I have just signed up to ride for a new UK team called Project 1 Cycling Team. It is going to be a British Elite Development team with two bases, one in Italy and one in Belgium. I hope to mix the road racing the team is doing in the UK, Italy, France, and Belgium with a bit of gravel racing in the build-up to riding the 2024 World Gravel Champs in Belgium at the start of October later this year.
Gravel seems to be a scene that has been getting increasingly popular over the last couple of years. Last year, I had the opportunity to ride one of the World Series races in Belgium before going on to ride the European Champs, leading to my qualification to ride this year’s World Champs.
With the team, we get supplied with bikes, kit, helmets and accommodation however, I will have to cover my travel expenses myself. The races will be done in blocks to keep travel costs minimal.
My first block is to fly out to Italy to the team’s base before racing Monaco Crit on March 17th. After that, we will go to France for a couple of races and then back to Italy.
From the end of April until July, the plan for now will be more at home or in the UK to do a block of races in the UK. Also, I will be going to Ireland to race National Champs at the end of June. For August/September, the plan is to go back to Italy for the final block of racing there before heading to Belgium at the end of September for the lead-up to the Gravel Worlds. Among all the road races planned, I hope to fit in around 4 of the UCI World Gravel Series, which I would fly to from wherever I am and join up with the team owner/manager, who will then look after me at the race.
