2023 PREVIEW
We take an in-depth look at what promises to be yet another thrilling domestic year
UCI MEN’S TEAMS
SAINT PIRAN
NUMBER OF RIDERS: 16 BC RANKING IN 2022: 12TH
During the off season, the Cornwallbased team have made several big acquisitions ahead of the 2023 campaign, including for mer R ibble-Weldtite man Charlie Tan field. Saint Piran have also brought in three riders from the British Cycling academy squad, R hys Britton, Josh Charlton and Will Tidball, which will see the team target the track in 2023 as well as the road.
A lex R ichardson and Jack Rootk in-Gray are a dynamic duo capable of landing big results across a variet y of racing scenarios. Last year, R ichardson took the honours at the Ryedale GP as well as finishing third in the road race at the National Championships. A for mer winner of the Lincoln GP in 2018, R ichardson will be at the foref ront of sports director Steve Lampier ’s plans to win big this year.
Twent y t wo-year-old Harry Birchill from Devon finished eighth at the R utland-Melton CiCLE Classic and has previously represented England at the Com monwealth Games. Saint Piran management will be hoping for big things from Birchill in 2023.
AT85 PRO CYCLING
NUMBER OF RIDERS: 16 RANKING IN 2022: 1ST AS WIV-SUNGOD
A head of the new campaign, the Tim Elverson managed squad for merly k nown as WiV-SunGod has undergone a full makeover. Jacob Scott, Rory Tow nsend and Matt Bostock have all stepped up to ProTea m level with Kiwi team Bolton Equities Black Spoke. The team have brought in multiple riders to replace the trio including Com monwealth Games bronze medallist Finn Crockett and Stuart Balfour from the now defunct R ibble-Weldtite along with Sam Culver well from Trinity and for mer Tou r de Yorkshire champion Chris Lawless from TotalEnergies.
However, the team’s big gest and most important signing could prove to be sports director Colin Sturgess. The for mer pro turned manager adds yet more experience to a squad which has already seen so much success under Elverson.
W ho’s the winner?
A long with Jacob Scott and Bostock, Rob Scott was a serial winner for the team last year, finishing first in the overall classification of the National Road Series as WiV-SunG od won the team classification. A long with winning the Lancaster Grand Prix, Scott also won the overall classification at the Tou r de la Mirabelle and the Pa r is-Troyes race.
Despite high finishes at races like the Stockton GP last year, Jim Brow n is a rider that largely went unnoticed behind the trio of Bostock, Rob and Jacob Scott to those outside of AT85 last season. However, now that Bostock and Jacob Scott have moved up to ProTea m level, the Yorkshireman will be look ing to step up and fill their place this year.
