Lucy Glover interview: sprinting through the junior years
Lucy Glover, a rising British junior, achieved remarkable success at the Dudley Grand Prix, becoming the youngest ever rider to win a round of the National Circuit Series. This season she aims to excel internationally while juggling road and track racing.
As breakthrough wins for British riders go, few can better Lucy Glover’s win in last year’s Dudley Grand Prix, when, as a first year junior, she went toe to toe with some the best criterium riders in the country, unleashing a ferocious sprint to become the youngest ever rider to win a round of the National Circuit Series. The Shibden Apex RT rider spoke with The British Continental at the recent National Track Championships, reflecting on that win, life as a sprinter, and becoming part of the British Cycling Olympic Development Squad.
I didn’t think I was going to go in and win. It was my first year racing with the women, so it was a bit scary
“I wasn’t expecting it. If you saw my celebration you could probably tell I didn’t know what to do – I kind of panicked!” Glover laughs, recalling her win in Dudley. “It was a great race. Very technical. I didn’t think I was going to go in and win. It was my first year racing with the women, so it was a bit scary.”
2023 Dudley Grand Prix, Women’s National Circuit Series – Lucy Glover of Shibden Hope Tech Apex wins. Image: SWpix.com
The Dudley victory was the highlight of a purple patch that Glover orchestrated over the duration of 2023, delivering on the promise she had shown from some of her first races on open roads in a senior field. Third in the Witham Hall Grand Prix in April led to an eye-catching fifth in the Otley Grand Prix and second in the JTW U23 GP. Barely out of the top ten all season, a silver medal from the Junior Road Race Championships on a difficult course demonstrated she is more than just a fast finisher, helping her land her a place on the British Cycling Olympic Development Squad for 2024.
Hopefully, I’ll be going to bigger races abroad, gaining more experience and get some good results. It’s very different racing in a bunch in Europe
“I’m now a junior rider for Great Britain,” she explains. “They give me support, take me to races, I get funding, kit, they help throughout the year. Road and track are combined through the academy.” Glover says that one of the main advantages of being in the ODS is the expanded calendar and valuable experience of racing abroad it can bring. “I did a few races abroad last year, but not that much. I wasn’t on GB last year, and they can take you to a lot more races, so this year, I should have a lot more opportunities. Hopefully, I’ll be going to bigger races abroad, gaining more experience and get some good results. It’s very different racing in a bunch in Europe – there’s a lot more riders and a lot more attacking. But I want to push myself and get to the top, hopefully!”
Glover is now riding full time after finishing college a few months ago in pursuit of cycling. “I’m just training, putting in as many hours on the bike as I can. I’ve just been in Calpe on a training camp, so I was putting in like 30 hours a week. Obviously, that’s a bit different, but I normally do about 20 hours a week. I’ve only just gone full time, but it does make a difference when you’re not trying to fit proper training around college, that was quite hard.”
Picture by Olly Hassell/SWpix.com – 23/02/2024 – 2024 British National Track Championships – National Cycling Centre, Manchester, England – Women’s Scratch – Lucy Glover of Shibden Apex RT
Glover is speaking from the National Track Championships, where she is riding the individual pursuit, scratch, and points races. “I love it, I love track so much!” she gleams, after finishing ninth in the scratch race. As a junior national champion in both the scratch and, unusually for a road rider, the keirin, Glover explains that combining both disciplines brings advantages. “It’s good to mix them both, road helps track and track helps road – the power from the track is going to help you in the sprint and also time trialling.”
As a sprinter you just need to take every opportunity you get, if you see a place you’ve got to go for it
Glover’s keirin title demonstrates her power, which she puts to good use on the road with a devastating sprint. “I love road, particularly sprinting, which is my specialty,” she explains. “As a sprinter you just need to take every opportunity you get, if you see a place you’ve got to go for it.”
Looking ahead to this season, Glover has picked out races where a bunch sprint that she could target is likely – the headline amongst them Gent-Wevelgem, the Flemish classic taking in famous Kemmelberg and often ending with a large number of riders in contention. “There’s also [Omloop] Borsele, there should be a couple of sprints there,” she explains, having ridden the Dutch race last year.
Lucy Glover of Shibden Hope Tech Apex on the front at the 2023 Dudley GP. Image: Oliver Brookwell/SWpix.com
Glover will spend another season with the successful Shibden Apex RT team, who, racing in their first year in 2023, played host to some of the biggest talents in the sport – their first year juniors including Glover, Movistar bound Cat Ferguson, Imogen Wolff and Esther Wong. However, in the dog eat dog world of junior racing, Glover says the team focus is very much on the collective and not individual. “There is teamwork. On Shibden Apex we don’t work for a particular rider, but we do help each other out.”
The main aim is probably just to get more experience, improve tactically, race with better riders and hopefully get some good results.
