For one of Britain’s most prodigious talents, Noah Hobbs has his feet firmly on the ground. The 19-year-old from Devon has spent this season cutting his teeth in the under-23 ranks with the Groupama-FDJ Continental team, the development team of the homonymous WorldTour outfit. The sprinter has the potential to join the WorldTour ranks with the French squad, following in the footsteps of fellow Brits Sam Watson, Lewis Askey and Jake Stewart, although he is taking it very much one year at a time.
I like to think I can get over some climbs that some of the other pure sprinters might struggle on, but I’m still a sprinter
“I always want to see a bit of steady improvement,” he states, outlining his plans for the immediate. “I’m still chasing the win, so that would be nice. I just want to ride as many races as I can get in for the second half of the season to help me learn and develop for next year.”
Hobbs has been impressive in his first season as an under-23, claiming 4th in the under-23 version of Gent-Wevelgem and 5th on a stage of the ‘Baby Giro’, sprinting against Soudal-Quick Step bound Luke Lamperti.
Image: Groupama-FDJ
“I’m still in my first year, so there’s still a lot of development needed, but that’s a race I definitely want to get results in,” Hobbs says about Gent-Wevelgem, where he finished a minute ahead of the main peloton.
“I’m a sprinter. I wouldn’t say I’m an out-and-out pure sprinter, but in terms of the riders out there, I’m a sprinter. I like to think I can get over some climbs that some of the other pure sprinters might struggle on, but I’m still a sprinter.
“The sprint in the Baby Giro was a bit of a strange one. The fight started really early because there were so many roundabouts and corners. I think once another opportunity arises, with the strong team I’ve got around me, once we get it sorted, it’s going to be hard to stop us.”
The following stage of the Giro Next Gen (Baby Giro) was one of the most notorious in the sport’s history, Hobbs caught up in the centre of it. Climbing the mighty Stelvio Pass for a stage finish at the summit, 31 riders were disqualified for holding onto cars up the climb, Hobbs among them.
It was a poor decision from me, I just followed what others were doing around me
“It was a poor decision from me, I just followed what others were doing around me. It’s a lesson learned. I’m still in my first year, it’s all about development and learning,” he says, breaking his silence on the controversy.
Outside of under-23 races, Hobbs has a varied race calendar, taking on some of France’s toughest races such as the Tour de Bretagne and Europe’s more prestigious – Hobbs one of only 50 finishers in the Antwerp Port Epic, a race previously won by Mathieu van der Poel. Experiences incomparable with the UK junior races he was dominating last year.
In a system where riders are turning professional increasingly early, sometimes skipping the junior ranks altogether, Hobbs insists he isn’t under any pressure to make the leap into the World Tour and achieve his dream, but that his hard work should hopefully pay dividends in the future. “If I just keep doing what I’m doing, that’s the best chance I’m going to get,” he said, completely aware a contract is never a foregone conclusion.
Image: Groupama-FDJ
Hobbs began his cycling career mountain biking with his local club near Barnstaple. He found a talent for the road and picked up track cycling when he moved into the GB academy system. As we speak he is at the GB Academy house in Manchester, close to the boards of the National Cycling Centre where Hobbs has proved a handy member of the Great Britain track squad, riding the team pursuit earlier this year at the World Cup in Cairo. An Olympic berth, if not next year in Paris, in Los Angeles 2028 is a possibility.
This year Hobbs has also been riding with the GB Senior Academy on the road, the system that produced WorldTour stalwarts such as Ethan Hayter and Fred Wright, racing the Nations Cup in the British jersey. The series contains some of the most important U23 races, including the Tour de L’Avenir, the under-23 version of the Tour de France, the most prestigious stage race for the age category.
I found the Nations Cups a weird style of racing with riders from different teams racing for each other in their nations
“I found the Nations Cups a weird style of racing with riders from different teams racing for each other in their nations. It’s a high level, it can be very controlled, particularly at the end of a stage race where leaders have arisen,” says Hobbs of his experience so far this year, completing the Orlen Nations Grand Prix back in May.
British Cycling is planning cuts to the Senior Academy programme, putting the team’s future participation in the Nations Cup in doubt. Does he see this as a disadvantage compared with foreign riders? “Not massively I think. Obviously, I’m still with Groupama-FDJ where I do the majority of my road racing, with GB more for the track. They might cut the Nations Cup, but I’ll still get plenty of racing. It’s a shame, but it is what it is. At Groupama-FDJ we do some solid racing at a high level, I think that’s plenty,” he explains.
