Freedom Cycle

Seven more Rayner riders sign up with World Tour teams for 2023

WITH the new season well underway a host of British hopefuls funded by the Dave Rayner Foundation prepare to set off to try their luck racing with Continental teams.

They do so hoping to emulate the seven former Rayner riders who this year have signed up with World Tour teams.

The Foundation enjoyed a most successful season in 2022, with two female and five male riders now confirmed as professional bike riders riding for elite teams.

Here they are:

MILLIE COUZENS. She joins the Fenix Deceuninck a Women's World Tour Team.

JOSIE NELSON. Now has a permanent contract with Coop Hitec Products, a Norwegian UCI Women's Team.

LEO HAYTER. After 2 years of Rayner support he joined Hagens Berman Axeon team, but is to join Team Ineos Grenadiers at the end of the season.

SAM WATSON (below). He’s signed up by Team Groupama FDJ.

Picture credit: Groupama FDJ

SEAN FLYNN , signed by Dutch World Tour Team DSM.

HARRISON WOOD, one of our longest standing Rayner Supported riders has served two teams over four years and now has a full contract with French Team Cofidis.

OSCAR ONLEY (below). From being a supported rider with DSM Development Team his spectacular results has resulted in him being given a full contract with them this year.

Picture credit: DSM

How the charity is overcoming travel restriction caused by BREXHIT

The Foundation has supported 100s of young riders over the years. And continues to do so, despite the problems caused by Brexhit ending freedom movement as a consequence of Britain quitting the EU. This has turned travel abroad into a bureaucratic nightmare which has proved difficult for the Rayner Foundation. Nevertheless, they have found ways to keep the wheels turning.

This season 24 riders will join European teams for the 2023 season as part of the charity’s Springboard scheme. These awards provide a financial grant to individual athletes to assist with their costs whilst living abroad. Quite a number have successfully to earn a a salary from their success.

The biggest problem was that Brexhit rules allow only 90-day stays at a time, which doesn’t allow a rider to settle into a racing program.

Jocelin Ryan, Rider Liaison, explains that since 2022 they nbow run a “two fold” operation, the Gateway Project for riders on short trips and the Under-23 riders, the lucky ones for whom longer stays can be arranged.

“Due to Brexit many riders still cannot spend the whole season abroad, “ she said.

But she explained that short trips can be arranged relatively easily.

This enables younger riders to put a foot in the water, so to speak, identify candidates who will be able to live abroad for longer later.

France and Spain are helpful in arranging visas for young people.
They are calling them volunteer visas, the riders have to undertake some community endeavour, such as teaching English in a local school for a few hours a week.

That’s how it is going right now, we obviously hope for more flexibility in the future.

Last season 200 individuals including Junior Men Teams, Junior Women Teams, and Senior Women Development Teams. were afforded opportunities to race in Europe in 10 different teams travelling on 33 separate trips!

Keith Lambert, a former British professional road race champion and a

founder member and Trustee of the Rayner Foundation, says. “ The experience of racing in Europe is seen as a necessity in the development of ever-younger riders. This project will assist more British riders who can hopefully progress to become future professionals”.

However, Joscelin Ryan is disappointed the foundation had been unable to find individual female riders at the appropriate level to support. She said:

“It is baffling that this is happening at a time when Women's Professional Cycling has never been so healthy, with many opportunities available to women riders. The Rayner Foundation is therefore finding other ways to support young female riders. Our Gateway scheme will operate again this year to support women's teams and junior riders to race in mainland Europe in conjunction with their UK team. We hope that by providing this support, they can gain the experience necessary to make a career in the sport.”

Rayner Foundation Riders - 2023

Ben Askey will follow his brother Lewis and other British riders who went to France to join Groupama FDJ Conti
Adam Bent will join Eiser Hirumet in Spain
Max Cushway, first-year u23, will join WB Fybolia in France
Alfie George will spend a second season with Vendee U in France
Alex Haines will spend a fourth season with GSC Blagnac Velosport 31 in France
Tyler Hannay will move from France to MastroMarco Sensi Nibali in Italy
Oliver Knight will spend his fourth u23 season with AVC Aix in France
Bjoern Koerdt, first-year u23, will join CC Etupes in France
Owen Lightfoot will go to Spain to join Previley Maglia Conforma
Logan Maclean will join AG2R Citroen U23 in France
Adam Mitchell joins Team U Charente Maritime in France
Oscar Nilsson Julien will join AVC Aix in France
Charlie Paige goes to France for his second season with Bourg en Bresse Cyclisme.
Benjamin Peatfield will spend another season with Vendee U in France
Isaac Peatfield will continue with VCU Schwenheim in France
Tom Portsmouth will move up to Bingoal Pauwels Conti in Belgium
Max Rushby remains in Belgium but switches team to Geofco Doltcini
Oliver Stockwell returns to CT Friuli in Italy
Louis Sutton changes location and team from Spain to AVC Aix France
Lucas Towers remains in Spain but changes team to Caja Rural U23
Callum Twelves, first-year U23, joins the Fernando Barcelo Team in Spain
Zac Walker, first-year U23 and National Junior Road Champion joins Tudor Pro Cycling Devo in Switzerland
Dylan Westley returns to Equipo Finisher (previous name Equipo Lizarte) in Spain
Jamie Whitcher joins Basso Team Flanders in Belgium