Ribble Pro Cycling is one of two British teams stepping up to the Continental ranks from Elite level. The team has made five new signings, including the returning Jacob Tipper (winner of stages in the Tour of Qinghai Lake and Tour du Maroc in 2018) and former An Post Chain Reaction rider and GB track rider Mark Stewart. It will be fascinating to see if the team can challenge the existing Continental teams this season for spots at the Tour de Yorkshire and the Tour of Britain.
Slow and steady progression: I wish more teams would take a leaf out of Ribble Pro Cycling’s book
British Conti Insider
Key facts and figures
| Team Principal | Tom Timothy |
| Established | 2013 (Continental since 2019) |
| Previous team names | Brother NRG (2017) Planet X – Northside (2016) Achieve Northside Skinnergate (2015) Achieve Skinnergate (2014) Achieve Cycle Coaching (2013) |
| Squad size | 16 – second largest British Conti squad |
| UCI World Ranking points (at 28.01.2019) | 86 – 5th out of 6 British Conti teams |
| No. of new signings | 5 |
| No. of retained riders | 11 |
| No. of departing riders | 6 |
| Average rider age (at 15.01.2019) | 26.4 – oldest British Conti squad |
| UCI race wins 2018 | GP de la Pharmacie Centrale de Tunisie, 1.2 (Lewis) |
| National A race wins 2018 | None |
| First 2019 race | 10.03 GP de la Ville de Lillers (FRA) |
Team kit
Not yet revealed, but here is the team car…
Ribble Pro Cycling remains very much a collection of friends, and this is undoubtedly one of their strengths
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 Ribble Pro Cycling squad.
Slow and steady progression: I wish more teams would take a leaf out of Jack Rees’ and Ribble Pro Cycling’s book. From humble beginnings through to sponsorship by Planet X and Brother NRG, and
Ribble Pro Cycling remains very much a collection of friends, and this is undoubtedly one of their strengths. A successful team doesn’t always have to rely on goodwill and amity, but it helps. I see the core of the group as being crucial to the team’s success: Bigham, Archibald, Tipper, Stewart, Lewis. Scott Auld offers an option as a talented climber, but it is with the HUUB boys* that most success will come.
*HUUB Wattbike Test Team is the UCI registered track team that Bigham, Archibald, Tipper compete at World Cups for. The team is completed with Harry & Charlie Tanfield, Ashton Lambie, and Johnny Wale. Precisely why the UCI allow riders to race for two teams is a matter of some conjecture. However, it does allow for riders that are ignored by the National team to compete at World Cups etc, which in Archibald’s case has ensured he qualifies for Worlds participation. (See the recent furore with the New Zealand squad rider being ineligible due to missing World Cups due to injury).
There has been some criticism of Conti teams competing in National Bs and local events, but I personally see no issue with this as it should (and does) raise the standard of racing
I like what I’ve seen of Jake Gray and Ed Hopper (Hopper already proving his worth in the KISS Zwift Series recently) and riders like Alex Luhrs, Zeb Kyffin are more than capable of winning National Bs and making moves in National Road Series races. Unlike some of the Conti teams, Ribble
The team has always had a fairly mixed programme, racing overseas where and when possible, but mostly concentrating on the domestic scene. In Jacob Tipper and Gruffudd Lewis, the team have two of the very few British riders to have tasted success at UCI level in 2018. The options open to the team are excellent, with wins possible at TTs, track, road and as already proven, e-sports. If I have one concern it is the ability to ride and race as a unit, as this has been lacking over a couple of seasons. But with Matt Cronshaw at the helm of the Mini Countryman team car,
I don’t expect fireworks from all riders this season, but John Archibald has a very real chance of bringing home a rainbow jersey from the World Championships later this month, and look out for Mark Stewart who I rate very highly. The future is bright for Ribble Pro Cycling – almost as bright as the new team bikes.
2019 squad
| Rider | Country | Previous team |
| John Archibald | GBR | Ribble Pro Cycling |
| Scott Auld | GBR | V.C.Toucy |
| Daniel Bigham | GBR | Ribble Pro Cycling |
| William Brown | GBR | Ribble Pro Cycling |
| Alex Dalton | GBR | Catford CC Equipe |
| Jake Gray | IRL | V.C.Toucy |
| Ed Hopper | GBR | Ribble Pro Cycling |
| Richard Jones | GBR | Ribble Pro Cycling |
| Zeb Kyffin | GBR | Ribble Pro Cycling |
| Gruff Lewis | GBR | Ribble Pro Cycling |
| Alex Luhrs | GBR | Ribble Pro Cycling |
| Jack Rees | GBR | Ribble Pro Cycling |
| Chris Sherriffs | GBR | Ribble Pro Cycling |
| Mark Stewart | GBR | None |
| Jacob Tipper | GBR | Memil – CCN Pro Cycling |
| Simon Wilson | GBR | Ribble Pro Cycling |
Departures
| Rider | Country | 2019 status |
| Lawrence Carpenter | GBR | Team Wiggins Le Col |
| William Corbett | GBR | Not known |
| David Hewett | GBR | Not known |
| Tom Timothy | GBR | Team Principal, Ribble Pro Cycling |
| Ethan Vernon | GBR | GB senior academy |
| Jonathan Wale | GBR | Not known |
Feature photo: Ribble Pro Cycling
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