DS and manager of Team Wiggins, former pro, Simon Cope tells us about the 2018 squad and their expected racing programme
![]() |
Feature Interview: Simon Cope (Team Wiggins)
Whilst the team name is Wiggins, it is former pros Simon Cope and Chris Lillywhite that will be in charge of the 18 riders that go to make up Team Wiggins for 2018.
16 of the 18 riders in the Wiggins team for 2018 and Sir in the middle of the pack
Both Simon and Chris had successful racing careers, with Simon winning the Circuit Race Championship in 1997. Cope, who rode as professional from 1983 to 1999 on both track and road, worked for Team GB as well as trade teams and has been with Team Wiggins from the start.
For people like Simon, managing and being a DS of a conti team is a tough gig, tougher than at WorldTour level where more is done for the riders by other people; things such as the logistics for example. “We have to book the hotels, do the race programme and there are a lot less staff at this level, but I enjoy working in a development team, its good fun” Simon explained.
… continued after advert
The team is made up of eighteen under 23 riders and not all British as the team is not part of the GB set up which many think it is. So as well as the majority of the team being British, there are also New Zealanders, Irish and a French rider in the squad. The riders in the team are:
Gabriel Cullaigh, GB
Reece Wood, GB
Joey Walker, GB
Nathan Draper, GB
Oliver Robinson, GB
Jacques Sauvagnargues, GB
Dylan Robson, GB
Etienne Georgi, GB
Tom Pidcock, GB
Rob Scott, GB
Jesse Yates, GB
Mark Donovan, GB
Mark Downey, IRL
Matthew Teggart, IRL
Michael O’Loughlin, IRL
Corentin Navarro, FRA
James Fouche, NZL
Campbell Stewart, NZL
Tom Pidcock.
One of the ‘name’ riders in the team is Tom Pidcock, who was a double junior world champion in Cyclo-Cross and Road Time Trial. On the subject of Tom riding for the team and not a World Tour squad, Simon explains “he’s stepping out of Junior racing (which Tom was in 2017) to Under 23 racing which he has been doing this winter for races under an hour but the difference between a WorldTour bike race on the road and a Junior one is something like 60 or 70k and that is a hell of a lot of kilometres and also there’s the demands on him.”
“Personally, I think some lads turn pro for WorldTour teams too early. I think you need to get some races under your belt, some wins under your belt and learn your trade. I don’t think Tom going straight to a WorldTour team would be a good idea.”
Like Simon was in 1997, Tom is also the current British Circuit Race champion. Will we see him in those stripes I asked? “I haven’t really spoken to Tom yet as we want to get the cross season done first but I think his programme will be a mixture of the crits which I think he enjoys and a few UCI races.”
“The Tour of Yorkshire is the big one should ASO select the team and we’d have to select him just because of who he is and where he is from. The lad has a lot of talent but the one thing we see is a lot of people pulling at him and he needs to take it one step at a time and we need to shelter him a bit from those demands.” … continued after advert
Asked what the race programme is likely to be for the team, Simon replied “2018 will see the team racing in Britain in events like Premier Calendars, hopefully Tour of Yorkshire and Tour of Britain and we will also be looking to do the Tour Series.”
Simon added they will also be looking to get a start in most of the Under 23 events in Europe as well as ‘UCI .2 events as well as UCI .1 events (ie, 1.1 and 2.1 races). “The issue is, at the moment, there isn’t enough racing for Conti level teams” says Simon.
I added that with the team’s goal of trying to help the young riders move on into pro teams in Europe (Pro Conti and WorldTour) that in all likelihood they need that European racing to be seen by the scouts for the major teams.
… continued after advert
“Correct” agrees Simon. “Obviously we’re not going to see a Quickstep, Trek Segfredo or whatever scout at a Premier Calendar event. Unfortunately, that is the reality of it. But you go to these Under 23 races like Liege Bastogne Liege, Gent Wevelgem, Baby Giros; you see all the these scouts there and I think the reason Davies (Scott) and Knox (James) moved onto WorldTour teams is by performing in those races”.
With racing in Britain in order to qualify for the Tour of Britain also required, a double programme does put a lot of pressure on teams like Wiggins where there isn’t a big influx of cash around at the moment for them or the other squads as well.
“It does” says Simon. “It’s not cheap going to Europe. Any team manager who runs a UCI team and goes to Europe realises how expensive it is but also the cost of the sport has gone through the roof anyway and even in Britain, it is not cheap which is why teams need to find more sponsors.”
The first racing for the team will be in a few weeks when part of the team will ride the well known early season British ‘classic’, the Jock Wadley and another part of the team will race in a one day UCI event in Portugal before a couple of days rest and then a stage race.
Racing a stage race highlights something the British programme doesn’t offer the riders outside of the Tour of Reservoir two day. Something that is a lot different to when Simon raced at the highest level in Britain. “We had more multi day events back then for sure. We had Tour of Lancs, the Girvan, Bill Cox Memorial and other multi day events”.