Heading into her second year as a junior, Glover will hope to continue the form that she showed in 2023, admitting there is a little more pressure with a ride for the following season on the line. Despite that, the year is very much about improvement and experience for the Fourstones rider, starting with the National Track Championships. “I’m just a junior, so I’m not here to win,” she admits. “The main aim is probably just to get more experience, improve tactically, race with better riders and hopefully get some good results.”
On track, Glover’s major aim for the year is the Junior World Championships, taking place in August in China. Longer term, her aim is focused on signing a contract with a team for next year. “I’m hoping to get a contract with a team, maybe head out to Europe to train and race. And maybe one day, become a pro.”
As breakthrough wins for British riders go, few can better Lucy Glover’s win in last year’s Dudley Grand Prix, when, as a first year junior, she went toe to toe with some the best criterium riders in the country, unleashing a ferocious sprint to become the youngest ever rider to win a round of the National Circuit Series. The Shibden Apex RT rider spoke with The British Continental at the recent National Track Championships, reflecting on that win, life as a sprinter, and becoming part of the British Cycling Olympic Development Squad.
“I wasn’t expecting it. If you saw my celebration you could probably tell I didn’t know what to do – I kind of panicked!” Glover laughs, recalling her win in Dudley. “It was a great race. Very technical. I didn’t think I was going to go in and win. It was my first year racing with the women, so it was a bit scary.”
The Dudley victory was the highlight of a purple patch that Glover orchestrated over the duration of 2023, delivering on the promise she had shown from some of her first races on open roads in a senior field. Third in the Witham Hall Grand Prix in April led to an eye-catching fifth in the Otley Grand Prix and second in the JTW U23 GP. Barely out of the top ten all season, a silver medal from the Junior Road Race Championships on a difficult course demonstrated she is more than just a fast finisher, helping her land her a place on the British Cycling Olympic Development Squad for 2024.
“I’m now a junior rider for Great Britain,” she explains. “They give me support, take me to races, I get funding, kit, they help throughout the year. Road and track are combined through the academy.” Glover says that one of the main advantages of being in the ODS is the expanded calendar and valuable experience of racing abroad it can bring. “I did a few races abroad last year, but not that much. I wasn’t on GB last year, and they can take you to a lot more races, so this year, I should have a lot more opportunities. Hopefully, I’ll be going to bigger races abroad, gaining more experience and get some good results. It’s very different racing in a bunch in Europe – there’s a lot more riders and a lot more attacking. But I want to push myself and get to the top, hopefully!”
Glover is now riding full time after finishing college a few months ago in pursuit of cycling. “I’m just training, putting in as many hours on the bike as I can. I’ve just been in Calpe on a training camp, so I was putting in like 30 hours a week. Obviously, that’s a bit different, but I normally do about 20 hours a week. I’ve only just gone full time, but it does make a difference when you’re not trying to fit proper training around college, that was quite hard.”
Glover is speaking from the National Track Championships, where she is riding the individual pursuit, scratch, and points races. “I love it, I love track so much!” she gleams, after finishing ninth in the scratch race. As a junior national champion in both the scratch and, unusually for a road rider, the keirin, Glover explains that combining both disciplines brings advantages. “It’s good to mix them both, road helps track and track helps road – the power from the track is going to help you in the sprint and also time trialling.”
Glover’s keirin title demonstrates her power, which she puts to good use on the road with a devastating sprint. “I love road, particularly sprinting, which is my specialty,” she explains. “As a sprinter you just need to take every opportunity you get, if you see a place you’ve got to go for it.”
Looking ahead to this season, Glover has picked out races where a bunch sprint that she could target is likely – the headline amongst them Gent-Wevelgem, the Flemish classic taking in famous Kemmelberg and often ending with a large number of riders in contention. “There’s also [Omloop] Borsele, there should be a couple of sprints there,” she explains, having ridden the Dutch race last year.
Glover will spend another season with the successful Shibden Apex RT team, who, racing in their first year in 2023, played host to some of the biggest talents in the sport – their first year juniors including Glover, Movistar bound Cat Ferguson, Imogen Wolff and Esther Wong. However, in the dog eat dog world of junior racing, Glover says the team focus is very much on the collective and not individual. “There is teamwork. On Shibden Apex we don’t work for a particular rider, but we do help each other out.”
Heading into her second year as a junior, Glover will hope to continue the form that she showed in 2023, admitting there is a little more pressure with a ride for the following season on the line. Despite that, the year is very much about improvement and experience for the Fourstones rider, starting with the National Track Championships. “I’m just a junior, so I’m not here to win,” she admits. “The main aim is probably just to get more experience, improve tactically, race with better riders and hopefully get some good results.”
On track, Glover’s major aim for the year is the Junior World Championships, taking place in August in China. Longer term, her aim is focused on signing a contract with a team for next year. “I’m hoping to get a contract with a team, maybe head out to Europe to train and race. And maybe one day, become a pro.”
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