Image: Groupama-FDJ
Hobbs earned his spot in the Groupama-FDJ family with a sparkling 2022, his final year as a junior. Joining Tekkerz CC, Hobbs played a starring role in Alec Briggs’ squad, known not only for their colourful clothing but their alternative attitude to the sport and philosophy of helping riders gain the opportunities to excel. It was a perfect fit for Hobbs, who had become good friends with Briggs and other riders on the squad prior to joining, taking on some of the biggest races in the UK together.
I’m good friends with Alec Briggs and some of the riders on Tekkerz, so it seemed the best choice for me. I got all the support I needed and there’s just a good atmosphere around it
“It was a bit tricky to choose what junior team to be on because of the Covid-19 lockdown. For the first year, a group of my friends and some Dads created the Backstedt Bike Performance JRT team. For the second year, I wanted a bit of a change. I’m good friends with Alec Briggs and some of the riders on Tekkerz, so it seemed the best choice for me. I got all the support I needed and there’s just a good atmosphere around it.”
Hobbs impressed in the Tour Series where the small London-based squad outgunned the sport’s heavyweights such as Trinity Racing and Saint Piran at the opening two rounds; Hobbs leading the line with a 4th and 6th place in Galashiels and Guisborough respectively, taking the fastest lap at the former.
It was that criterium form that Hobbs found again recently at the National Circuit Race Championships, sprinting to 5th place following Ollie Wood’s magical solo victory. It was a rare chance to race on UK soil for Hobbs, the messy seafront sprint a welcome home.
“The crit circuit was the best suited to me, it was a bit punchy, so that’s where I got my best result,” he explains, after riding only his second time trial of the year and not finishing a difficult road race. “It was a bit too up and down. I wasn’t feeling the greatest at the start and that’s when you needed to feel good as the groups started to emerge.”
Junior Tour of Wales 2022. Image: David Partridge
On the junior road race circuit last year Hobbs was quickly proving himself as one of the foremost riders in the country, taking a stage win at the Tour of the Mendips, two stages and the GC at the Isle of Man Junior Tour and two stages plus the overall at the Junior Tour of Wales, the biggest race on the UK calendar.
“It was the biggest race of the year, so in my mind, it was a target, but I just sort of went in with an empty mind, as I do for most races, just taking each day how it is, going with the flow.”
It makes me proud to see my name there, it’s not something to hinder you, it’s something to make you feel better and do better
The approach served Hobbs well, the Barnstaple native adding his name to an incredible list of winners including Tom Pidcock, Dan Martin and Hugh Carthy. When asked if the win puts him under pressure to follow in their footsteps, Hobbs replied, “Not really pressure. It makes me proud to see my name there, it’s not something to hinder you, it’s something to make you feel better and do better.”
As a first-year under-23 racing on the continent, Hobbs has been handed the traditional baptisms of fire young riders can expect both on and off the bike.
“I’ve found the difference between the junior and U23 ranks quite different, even from the start, like training more hours in the winter. I went on training camps for the first time and obviously the races are different, they’re a lot longer to start with. My first race, I rode it like a junior pretty much and it was a lot longer than I thought it would be!”
With Ben Wiggins at the Junior Tour of Wales 2022. Image: David Partridge
Hobbs has made the move to France to link up with an increasingly international Groupama-FDJ Conti team, splitting his time there with Manchester when his track commitments require.
“You can really feel the French aura in the team, but it’s getting more international, half the team is English-speaking now, even all the French staff can speak a little bit of English. It helps us international riders too, we can learn French, which is still one of the biggest languages in cycling,” said Hobbs, whose French is improving. “It’s going alright,” he states with an air of disappointment at not excelling. “I’m starting to pick up things. My understanding is getting better, but speaking is taking its time to come.”
Groupama-FDJ seemed a natural choice for Hobbs, who is similar in profile to riders who have been in his position and graduated to the WorldTour Squad.
I spoke to Sam Watson, who came through the team, and that just made it an easy pick too
“Once we (Hobbs and his agency, 258 Protégé) got in contact with them, in my mind, that was the best place for me to go in terms of development and everything else really. I spoke to Sam Watson, who came through the team, and that just made it an easy pick too.”
