Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Spokes Racing Team Launch 2018

-

HomeStoriesSpokes Racing Team Launch 2018

So it’s that time of year again, festive excesses are the subject of new year’s resolutions that melt away quicker than the recent snow. For some though the resolve is stronger and none more so than the young men of Spokes Racing Team.

Spokes Racing Team
The boys enjoy there heartland. Photo©Spokes Racing Team
Spokes Team Launch
The team lineup. Photo©Callum MacGregor

Those that made the cut for 2018 following the October training camp appreciate the set up and support which is unparalleled in Scottish Junior cycling.

Spokes Racing Team
Training camp. Photo©Spokes Racing Team

We’ve been following the team over the past few seasons and whilst the names and faces change the level of support and commitment from owner Craig Grieve and DS Blair Whiteside seems to grow each year.

With riders of the calibre of Grant and Fraser Martin graduating with honours to the senior ranks, to say nothing of a certain Mark Stewart, there’s no doubt the formula has successfully cultivated Scottish talent, offering opportunities to taste the life and progress to the next level.

Mark remains a keen supporter of the team, donating items each year for the fund-raising auction.

It’s time for the 2017 report card and to look forward to the 2018 season and the dreams of riders old and new.

We managed to catch up with the guys at the team launch and fundraising dinner on Saturday night in deepest Fife.

The Class of ’17

Spokes Racing Team
Stephen Dent winning in Kontich. Photo©Bram Van Lent
  • Stephen Dent completed his second season with team in ’17. This year Stephen is off to Belgium to ride with Baguet MIBA Poorten Cycling Team with support from The David Raynor Fund. His most impressive results at the Kontich UCI 2.1 with a 1st and 2nd on stages which generated some interest and resulted in the ride with Baguet being offered. As the reigning Scottish Junior Criterium Champion Stephen will be looking forward to the kermis scene (the team had an impressive 1-2-3 with Joe Reilly silver and Finn Crocket Bronze in the Junior Criterium championships at Ingliston).

[vsw id=”4Tg4mbKnaZg” source=”youtube” width=”700″ height=”450″ autoplay=”no”]

Spokes Racing Team
1-2-3 at the Scottish Criterium Championships. Photo©The Press Room
  • Alex Ridehalgh. First year with the team in ’17 and back for 2018. Alex had a mixed season. Glandular fever disrupting his plans but a win in the Gorey Three Day and strong performances in Belgian Interclubs and kermesses bode well for a strong and hopefully healthy year ahead.
Spokes Racing Team
Alex Ridehalgh. Photo©Sean Rowe
  • Joe Reilly. Completed his second year with Spokes and a successful year it was, 6th at the British Junior Road race champs has seen him sign for Vitus Pro Cycling for 2018 under the direction of Cherie Pridham
  • Dylan Hughes. Another new recruit last year who had an impressive year. A silver medal in the Youth Commonwealth Games Time Trial in the Bahamas the highlight.
Spokes Racing Team
Dylan Hughes. Photo©Marit Coghe
  • Charlie Johnston. new in ’17 his year was de-railed by a crash in the Cicle classic with a broken collar bone and wrist for his troubles. He will be looking for better luck this season.

Leavers

For some riders 2018 will see new challenges away from the Spokes environment:

  • Finn Crocket. Having spent a year with the team and impressing Craig with his strength Finn is currently out in France and taking it a bit easier for now. Finn will be racing domestically for the Wheelbase outfit this season.
  • George Wharton. The Englishman joined the team in ’17 and has decided to try to balance studying at University with his racing this year.

Joiners

So to new talent coming on board for 2018:

  • Oliver Murray. After only little over a year of racing he joins the Spokes ranks and is looking forward to racing and learning from his Team-mates.
  • Ben Barlow. A second year junior who took a win at the round of the British national Series at Hillingdon and with his first cat licence secured last year he will be looking for some big results.
  • Alfie George. Had an amazing Youth Tour of Scotland, taking the overall, Points classification and two stage wins. He has already been on the boards this winter recently winning the Scratch race and Madison at an international track meeting in Appeldoorn in the Netherlands.
  • Morgan Bown. Only started pedalling in April ’17 and has progressed and impressed Craig and Blair so much that he secured a slot on the team for 2018. We look forward to watching his development.
  • Scott Howieson. A first year junior in ’18. As the reigning Scottish U16 Criterium Champion and having placed 9th overall in the Errigal international Youth Tour he has clearly got some talent.
  • Alex Dent. Following in the footsteps of older brother Stephen and hailing from Fort William, (a town that has produced some serious cycling talent) he joins the team for 2018. Having taken the silver in the U16 Criterium champs he will be looking to go one better this year. He is also a talented climber and with this ability he will be another to watch develop.
Spokes Racing Team
Junior racing is popular. Photo©supplied

The programme for 2018 looks impressive with forays planned from March to September with all the home countries on the itinerary as well as France, Holland and Belgium.

A mixture of local, national and international events will see the riders mixing it at every level.