“ Those days of racing are definitely important for the riders. Even a stage race in Britain with domestic teams and racing day after day, the accumulation of fatigue gives the first year seniors a grounding to what it’s all about really. “
Unfortunately, the cost of putting on a one day race in Britain is costly enough and probably why there are no national A multi stage events which is why Team Wiggins will be finding them in Europe. With the team presentation done, Simon is now looking forward to getting in the team car and going to a bike race. Amen to that!
Cycle Division’s New Shop
Send your results as well as club, team & event news here
Other Results on VeloUK (including reports containing results)
- Features, Reports, Results
- Result: Beverley Town Centre Races
- Hill Climb Championships: Change of Course
- Crit Result: Portsmouth Evening Circuits 11
- Crit Result: RCR FatCreations Goodwood Summer Special
- UK Armed Forces Inter-services Road Race
- Report: TLI Cycling ‘Belgium Training Series
- BMCR RESULT: The Ron Day MK Bowl Circuit races (July 23rd)
- RR Result: Bath RC Junior National Series Road Race
- Crit Result: West Thames League 15
- Crit Result: SACA Salt Ayre Tuesday Series 15
- Crit Result: Bath CC Mid Summer Series 2
- Crit Result: Full Gas Summer Circuit Series #17
- TT Result: Ross-On-Wye & Dist CC 25m TT
- TT Result: Ross-On-Wye & Dist CC 10m TT
- TT Result: Kernow Racing Team 10m TT
- News: Men’s Tour of Britain Route (Stage 1 & 2)
- Youth Result: RL360 Isle of Man Youth League 14
- TT Result: Verulam Cycling Club 25m TT
- TT Result: Manchester & District Ladies CA 25m TT
- TT Result: Ferryhill Wheelers CC 25m TT
- Crit Result: Banbury Star Crit Series #2
- RR Result: Lakes Road Club Summer Road Race
- National Circuit Series: Colne
- TT Result: Kings Lynn CC 15m TT
- TT Result: ECCA 10 mile Time Trial
- TT Result: Chorley Cycling Club 10m TT
- TT Result: Houghton CC 25m TT
- TT Result: Bournemouth Jubilee Wheelers 10m TT
- TT Result: Farnham RC 10m TT
- Crit Result: King&Queen of the Bowl Series #13
- TT Result: Kernow Racing Team 10m TT
- Crit Result: Lichfield/Velospeed No Frills at Curborough #7
- TT Result: Swindon RC & Swindon Wh 50m TT
- Crit News: Spatzwear Friday Night Crit Series #6 | YBC
- GB News: Paracycling Squad for Paris 2024
- Crit Result: Thanks Crit it’s Friday 7
- Crit Result: Omega Portsmouth Circuits 6
- Result: BMCR National Road Bike TT Championship
- Crit Result: Ride Revolution Coaching Summer Crits #2
- Crit Result: Shutt Velo Rapide Hitters Crits Rd2
Other News on VeloUK
- Hill Climb Championships: Change of Course
- TT Result: Ross-On-Wye & Dist CC 25m TT
- News: Men’s Tour of Britain Route (Stage 1 & 2)
- GB News: Paracycling Squad for Paris 2024
- Ribble Redefines Road with launch of Allroad
- BMCR: National Road Bike Time Trial Championship
- SUNDAY: Bath Road Club Junior National Series Road Race
- TLI CYCLING FEATURE: SUPER4SERIES
- NATIONAL CIRCUIT SERIES UPDATE 2024
- News: Josh Tarling Extends Contract at Ineos
- Tour of Britain for Men 2024
- News: Connor Swift Extends Contract with Ineos
- Updated GB Olympic Team News
- Sunday: 2024 Youth Circuit Race Championships (Cyclopark)
- ROBBED BY THE HIGHWAYS AGENCY – National Highways
- Startlist: BMCR National Road Championships E/F/G/H
- OLYMPIC NEWS – Team GB Announces First Riders for Olympics
- News: Alex Richardson Retires
- New Releases from Shutt Velo Rapide
- STARTLIST: Men’s British Road Race Championships
- STARTLIST: 2024 Women’s British Road Race Championships
- Startlist: 2024 CAMS Yorkshire Classic Road Races
- Startlists: 2024 Circuit Race Championships
- Startlist: CAMS Ronde van Wymeswold
- Startlists & 2023 Results: National Time Trial Championships
- NEWS: Star Studded Line Up for National Road Champs
- Riders so far: London Dynamo Summer Road Races
- Women’s Tour of Britain Startlist (provisional)
- News: Lincoln winner hit by car
- Entries Wanted: Ilkley Cycles Races
- GB Team Named for Women’s Tour of Britain
- STARTLISTS: NW, Yorkshire & NE Regional RR Championships
- Startlists: East Midlands Road Race Championships
- News: Ribble Rebellion Race USA’s Armed Forces Cycling Classic
- TT Result: Legato Racing Team 10m TT
- Pre-Race Rider Quotes: Ford RideLondon Classique
- STARTLIST: Witham Wheelers Road Races
- Team News: Tour of Britain for Alba Development RT
- Startlist: Totnes Vire 2024
- Starters: NW Junior/U23 360cycling Two Day