the race keen to be represented. WiV SunGod performed admirably in defending Ben Perry’s lead in these opening 40 to 50 kilometres, closing down as many moves as they could while every man and his dog tried to get up the road. 

Eventually, Magnus Sheffield of Ineos Grenadiers and Harry Birchill of Saint Piran punched clear, stretching out a lead of up to a minute. As the peloton hit the first major climb of the day at Robin Hood’s Bay, however, Tom Pidcock put in a stinging attack, taking a select group of riders with him. The race reformed on the false flat over the top, but it was a sign of things to come.  

Ahead of the next categorised climb of Egton Bank, the Uno-X team swarmed to the front of the bunch and set a searing pace that blew the race to pieces as they hit the climb. Around 18 riders survived over the top, including race leader Ben Perry and our audio diarist Oscar Onley (Team DSM), and for a while, it looked like this group might go all the way to the finish line. 

The group wasn’t cohesive enough, however, and were eventually joined by a chasing group to swell the front of the race to around 40 riders.

As this lead group hit Carlton Bank – the hardest climb of the day under 30 kilometres from the finish – Pidcock once again attacked. Only Dylan Teuns (Israel – Premier Tech) and Onley could stay with him, and they quickly set about putting time into their chasers. 

It took a while for the chase to organise itself, but efforts from the Movistar team, Ollie Rees of TRINITY Racing and Jake Stewart (Great Britain), amongst others, eventually reeled the trio back. 

The final climb of the day with 8.4 kilometres remaining was Newgate Bank, and this proved decisive. Pidcock was once again a protagonist, moving clear with his teammate Omar Fraille, Teuns again, and Movistar’s Gonzalo Serrano. They stayed clear as they hit the finish in Duncombe Park, with Serrano edging Pidcock in the sprint.

Serrano’s win moved him into the AJ Bell leader’s jersey, with Pidcock, Fraile and Perry trailing by seven seconds.

 WiV SunGod’s Matthew Teggart retained the Sportsbreaks.com sprints jersey, while Mathijs Paasschen’s (Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB) is the new leader of the ŠKODA King of the Mountains jersey, level on points with erstwhile leader Jacob Scott (WiV SunGod). 

Stage 5 is the only stage of the race with under 2000 metres of climbing, so is probably the peloton’s best bet for a blanket finish. Running from West Bridgford to Mansfield the stage is 186.8 kilometres long.

Show sponsored by HUNT Bike Wheels.

Support the show

The British Continental. Proudly presented by Le Col, supported by Pro-Noctis

In today’s episode, we review what was a truly fascinating stage 3 of the Tour of Britain with the help of Saint Piran team manager Steve Lampier, new race leader Ben Perry, Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling sports director Colin Sturgess and Team DSM’s young gun Oscar Onley.

On paper at least, this stage was one for the sprinters. The stage route featured a lumpy start, including the first category Chapel Fell, which then gave way to slightly less fierce, rolling terrain on relatively wide roads.  However, the stage was anything but formulaic, as we’ve often come to expect at the Tour of Britain. 

In contrast to stages 1 and 2, there was a fierce battle to get into the day’s break. And when it did eventually form, it was a strong quartet that got away. The domestic team duo of Saint Piran’s Alex Richardson and WiV SunGod’s Ben Perry were joined by Belgian pairing of Kamiel Bonneu of Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise and Mathijs Paasschens (Bingoal Pauwels Sauce WB).

With the break still young, some lively and very visible discussions ensued between the leading quartet, the four riders debating how they would work together for the remainder of the stage. More on this later from our audio diarists Steve Lampier and Ben Perry. 

Perry and Paasschens mopped up most of the bonus seconds on offer at the intermediate sprints – important given their GC proximity – while Bonneu took maximum points atop each of the KOM climbs. None of the escapees picked up enough points, however, to trouble the incumbent competition leaders, meaning WiV SunGod’s Matt Teggart and Jake Scott retained their respective leads in the Sportsbreaks.com sprints and ŠKODA King of the Mountains competitions.

As torrential rain hit the race in the closing 50 kilometres, it became apparent that the leading four had a fighting chance of making it to the end. With 30 kilometres left the gap was three and half minutes, and despite the best efforts of the peloton – and the gap slowly dwindling – the advantage continued to stay with the break. 

