Team News: SwiftCarbon 2019 Roster

SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling announce their final squad for 2019 and outline their early season UCI race programme.

Team News: SwiftCarbon 2019 Roster

SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling announce their final squad for 2019 and outline their early season UCI race programme.

The final piece of the jigsaw is now in place for our thirteen-man strong squad. Pete Williams, who joins from ONE Pro Cycling, brings a wealth of experience having completed ten Tours of Britain, and all four previous editions of the Tour de Yorkshire. Pete is relishing the opportunity to continue to race at the highest level and to support the development of the talented younger riders in the team.
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Paul Lamb, Team Manager says; “I’m delighted to have Pete on board. His experience and palmares are exceptional. I knew that Pete has had a great career, but I didn’t realise the extent of some of the races that Pete has either won or excelled in until I checked. Not only does Pete bring a wealth of talent and knowledge but he’ll be fantastic for some of the other guys to learn from, both on and off the bike. He’s a calm and measured guy and if he’s not up there winning I am sure he’ll be helping others to do so.

“Our early season programme is aiming to put us in the best possible shape to take on a key target for the year: the Tour de Yorkshire. The Tour de Yorkshire has become an iconic race for the region and as a Yorkshire based team with some Yorkshire based talent it has a huge degree of relevance. The race is getting bigger every year and is now a renowned HC four day stage race.”

“I believe we have a team capable of actually competing with four of the team already Tour de Yorkshire veterans. For Yorkshire based riders like Pete, Jake Scott, Julian Varley, Jordan Reed and Ben Hardy they are very familiar with the route, with some of their regular training roads incorporated into the parcours.”

“Personally it would be an honour for me, living as I do, right at the foot of the iconic Greenhow Hill part of the final stage four route.”

The TdY is split into two parts, first for the sprinters and then for the climbers and we feel we can be proactive in both. The final day is an opportunity for our strong climbers Julian and Ed (Laverack) who finished 22nd on the final 2018 stage despite working for his team leader. Clearly, selection for this iconic event would represent a great opportunity for us and we would certainly seize it and be as proactive as we can”.

“Some of the team have already got races under their belts in 2019: Isaac finished in an excellent 8th place at the National Cyclo-Cross Championships and Stephen Bradbury and ‘Bjergy’ (Will Bjergfelt) both gained top ten places in the recent National Track Championships. Stephen has also just finished in an impressive 5th place at the Six Day Cycling (track) event in Melbourne, Australia.

“Our 2019 road campaign starts on 5 March in Belgium at Le Samyn – a tough one day race where we’ll be taking on World Tour and Pro Continental riders as well as some Belgium cobbles. The following weekend, we’re staying in Belgium and taking part in the GP Jean-Piere Monseré another tough UCI 1.1 race.”

“Then it’s off to Portugal – the base of our principal partner and bike supplier SwiftCarbon for the Volta ao Alentejo, a five day stage race just east of Lisbon.”

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“For April it’s a welcome return to the East Cleveland Klondike Grand Prix and round 1 of the National Road Series and then the only UCI one-day race on the UK calendar, the Rutland-Melton International CiCLE Classic. We’re also intending to spend a bit of time in France and Belgium over Easter with the Tour of Limberg and the Tour of Loir et Cher in the pipeline.”

“May is then super busy with (hopefully) the Tour de Yorkshire, the Lincoln Grand Prix, and the Tour Series. Whilst we have a big road focus for 2019, we actually have a strong bunch of guys who are fairly talented circuit racers, with Jake Scott, George Wood and Bjergy all claiming podiums in the past, so we’re looking forward to seeing what they can do this year.”

“Then for June and July the calendar is filled with further rounds of the National Road Series and the start of the National Circuit Series – all of which will be important to gain the team qualifying points for the Tour of Britain (our late season target).”

“In between we will be adding some more UCI one day and stage races, as they crop up which may include the Tour of Portugal. I know all team managers will say the same thing, that pulling this all together is a huge task, more so I believe for a first year Conti team and none of this could be done without the massive support of staff and volunteers along with our extremely valuable partners.”

2019 Partners
SwiftCarbon – bicycles
Vittoria – wheels & tyres
Nopinz – technical kit partner
Wahoo Fitness – Kickr smart trainers
4iiii Innovations – Power meters
Accor Hotels (Ibis & Novotel) – race accommodation
Limar – Aero helmets
ALBA Optics – Eyewear
Juice Lubes – bike cleaning and maintenance products
Elite Physio – injury rehab and soigneur services