Colston Crawford talks to Sam Lowe who admits that life with the British Cycling Academy can be “like a cocoon”.
![]() |
Lowe, who rode for Hargroves Cycles in 2012,  is in his first year in the system masterminded by Dave Brailsford which has become a production line for champions. ​He turned 19 last week but there was not much time for celebrating as he got stuck into training – and more training – at Manchester. He is also just back from a character-building two-week training camp in Australia which included several races.
Warm weather training? The phrase was taken to its extreme when Lowe and fellow Under-23 Academy members Simon Yates, Alistair Slater and Chris Latham found themselves racing in temperatures of up to 46C – that’s 118F in old money – in the Herald Sun Tour, in Victoria, Australia’s longest-established stage race.
But there are no complaints from Lowe. This is what he wants to do. Already in the GB development squad, he was targeting a place in the Under-23 Academy through the summer, after completing his sixth form studies at Chellaston School.
Winning the British Junior Road Race title in May, over a hilly 69 miles in the Brecon Beacons, certainly did his chances no harm. In Brailsford’s system, you have to stay on the pace to stay in the academy – but Lowe is well up for the challenge as he adjusts to his new routine.
“The lifestyle in Manchester is quite full-on to begin with and takes a while getting used to,” said Lowe. “We’re based in the academy flats in Fallowfield and, suddenly, you’re being independent in terms of having to do all your own cooking and washing as well as all the training. But once you get into the routine and start to cope with the increase in training better, it becomes much easier.”
Updating on his son’s progress this week, Lowe’s dad, Dave, admitted: “I don’t see much of him these days!” And Lowe junior added: “It can seem like we go into a cocoon, as we are often just training at the track in Manchester and on the road up there.”
“I’ve been on the academy since October and, usually, riders spend three years on it, so I have a lot of time to go, unless I choose to move elsewhere – which isn’t what I plan for.”
At the moment, it is looking like the road, more than the track, which will become Lowe’s specialisation. “So far since joining the academy, it’s mainly consisted of preparing for upcoming races, which were on the track to begin with,” said Lowe. “However, I wasn’t able to get into the team pursuit squad, so I’m now looking towards the road season.”
“My summer will consist of road races with a few track races such as the national track championships at the end of the year. I’ll be looking to get selected for a number of international races as part of the Under 23 squad, which will be all across Europe, but I won’t find out about them until the weeks approaching the races.”
Racing in Australia was certainly an experience. In the Herald Sun Tour, a full-scale senior race, Lowe had to retire on the second day after getting caught up in a couple of crashes in the peloton. However, other events after that went better.
Lowe finished 11th overall and the first of the four GB academy riders in the Victoria Road Race Championship. Then the four Britons all finished in the top 20 in the Victoria Criterium Championships, successfully setting up teammate Chris Latham to win the race.
Lowe is, to all intents and purposes, now a full-time cyclist and he is relishing the experience. “I’ve really enjoyed just being able to concentrate on riding my bike without having to worry about education any more,” he added.
“Staying up in Manchester, I’m really being able to make the most of what the academy has to offer and British Cycling’s support.”
Link: Original story by Colston here
Other Results on VeloUK (including reports containing results)
- Features, Reports, Results
- Crit Result: Odd Down Winter Series 3
- Crit Result: Velo29 Winter Series 3
- Track Result: Premier Division Manchester Track League #4
- Team Feature: Hutchinson/Brother UK
- Events: Spring MK Bowl Circuit Series
- Crit Result: Full Gas Winter Series (LVVP #13)
- Events: RCR Fatcreations Road Race
- Team News: DAS Handsling Women’s UCI Team
- News: GB for European Track Championships
- Crit Result: Full Gas Winter Series (Hillingdon #6)
- CX Result: NWCCA CX League Round 9
- CX Result: London/SE CX League Rd 10
- CX Result: Wessex CX League Rd 13
- CX Result: Eastern Cyclo-Cross League 11
- CX Result: East Kent CX League 5
- British Track Championships: Day 3 Report
- Track Results: British Track Championhip Results (para)
- Track Results: British Track Championship Results (M)
- Track Result: British Track Championships Results (W)
- British Track Championships: Day 2 Report
- Q&A: Sophie Lankford (Alba Team)
- Team Feature: Sam Watson’s Journey to WorldTour
- News: Rayner Foundation’s Gateway Project
- News: Star Names Sign up for Saint Piran 05/03 Team
- News: 58th Perfs Pedal RR
- Track Result: Premier Division Manchester Track League
- News: GB Team for CX Worlds
- Team News: MAS Design – Fensham Howes Junior Team
- 2022/2023 National Trophy Cyclocross Series Final Standings
- EVENTS: The Peaks 2 Day p/b Giant Sheffield
- TEAM NEWS: Kalas Motip Race Team for 2023
- Team News: Rotor UK Sponsor Team AT85
- CX Result: Leicestershire Cyclo-Cross League Rd 7
- CX Result: Wessex CX League, Rd 12
- CX Result: Eastern Region CX League Rd 10
- Q&A: Vicky Smith (Alba Development Road Team)
- Track Result: First Division Manchester Track League
- Track Result: Premier Division Manchester Track League
- Crit Result: LVYCC Winter Races 1
- British Track Championships Jan 26-29
Other News on VeloUK
- Team Feature: Hutchinson/Brother UK
- Events: Spring MK Bowl Circuit Series
- Events: RCR Fatcreations Road Race
- Team News: DAS Handsling Women’s UCI Team
- News: GB for European Track Championships
- Q&A: Sophie Lankford (Alba Team)
- News: Rayner Foundation’s Gateway Project
- News: Star Names Sign up for Saint Piran 05/03 Team
- News: 58th Perfs Pedal RR
- News: GB Team for CX Worlds
- Team News: MAS Design – Fensham Howes Junior Team
- EVENTS: The Peaks 2 Day p/b Giant Sheffield
- TEAM NEWS: Kalas Motip Race Team for 2023
- Team News: Rotor UK Sponsor Team AT85
- Q&A: Vicky Smith (Alba Development Road Team)
- British Track Championships Jan 26-29
- Event News: Midlands handicap league returns in 2023
- News: Alba DRT Riders Inspired to Step Up
- Race Dates: Track Events 2023
- News: Santini Cycling UK
- News: Wightlink-Wight Mountain CRT Report
- Events: Velo Club St Raphael Time Trial
- Startlist: British Cyclocross Championships 2023
- BRITISH CYCLOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIPS 2023
- News: Brother UK Continues to Sponsor Cycling
- Dave Rayner Fund Supported Riders
- Event news: British Team Cup
- National Trophy: Final Round, Cyclopark
- News: Pedal Club December Lunch Report
- Team News: Velo Bavarian Race Team 2023
- 2023 British teams – Richardson’s Trek
- Team News: 26th Year for Arctic-Aircon RT
- Event News: British Masters RR Champs
- News: West Midlands RR Calendar
- Team News: New cycling team in Central Region
- News: UCI World Masters Track Championships
- 2023: National Under 23, Youth & Junior Road Series
- National Trophy Cyclocross Round 5: Startlist
- News: 2023 British National Road Series
- New Bikes! Ribble’s Reynolds 725 (Gravel bike)