For much of the final kilometres, Richardson declined to cooperate with his fellow escapees – for reasons Steve Lampier explains in his dispatch – but even this didn’t overly hinder the break’s position. 

In the closing stages, Richardson tried multiple attacks but all were quickly closed down. The break then slowed considerably, so much so it looked like they might be caught. Bonneu then put in a strong attack just a few hundred metres out which his rivals were too slow to react to. 

It enabled Bonneu to surge to the biggest victory of his professional career, with a visibly disappointed Perry in second. Richardson rolled in third with Paasschens fourth. The speeding peloton arrived at the line just seconds later. 

Initially, the commissaires awarded the race lead to overnight leader Corbin Strong (Israel – Premier Tech), with Perry in second on the same time. After reviewing the race footage, however, the jury decided that Perry finished seven seconds ahead of the peloton which, together with the time bonuses he earned on the road, means he is now the new race leader. 

As far as we can work out, it’s the first time a domestic team has ever held the race lead of the modern-day Tour of Britain. 

WiV SunGod will certainly have their work cut out defending Perry’s lead as stage 4 looks brutal. Running from Redcar to Duncombe Park, it’s a short stage at 149.5 kilometres. But it features some punishing climbs and the final 30 kilometres, in particular, are unforgiving, and include the climbs of Carlton Bank (2km long, 9.8% average gradient) and Newgate Bank (2km long, 6% average gradient

Support the show

The British Continental. Proudly presented by Le Col, supported by Pro-Noctis

In this edition, we welcome back our now-regular trio Colin Sturgess, Oscar Onley and Steve Lampier, who are joined by WiV SunGod’s young sprinter Jim Brown.

Stage 2 began in Hawich and ended in Duns. The early part of the stage was marked by a six-man break which featured brothers Harry and Charlie Tanfield from Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling, Saint Piran’s Adam Lewis, Travis Stedman of Team Qhubeka, Ukko Peltonen of Global 6 Cycling, and Sportsbreaks.com sprints competition leader Matthew Teggart (WiV SunGod). 

Teggart dominated the three intermediate sprints to extend his lead in the competition to 12 points. The peloton then sparked into action in the final 30 kilometres as the race took on a trio of late ŠKODA King of the Mountains climbs. Teggart was the last of the break to survive as they hit the first climb of Wanside Rigg, and was briefly joined by Human Powered Health’s Stephen Bassett, who struck out for more KOM points, but the pair were caught just after the summit.

INEOS Grenadiers then controlled the race on the narrow roads across the open moorland onto the second climb, with Jacob Scott (Wiv SunGod) jumping away near the top of Mainslaughter Law to secure enough points to move into the lead of the ŠKODA King of the Mountains competition.

Davide Gabburo (Bardiani CSF Faizanè) went clear on the descent, building a 30-second lead.  The Italian was caught approaching the top of the final climb of Hardens Hill, with German champion Nils Politt (BORA – hansgrohe) driving over the top and briefly going clear before Dylan Teuns (Israel – Premier Tech) countered.

 The Belgian was caught  by Magnus Sheffield (INEOS Grenadiers),  and then a Team DSM-led peloton mopped them up as they raced toward the finish in Duns.

DSM put their sprinter Cees Bol into a good position but an inspired late charge from the Great Britain team looked as if it was going to deliver Jake Stewart to victory, only for the Coventry rider to be pipped by millimetres by a late-charging Bol. Race leader Corbin Strong ((Israel-Premier Tech) finished third to take more bonus seconds on the line.

TRINITY Racing's Luke Lamperti was the best rider from the domestic teams in a very solid 5th, while WiV SunGod's Jim Brown and Saint Piran's Harry Birchill were 9th and 11th respectively. 

Strong still leads the race, extending his lead to 8 seconds, while Jake Stewart is second overall now. 

This year’s race ventures onto English soil for the first time on stage three, which takes place between Durham and Sunderland. It covers a distance of 163.6 kilometres and takes in 2,478 metres of elevation, including the first category Chapel Fell climb, which begins just 40 kilometres into the stage.

Show sponsored by HUNT Bike Wheels.

Support the show

The British Continental. Proudly presented by Le Col, supported by Pro-Noctis