No progress made on more than half of British Cycling’s recommendations to revitalise UK racing scene amid harsh reality of “delivering races on the highway” – but governing body says it will “embrace” difficulties

As cycling in Britain continues to suffer, with teams and races falling to the wayside at an alarming rate, the group tasked by British Cycling with revitalising the flagging domestic scene has said it has made “quick progress” over its first eight months, while accepting the need to “embrace” the challenges currently facing racing in the UK.

However, while the success of this year’s revamped men’s and women’s editions of the Tour of Britain was highlighted in the progress report published this week by the governing body’s Elite Road Racing Task Force, fewer than half of the 16 broad recommendations set out by the group in January have so far been implemented, despite British Cycling’s hopes of “immediate progress”.

Established last August to support British Cycling as it attempts to “innovate and energise” local racing in Britain, and chaired by triple Olympic champion Ed Clancy, the task force engaged with more than 250 people across the sport in the UK to consider the composition of the elite national calendar, the challenges facing the rapidly dwindling number of domestic teams, and opportunities to grow the reach and profile of local races.

 (Craig Zadoroznyj/SWpix.com)

And in January, the group proposed 49 specific recommendations for British Cycling to implement, which were published as 16 broad bullet points, including developing a ‘winning pattern’ playbook based on existing successful races, reviewing the national road calendar and National Circuit Series, rejigging rider entry processes to help grow numbers, delivering the men’s and women’s Tours of Britain following the demise of organisers SweetSpot, and developing best practice guidance for teams.

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Eight months after bringing together a group of internal staff members to prioritise the recommendations and “build a plan for implementation”, however, it now appears that fewer than half of the issues prioritised by the task force have been acted upon by British Cycling.

A short statement released this week by the governing body, which says it is “pleased to have made quick progress in several areas, most notably safeguarding the future of the Lloyds Bank Tour of Britain events for women and men”, includes a list of eight bullet points outlining where this progress has been made in 2024.

(Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com)

These apparent successes include securing the support of Lloyds Bank as the title sponsor of the National Road Championships, National Road Series, and National Circuit Series, ensuring the future of both versions of the Tour of Britain, bringing parity to race lengths in the National Circuit Series, and starting to review the circuit series with the aim of improving audience and community engagement.

The governing body also claimed that it has made progress when it comes to developing training opportunities for race organisers, updating its tender processes for local authorities to widen potential race locations, centralising its support teams within British Cycling, and supporting the delivery of a seven-round National Circuit Series.

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However, British Cycling also admitted that the timing of the task force’s recommendations meant that it was forced to juggle attempting to prioritise them with delivering the 2024 race calendar.

“We also acknowledge the disappointment felt by the community following the cancellation of the Tour of the Reservoir, Newark Town Centre Races, and another proposed stage race in September,” British Cycling added. “This has once again highlighted the difficult environment we face alongside our event organisers.

“The economic reality, increasing complexity and cost of delivering races on the highway are all difficulties that we embrace. Not to mention the financial pressure and risks placed on volunteers who choose to organise events and the dwindling number of licence holders and event organisers, all with a greater need to drive commercial revenue.

“We must accept these challenges whilst being mindful that solutions must be sustainable and not a sticking plaster.”

 (Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)

While British Cycling appears at pains to point out the limitations placed upon them while attempting to deliver upon the task force’s recommendations over the last eight months, it is clear that in many areas outlined by the group, such as the National Road Series and overall road calendar, little has been done.

Some commentators, such as the local racing site the British Continental, also noted that one of the governing body’s claimed successes, supporting the “delivery of a seven-round National Circuit Series, including the first Beverley Grand Prix since 2017”, is highly dubious, given that the recommendation in question raised by the task force instead focused on prioritising locations for races that attract large crowds, changing regulations to allow weekend criterium racing, and creating more flexibility in the calendar.

“It seems odd to claim that delivering the 2024 National Circuit Series – which is surely business as usual for the governing body – marks progress in implementing this recommendation when the update makes no reference to prioritising locations, changing regulations, creating calendar flexibility or positioning crit races close to road races,” the British Continental wrote in response to the progress report.

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Nevertheless, as part of its statement this week, British Cycling announced that its team’s priorities for the next six months will revolve around working with Lloyds Bank to develop a full branding, communications, and marketing strategy  for the 2025 National Road Series and National Circuit Series, continuing to develop and strengthen support and training resources for organisers, and working with local partners to facilitate the delivery of National A races.

(Elliot Keen/British Cycling/via SWpix.com)

The governing body’s progress reports – and some of its more optimistic claims – comes during another turbulent period for local racing in the UK, following the news that this month’s Tour of Britain may prove to the final ever race for Trinity Racing, the latest British team to fall victim to the sport’s crippling financial pressures.

The U23 development team, whose former riders include Tom Pidcock, Ben Healy, and Ben Turner, is reportedly facing an uncertain future, as years of increased running costs and sponsorship concerns, the catalyst for the demise of a number of British teams that operated at Continental level in recent years, including AT85 and Ribble Weldtite, continue to bite.

> Tour of Britain could be last race for British team that developed Tom Pidcock and Ben Healy, as sponsorship woes and increased running costs put squad’s future in doubt

According to the Trinity’s general manager Andrew McQuaid, one sponsor ended its deal with the team in 2023, while another reduced its financial backing this year, leading to what McQuaid describes as a “very tough situation” as the end of the season approaches.

“It’s extremely challenging times for everyone in cycling at the moment and it’s incredibly hard to find solutions,” McQuaid told cycling journalist Daniel Benson.

“This team means so much to me and it’s amazing when you think about the talent and the opportunities it has created for so many young riders over the last few years. That said, it’s a very tough situation because everyone loves the team but we’re still up against it.”

 (Craig Zadoroznyj/SWpix.com)

Meanwhile, yet another British domestic race has also hit the wall this week, as organisers of the Ryedale Grasscrete Grand Prix announced on Tuesday that last month’s edition, the race’s 19th in total, may prove to be the last, after the trust that runs Ampleforth Abbey, the event’s finishing location, decided to withdraw from hosting duties.