The season starts in March in Wales at the Cadence race. April sees the team return to the Gorey 3 day, the Tour of the Mendips, Tombrook in Belgium and the Tour de Pays d’Othe in France rounding out a busy month.

Forays to the 3 days of Axel, with stages in both Holland and Belgium follow in May.

Britain’s answer to Paris Roubaix, The Cicle Classic is next on the Programme in June.

Not content to be running a team the Spokes guys also organise a national Series race in Scotland and the team will be aiming for a good result.

June is rounded out with the Monmouth Grand Prix in Wales.

July has the team back in Belgium for the 55th Sint Martinus

The Ronde Des Valles in France, the GP Roger De Konink in Belgium and the Junior Tour of Wales will make August a busy month for the team.

The final big road race of the year sees the team return to Belgium one last time for the Philippe Gilbert Junior Road Race in September.

The Team launch and fundraiser evening saw special guest Cherie Pridham, Team Principle with Vitus Pro Cycling for 2018 and formerly DS at Raleigh GAC unsurprisingly encouraging the riders to do what their DS tells them and make the most of the opportunity they have with the team.

No mean rider herself, Cherie completed the Tour De France Feminine on no fewer than eight occasions back in the day.

Spokes Team Launch
The venue. Photo©Callum MacGregor

The evening proved to be an occasion for meeting former rivals with Eric Schlordt, Roiseal CRT in attendance and catching up with Dave Chapman who also won the blind auction for mark Stewarts team GB skinsuit from the Madison at the world track championships.

Spokes Racing Team
Eric and Dave. Photo©Callum MacGregor
Spokes Racing Team
Will Dave be trying to squeeze into Mark Stewart’s skinsuit? Photo©Callum MacGregor

Craig feels the team is more complete than in previous years with sprinters, climbers, testers and men for the GC.

We wish them all well and look forward to catching up with them during the season.

If you want to support the team they have set up a Just Giving page.

Related Articles

A Look at the Eddy Merckx and Jacky Ickx Exhibition

The Monday after Kuurne can be a bit of a downer, most of the bike shops are shut and you know that reality is just one sleep away but not this one; first up we had an interview with Rudy Pevenage – strangely, there were no scales, horns or tail on view and rather than being the devil incarnate we met a man who – like so many others – ‘did what he had to do’ in era where the UCI as much as invited you to kit up.

A night at the races – Belgian style!

Friday night, at this time I'm usually battling to get over the Forth Bridge before the traffic goes critical mass. Not tonight though, we may be battling through the tail-backs, but it's on the motorway out of Ghent, headed for a night at the races, Oosterzele and a 70 kilometre criterium. And besides, the reverend Al Green is on the car stereo telling us that; "Love is the message!" For sure, Al.

Hilton Edinburgh Grosvenor announce sponsorship deal with Edinburgh Road Club

The Hilton Edinburgh Grosvenor has announced that they will sponsor Edinburgh RC/The Bicycleworks, one of the UK's biggest cycling clubs. The sponsorship deal will see the hotel's logo appear on the club's kit, website and race support vehicle.

Living at Mrs Deene’s Cyclists’ B&B – Part Two; ‘Racing and Eating!’

At the time I set off for Flanders in 1973 to live at Mrs Deene's, I only knew two people who had raced there – one of them being Stan Butler’s son Keith - who had done well enough that he had become a professional - so it was entirely word-of-mouth, a case of asking for whatever advice people could offer and setting off on the cross-channel ferry, hoping for the best.

At Random

Copenhagen Six Day 2012 – Day One

The gun fires, the bongos rattle, 'Cara Mia' blasts, the rattle of chains and rumble of rubber on wood builds and the chase which kicks off the 50th Six Days of Copenhagen is up and running. But it's not any old chase, since I first walked up the steps from the tunnel when we arrived here on Wednesday afternoon the lap board has been displaying a short but grim message-400.

Flavio Zappi – Helping His Riders Cope with Covid and Brexit

Flavio Zappi plays down his own career on the bike but in a time and place where it was hard to get a pro contract and then sometimes even harder to achieve contract renewal after one season, if the results weren’t there or your face didn’t fit, he rode numerous seasons at the highest levels of Italian cycle sport.

Le Tour de France 2016 – Stage 21; Chantilly – Paris Champs-Élysées. Greipel Wins, We Reflect

I braved the tourists and human statues up on Edinburgh’s High Street to see if I could get Monday’s L’Equipe in the International Newsagents – it’s the one for all the good Tour stats. But alas, no dice – I had to settle for Sunday’s Observer and Monday’s Guardian where it’s wall to wall Christopher and Sky.

Michael Mørkøv – No. 1 Madison Rider in the World

Nine gold medals at the Worlds for Team GB - wow! So, the rest of the World will be happy to compete for silvers at Beijing? Hardly! One man who'll be doing his best to deny Bradley Wiggins two gold medals in China is Denmark's Michael Mørkøv. He took bronze in the Madison at Manchester, last month partnered by compatriot and former world scratch champion, Alex Rasmussen.