Team News: Ryan Perry Signs for Raleigh GAC

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Raleigh-GAC strengthen the team with a champion time trialist and race to you drop roadman, Ryan Perry

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Team News: Ryan Perry Signs for Raleigh GAC

One of the exciting new signings for the 2017 Raleigh-GAC team is British 25, 50 and 100 mile champion Ryan Perry who was also third in the British Open Time Trial Championship behind Alex Dowsett.

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Ryan is not just one of the fastest time trial riders in the country but also handy on the road as well being the winner of the lumpy Tour of the Mining Valleys road race, 6th in the Fenland Clarion RR (nat B) and 10th on stage 2 of the Tour of Reservoir National A road race.

For team owner Cherie Pridham, signing a winner like Ryan is an exciting prospect. “I’m really excited to have Ryan on board for 2017. He will bring some serious horsepower and strengthen the team on the road. We will also be looking to support Ryan with his time trials and it will be great to see him reach his potential with the team and see him winning more road races.”

“His sense of humour will also help the team no end as he lightens the mood in the team camp and gets everybody laughing. Ryan’s not just one of the most exciting signings but one of the most exciting up and coming riders in British racing.”

Riding a bike is something that Ryan has done for a long time and he explained that he started racing in 2013, upped it again to do it properly in 2014 and since then has been doing Prems and National A racing with the Elite team, Metaltek-Kuota.

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It is in time trialling that the Army captain has really made his mark though. Medals in the British Time Trial Championships as well as wins in time trial’s blue ribbon event (the 25) has certainly elevated his status as a rider up the ladder to the top.

Talking about the sport he’s making a name in, Ryan says “I am loving the sport. I grew up on a mountain bike and been from that to BMX to cross country and when I joined the Army, I did Nordic skiing and started riding the bike.”

“There is plenty more to come. I don’t think I am anywhere near my potential. I enjoy both the road racing and the time trialling although the latter seems to attract similar characters to me. I am a bit of a geek with the technology and the numbers and stuff and I quite like that. There is a lot of ego on the road. As much as I like the tactics of the racing, there are a lot of egos about and they are a bit more difficult to deal with.”

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With his Golden cap (where have they gone), Ryan after winning the 25 for the first time.

Asked how it felt to sign for UCI team, Raleigh GAC, Ryan replied, “Excited! I always enjoy getting to know new people. I’m really looking forward to meeting the other riders and having Chez, Eddie and Alan as guiding hands. I’m still progressing as a rider and think the team will be a good spring board for me to take it up a gear”.

Ryan joins the team from Metaltek Kuota (as does Adam Kenway) and as anyone who knows Ryan, he has an amazing sense of humour so no surprise when asked what he’s looking forward to in 2017, he replied “Sharing a hotel room with Kenway! He makes a good brew LoL”.

Ryan then adds, “to be honest I’ll enjoy all the racing we do, and as long as we get stuck in and have a good scrap, I’ll be happy. I’d love to race the Tour de Yorkshire and Tour of Britain should the opportunity arise. It would be nice to race abroad in say, Normandy.

Ryan says the road races he enjoys are the ones where you get to the end and feel like you’ve just done 12 rounds with Butterbean. “When everybody is buckling and it becomes a fight of the strongest will” he adds. “This year I enjoyed the Reservoir and Rutland”.

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Ryan in his Army colours back in 2015!

For a rider new to the sport, he’s already tasted success a lot more than most and talking about his career highlights, he says “probably getting on the podium at the 2015 British TT Champs. I’d only done a handful of TTs then and it was a bit of a realisation that I might have some half decent talent”.

“Then I suppose I’m the RTTC ‘Champion of Champions’ this year – can’t grumble at that! I’m still new to the game and feel there could be a decent road win in me as I learn the craft. It will be nice to catch those out that think I’m just a ‘tester’!”

Ryan is also pretty honest about his body fat when asked what he’ll do in the winter! “I’m pretty strong but I’m also about 16% body fat! I need to buckle down and lose some chub. I’ll be mostly training from home in Burnley, braving the weather, eating fish and rice cakes. Putting hairs on the chest. I might do a week or two in Spain if I’m feeling soft!”

Good luck to Ryan in 2017!

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