“The goal is a WorldTour contract,” states Hobbs in his closing remarks, a reminder that under the level head is a driven young rider and winner too. His current contract expires at the end of 2024 and there’s every possibility given the start he’s had that Noah Hobbs could join Britain’s growing list of World Tour talent on 1st January 2025.
For one of Britain’s most prodigious talents, Noah Hobbs has his feet firmly on the ground. The 19-year-old from Devon has spent this season cutting his teeth in the under-23 ranks with the Groupama-FDJ Continental team, the development team of the homonymous WorldTour outfit. The sprinter has the potential to join the WorldTour ranks with the French squad, following in the footsteps of fellow Brits Sam Watson, Lewis Askey and Jake Stewart, although he is taking it very much one year at a time.
“I always want to see a bit of steady improvement,” he states, outlining his plans for the immediate. “I’m still chasing the win, so that would be nice. I just want to ride as many races as I can get in for the second half of the season to help me learn and develop for next year.”
Hobbs has been impressive in his first season as an under-23, claiming 4th in the under-23 version of Gent-Wevelgem and 5th on a stage of the ‘Baby Giro’, sprinting against Soudal-Quick Step bound Luke Lamperti.
“I’m still in my first year, so there’s still a lot of development needed, but that’s a race I definitely want to get results in,” Hobbs says about Gent-Wevelgem, where he finished a minute ahead of the main peloton.
“I’m a sprinter. I wouldn’t say I’m an out-and-out pure sprinter, but in terms of the riders out there, I’m a sprinter. I like to think I can get over some climbs that some of the other pure sprinters might struggle on, but I’m still a sprinter.
“The sprint in the Baby Giro was a bit of a strange one. The fight started really early because there were so many roundabouts and corners. I think once another opportunity arises, with the strong team I’ve got around me, once we get it sorted, it’s going to be hard to stop us.”
The following stage of the Giro Next Gen (Baby Giro) was one of the most notorious in the sport’s history, Hobbs caught up in the centre of it. Climbing the mighty Stelvio Pass for a stage finish at the summit, 31 riders were disqualified for holding onto cars up the climb, Hobbs among them.
“It was a poor decision from me, I just followed what others were doing around me. It’s a lesson learned. I’m still in my first year, it’s all about development and learning,” he says, breaking his silence on the controversy.
Outside of under-23 races, Hobbs has a varied race calendar, taking on some of France’s toughest races such as the Tour de Bretagne and Europe’s more prestigious – Hobbs one of only 50 finishers in the Antwerp Port Epic, a race previously won by Mathieu van der Poel. Experiences incomparable with the UK junior races he was dominating last year.
In a system where riders are turning professional increasingly early, sometimes skipping the junior ranks altogether, Hobbs insists he isn’t under any pressure to make the leap into the World Tour and achieve his dream, but that his hard work should hopefully pay dividends in the future. “If I just keep doing what I’m doing, that’s the best chance I’m going to get,” he said, completely aware a contract is never a foregone conclusion.
Hobbs began his cycling career mountain biking with his local club near Barnstaple. He found a talent for the road and picked up track cycling when he moved into the GB academy system. As we speak he is at the GB Academy house in Manchester, close to the boards of the National Cycling Centre where Hobbs has proved a handy member of the Great Britain track squad, riding the team pursuit earlier this year at the World Cup in Cairo. An Olympic berth, if not next year in Paris, in Los Angeles 2028 is a possibility.
This year Hobbs has also been riding with the GB Senior Academy on the road, the system that produced WorldTour stalwarts such as Ethan Hayter and Fred Wright, racing the Nations Cup in the British jersey. The series contains some of the most important U23 races, including the Tour de L’Avenir, the under-23 version of the Tour de France, the most prestigious stage race for the age category.
“I found the Nations Cups a weird style of racing with riders from different teams racing for each other in their nations. It’s a high level, it can be very controlled, particularly at the end of a stage race where leaders have arisen,” says Hobbs of his experience so far this year, completing the Orlen Nations Grand Prix back in May.
