Madison Genesis look set to be the team to beat in domestic races next season. 2019 will be the teamโs seventh year, and their line-up is arguably their strongest yet: Roger Hammond returns as Team Manager after a stint as sports director at Dimension Data; British champion Connor Swift stays on after narrowly missing out on a World Tour contract; and Britainโs most prolific Continental-level UCI points scorer, Ian Bibby, joins from the defunct JLT Condor team.
This preview provides you with key facts about the team and a comprehensive list of who is in the squad and who is out. It also features the verdict on the team from our newly signed British Conti Insider…
It has been called a โsuper-teamโ and frankly itโs hard to argue that it isnโt
British Conti Insider
Connor Swift. Photo: Madison Genesis
Key facts and figures
Team Manager
Roger Hammond
Established๏ปฟ
2013
Previous team names๏ปฟ
None
Squad size
13
UCI World Ranking points (at 28.01.2019)
347 – 96th in UCI team rankings / 3rd out of 6 British Conti teams
This year sees the squad strengthened with some of the countryโs finest talent and prodigious winners
British Conti Insider
Verdict: the British Conti Insider’s view
Our ‘British Conti insider’ is an active DS with experience in the UK and abroad. Here is their verdict on the 2019 Madison Genesis squad.
Last week I made the prediction that two teams would dominate the domestic scene this year. The first was Canyon DHB p/b Bloor Homes. This week my take on the other: Madison Genesis. After winning both British Cycling road race series (the Spring Cup and the Grand Prix series), the national road race championships and a closely fought 2nd in the Tour Series, Madison Genesis proved a hard nut to crack. With so many cards to play, despite not winning a round of the Spring Cup or Grand Prix series, they were so consistent from the earliest races to the final at Leicester, missing the podium once only.
This year sees the squad strengthened with some of the countryโs finest talent and prodigious winners: Ian Bibby, Tom Moses, and Jon Mould and two up and coming stars, Joey Walker and young Joe Laverick. It has been called a โsuper-teamโ and frankly, itโs hard to argue that it isnโt. However, Iโve also heard whispers that other teams are saying: โToo many chiefs…โ. When I spoke to Colin Sturgess (out-going DS) about this, he did not seem unduly concerned, saying that the team has an ethic of looking after one another and โsharing the loveโ as he put it.
Newly returned DS Roger Hammond has worked with many of the riders in the past, and has a proven record winning the Tour Series, which will undoubtedly be a big target for the team in 2019, as will the Tour de Yorkshire and the Tour of Britain. The same can be said of all UK Conti teams however, so a carefully selected overseas programme will be necessary; the UCI races days are what set apart the teams that are ultimately competitive and those that are simply ‘getting round’. Hammondโs connections and experience at the World Tour with Dimension Data will undoubtedly open doors to some good race invites.
It is no secret that Madison Genesis now has the countryโs best budget at this level of competition, and once again it appears support from Madison is thorough and professional. There are changes in โsponsorsโ for 2019 with Continental tyres being dropped in favour of Maxxis, nutrition being picked up by SiS, and a notable change to clothing supply by Pearl Izumi. (I must say, having seen the jersey design and colourway thereโll be no missing the team in 2019!) Interestingly some of the Shimano-equipped Genesis bikes will be sporting disc options this year after the team stayed somewhat surprisingly on rim brakes for 2018.
As with Canyon, Madison Genesis have options aplenty. Bibby can climb with the best, and will be ably supported by Holmes, Cuming, Handley and even Swift himself. For GC, the options are equally as strong, and the single day races are, in my opinion, where Madison Genesis really come into their own. Any one of the 13, with the possible exception of Laverick at present, can win a National Road Series race. If there is a weakness, Iโd say Madison Genesis lack an out-and-out sprinter. But get Mould, Walker, Horton, Swift or even McEvoy to the sharp end of a sprint and youโd be hard pushed to beat any of them. How they play the lead-out roles remains to be seen, but given that British racing rarely involves a โtrainโ it is of little consequence. Itโs worth mentioning that in the duo of Richard Handley and Erick Rowsell you have two of the countryโs most experienced campaigners, and all-rounders. George Pym continues to impress, and 2019 could be his breakthrough year.
And what can be said of Connor Swift? Desperately unfortunate to not go Pro Continental or World Tour for 2019, I can only hope Hammond nurtures this amazing talent and Madison Genesis continue a rich vein of placing riders into the professional categories. Swift will be a defining factor in Madison Genesis’ performances this year, and proudly wearing the British champion’s jersey should propel the team to many a victory. He is already being seen as their totem and as Madison Genesisโ 13th signing, will it be lucky 13 for Connor?
