Former GB rider Russell Hamptons secures sponsorship from Athlonsport

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Tour of Britain KoM hero Russell Hampton, who has ridden for Raleigh for the last few seasons, goes it alone in 2014 with Athlonsport

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Former Junior national road race champion, Russell Hampton, has joined forces with independent bike dealership, Athlonsport from Chelmsford (Essex) who will be sponsoring him in 2014. They will be supporting Russell in elite events with the help of customers and sponsors via the crowd funding website Athlonsport are intent on doing.

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Russell Hampton leading eventual winner Ian Stannard in the 2012 National RR Championship.

Russell is a former Great Britain Academy rider who won a World Cup Track Event in Los Angeles during his early days with the Great Britain Under 23 Academy before he climbed to a new level in the Tour of Britain, getting himself into a long breakaway on stage 1 and then donning the Skoda King of the Mountains jersey.

Russell says “I’m really happy with my decision to sign for Athlonsport. The guys at the store are some of the best I have had the privilege of spending time with; their passion for cycling and belief in me as an individual is something I have felt was missing in previous years. My focus in 2014 is to put Athlonsport on the cycling map”

Jeff Collins Athlonsport Director backed that up saying “We are of course delighted to have Russell on board for 2014 and will help him in every way we can. Obviously we are inexperienced in this area and will learn a lot during 2014, but we have a long term plan with a desire and intent to ensure it is delivered. Russell’s riding ability and work ethic is the same as ours so it was an easy decision to make. We already work together as a team so the transition to a race team will hopefully be a seamless one”

Russell’s ability to climb and time trial will enable him to get in a few breaks and surprise a few people in races like the National Series road events in Britain and the road nationals where in 2012 he was third after a long break with friend and training partner, Alex Dowsett.

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Russell living it up as  the KoM leader in the Tour of Britain.

Russell sees himself more as an all-rounder rather than a mountain goat, and after a few years in Italy with the academy, he knows that he is too big to ever be a true mountain climber. “It’s been a hard few years” says Russell. “I had one year out of the sport and then came back and found my feet again before getting injured. After only 15 races before the Tour of Britain, I think I’ve showed what I can do and how much better I will be after a full season of racing in my legs. For next year, I am as good as I have ever been. With the backing of Athlonsport I am fit, focused and ready for the challenge; people will be surprised.”

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A few years ago, Russell won the Junior Road Race championship on the tough Oakley circuit.

 

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