British Cycling is planning cuts to the Senior Academy programme, putting the team’s future participation in the Nations Cup in doubt. Does he see this as a disadvantage compared with foreign riders? “Not massively I think. Obviously, I’m still with Groupama-FDJ where I do the majority of my road racing, with GB more for the track. They might cut the Nations Cup, but I’ll still get plenty of racing. It’s a shame, but it is what it is. At Groupama-FDJ we do some solid racing at a high level, I think that’s plenty,” he explains.
Hobbs earned his spot in the Groupama-FDJ family with a sparkling 2022, his final year as a junior. Joining Tekkerz CC, Hobbs played a starring role in Alec Briggs’ squad, known not only for their colourful clothing but their alternative attitude to the sport and philosophy of helping riders gain the opportunities to excel. It was a perfect fit for Hobbs, who had become good friends with Briggs and other riders on the squad prior to joining, taking on some of the biggest races in the UK together.
“It was a bit tricky to choose what junior team to be on because of the Covid-19 lockdown. For the first year, a group of my friends and some Dads created the Backstedt Bike Performance JRT team. For the second year, I wanted a bit of a change. I’m good friends with Alec Briggs and some of the riders on Tekkerz, so it seemed the best choice for me. I got all the support I needed and there’s just a good atmosphere around it.”
Hobbs impressed in the Tour Series where the small London-based squad outgunned the sport’s heavyweights such as Trinity Racing and Saint Piran at the opening two rounds; Hobbs leading the line with a 4th and 6th place in Galashiels and Guisborough respectively, taking the fastest lap at the former.
It was that criterium form that Hobbs found again recently at the National Circuit Race Championships, sprinting to 5th place following Ollie Wood’s magical solo victory. It was a rare chance to race on UK soil for Hobbs, the messy seafront sprint a welcome home.
“The crit circuit was the best suited to me, it was a bit punchy, so that’s where I got my best result,” he explains, after riding only his second time trial of the year and not finishing a difficult road race. “It was a bit too up and down. I wasn’t feeling the greatest at the start and that’s when you needed to feel good as the groups started to emerge.”
On the junior road race circuit last year Hobbs was quickly proving himself as one of the foremost riders in the country, taking a stage win at the Tour of the Mendips, two stages and the GC at the Isle of Man Junior Tour and two stages plus the overall at the Junior Tour of Wales, the biggest race on the UK calendar.
“It was the biggest race of the year, so in my mind, it was a target, but I just sort of went in with an empty mind, as I do for most races, just taking each day how it is, going with the flow.”
The approach served Hobbs well, the Barnstaple native adding his name to an incredible list of winners including Tom Pidcock, Dan Martin and Hugh Carthy. When asked if the win puts him under pressure to follow in their footsteps, Hobbs replied, “Not really pressure. It makes me proud to see my name there, it’s not something to hinder you, it’s something to make you feel better and do better.”
As a first-year under-23 racing on the continent, Hobbs has been handed the traditional baptisms of fire young riders can expect both on and off the bike.
“I’ve found the difference between the junior and U23 ranks quite different, even from the start, like training more hours in the winter. I went on training camps for the first time and obviously the races are different, they’re a lot longer to start with. My first race, I rode it like a junior pretty much and it was a lot longer than I thought it would be!”
Hobbs has made the move to France to link up with an increasingly international Groupama-FDJ Conti team, splitting his time there with Manchester when his track commitments require.
“You can really feel the French aura in the team, but it’s getting more international, half the team is English-speaking now, even all the French staff can speak a little bit of English. It helps us international riders too, we can learn French, which is still one of the biggest languages in cycling,” said Hobbs, whose French is improving. “It’s going alright,” he states with an air of disappointment at not excelling. “I’m starting to pick up things. My understanding is getting better, but speaking is taking its time to come.”
Groupama-FDJ seemed a natural choice for Hobbs, who is similar in profile to riders who have been in his position and graduated to the WorldTour Squad.
“Once we (Hobbs and his agency, 258 Protégé) got in contact with them, in my mind, that was the best place for me to go in terms of development and everything else really. I spoke to Sam Watson, who came through the team, and that just made it an easy pick too.”
“The goal is a WorldTour contract,” states Hobbs in his closing remarks, a reminder that under the level head is a driven young rider and winner too. His current contract expires at the end of 2024 and there’s every possibility given the start he’s had that Noah Hobbs could join Britain’s growing list of World Tour talent on 1st January 2025.
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