2019 squad
Rider
Country
Previous team
Ian Bibby
GBR
JLT Condor
Michael Cuming
GBR
Madison Genesis
Richard Handley
GBR
Madison Genesis
Matthew Holmes
GBR
Madison Genesis
Tobyn Horton
GBR
Madison Genesis
Joseph Laverick
GBR
First-year U23
Jonathan McEvoy
GBR
Madison Genesis
Thomas Moses
GBR
JLT Condor
Jon Mould
GBR
JLT Condor
George Pym
GBR
Madison Genesis
Erick Rowsell
GBR
Madison Genesis
Connor Swift
GBR
Madison Genesis
Joey Walker
GBR
Team Wiggins
Departures
Rider
Country
2019 status
George Atkins
GBR
Unknown
Taylor Gunman
NZL
Unknown
Isaac Mundy
GBR
SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling
Neil Van Der Ploeg
AUS
Team BridgeLane
Taking part in Round 2 of the KISS Super League, in Calpe, 2019. Photo: Madison Genesis
Madison Genesis look set to be the team to beat in domestic races next season. 2019 will be the teamโs seventh year, and their line-up is arguably their strongest yet: Roger Hammond returns as Team Manager after a stint as sports director at Dimension Data; British champion Connor Swift stays on after narrowly missing out on a World Tour contract; and Britainโs most prolific Continental-level UCI points scorer, Ian Bibby, joins from the defunct JLT Condor team.
This preview provides you with key facts about the team and a comprehensive list of who is in the squad and who is out. It also features the verdict on the team from our newly signed British Conti Insider…
Key facts and figures
(at 28.01.2019)
3rd out of 6 British Conti teams
(at 15.01.2019)
2019 kit
Verdict: the British Conti Insider’s view
Our ‘British Conti insider’ is an active DS with experience in the UK and abroad. Here is their verdict on the 2019 Madison Genesis squad.
Last week I made the prediction that two teams would dominate the domestic scene this year. The first was Canyon DHB p/b Bloor Homes. This week my take on the other: Madison Genesis. After winning both British Cycling road race series (the Spring Cup and the Grand Prix series), the national road race championships and a closely fought 2nd in the Tour Series, Madison Genesis proved a hard nut to crack. With so many cards to play, despite not winning a round of the Spring Cup or Grand Prix series, they were so consistent from the earliest races to the final at Leicester, missing the podium once only.
This year sees the squad strengthened with some of the countryโs finest talent and prodigious winners: Ian Bibby, Tom Moses, and Jon Mould and two up and coming stars, Joey Walker and young Joe Laverick. It has been called a โsuper-teamโ and frankly, itโs hard to argue that it isnโt. However, Iโve also heard whispers that other teams are saying: โToo many chiefs…โ. When I spoke to Colin Sturgess (out-going DS) about this, he did not seem unduly concerned, saying that the team has an ethic of looking after one another and โsharing the loveโ as he put it.
Newly returned DS Roger Hammond has worked with many of the riders in the past, and has a proven record winning the Tour Series, which will undoubtedly be a big target for the team in 2019, as will the Tour de Yorkshire and the Tour of Britain. The same can be said of all UK Conti teams however, so a carefully selected overseas programme will be necessary; the UCI races days are what set apart the teams that are ultimately competitive and those that are simply ‘getting round’. Hammondโs connections and experience at the World Tour with Dimension Data will undoubtedly open doors to some good race invites.
It is no secret that Madison Genesis now has the countryโs best budget at this level of competition, and once again it appears support from Madison is thorough and professional. There are changes in โsponsorsโ for 2019 with Continental tyres being dropped in favour of Maxxis, nutrition being picked up by SiS, and a notable change to clothing supply by Pearl Izumi. (I must say, having seen the jersey design and colourway thereโll be no missing the team in 2019!) Interestingly some of the Shimano-equipped Genesis bikes will be sporting disc options this year after the team stayed somewhat surprisingly on rim brakes for 2018.
As with Canyon, Madison Genesis have options aplenty. Bibby can climb with the best, and will be ably supported by Holmes, Cuming, Handley and even Swift himself. For GC, the options are equally as strong, and the single day races are, in my opinion, where Madison Genesis really come into their own. Any one of the 13, with the possible exception of Laverick at present, can win a National Road Series race. If there is a weakness, Iโd say Madison Genesis lack an out-and-out sprinter. But get Mould, Walker, Horton, Swift or even McEvoy to the sharp end of a sprint and youโd be hard pushed to beat any of them. How they play the lead-out roles remains to be seen, but given that British racing rarely involves a โtrainโ it is of little consequence. Itโs worth mentioning that in the duo of Richard Handley and Erick Rowsell you have two of the countryโs most experienced campaigners, and all-rounders. George Pym continues to impress, and 2019 could be his breakthrough year.
And what can be said of Connor Swift? Desperately unfortunate to not go Pro Continental or World Tour for 2019, I can only hope Hammond nurtures this amazing talent and Madison Genesis continue a rich vein of placing riders into the professional categories. Swift will be a defining factor in Madison Genesis’ performances this year, and proudly wearing the British champion’s jersey should propel the team to many a victory. He is already being seen as their totem and as Madison Genesisโ 13th signing, will it be lucky 13 for Connor?
2019 squad
Departures
Featured photo: Luke Webber / Madison
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