The UK’s domestic cycling scene is no stranger to upheaval. Over recent months, the closure of its last remaining UCI Continental teams, Saint Piran and Trinity Racing, has left a void in the competitive landscape and raised questions about the future of the sport at home. Enter Raptor Factory Racing. With ambitions to compete at the highest domestic levels and transition to UCI Continental status within three years, this new team is stepping in to offer a dose of hope and opportunity.
The situation we find ourselves in now is that the calibre of riders we’re hoping to sign is far better than it was when we first looked at creating the team
Helmed by former London Dynamo Race Team manager David Streule, the team plans to debut in 2025 with a focus on National A and National B races, while laying the groundwork for future international competition. Applications for elite, first- and second-category riders close this Sunday, with the roster set to be finalised shortly thereafter. “The closing date for applications is this Sunday. We hope to interview riders next week and towards the end of the week, we hope to be able to announce a rider roster,” Streule explains.
Raptor Factory Racing will be anchored around the Putney Clubhouse on River Thames, the headquarters of the startup Raptor Bikes brand. “Where most cycling clubs or teams meet in a park or on a street corner, to actually have a physical base like that is a resource that will be invaluable,” Streule adds.
The team’s emergence coincides with a period of upheaval in British cycling, marked by the closures of stalwarts Saint Piran and Trinity Racing—the UK’s last remaining UCI Continental teams. Against this backdrop, Streule’s initiative feels both timely and necessary. “The idea for the team started well before the demise of Saint Piran,” he notes, “but the situation we find ourselves in now is that the calibre of riders we’re hoping to sign is far better than it was when we first looked at creating the team. It’s bittersweet. It’s fortuitous for us as a team, but it’s not really a good situation for the domestic cycling scene to be in.”
The team’s race programme will primarily focus on National A and National B events, but Streule hinted at the possibility of some international racing. “We need to identify the races that we would like to take part in, and we need to get the organiser to agree to us taking part,” he says. “Hopefully the calibre of the riders that we will have will be able to do that.”
Rowan Baker… is obviously one rider I am talking to
While he refrains from naming specific riders, Streule acknowledged that the team is in talks with several Saint Piran riders left without teams. “We’re helping to pick up the pieces,” he said. One name that came up during the discussion was Rowan Baker. “My previous relationship with Rowan, having been his team manager when he was at London Dynamo… I still have a pretty good relationship with him,” Streule said. “So he’s obviously one rider I am talking to.”
Although Raptor Factory Racing is not creating a dedicated women’s team, Streule is open to including female riders in the squad under the right circumstances. “We are not looking to create a women’s team, but if the right rider came along, then we’d look to them,” he says. He notes that the current landscape reduces the need for a full women’s team. “A lot of the top female riders are already signed to teams, so there isn’t really the need for us to create a full women’s team right now,” he explains.
It’s a new brand, it’s a credible bike, and we’ll show that by winning races on it
Central to the team’s plans is its collaboration with Raptor Bikes, which will supply team bikes and provide workshop support. “The guys at Raptor want to support the domestic racing scene because that’s where they see their roots,” Streule nots. This commitment goes hand-in-hand with their ambitions. “It’s a lot about credibility. It’s a new brand, it’s a credible bike, and we’ll show that by winning races on it,” he adds. Kit support comes from Rule 28, with additional partnerships anticipated as the roster solidifies. “The ambition of Raptor Bikes aligns perfectly with ours,” he added. “They’re already talking about creating a Continental team within three years, which is exactly the kind of vision we need.”
While the Putney Clubhouse provides a natural hub for London-based riders, the team’s reach extends nationwide. “There will definitely be a local element to the rider roster,” Streule says. “But it won’t be purely London-based riders. Given the situation, we’re happy to look at riders who are living further afield.”
They’re already talking about creating a Continental team within three years, which is exactly the kind of vision we need
For Streule, the mission goes beyond assembling a competitive team. “We’re trying to create a platform for riders,” he emphasises, “something that will hopefully allow them to develop and progress.” As the domestic cycling landscape undergoes profound changes, Raptor Factory Racing’s quiet yet determined entry signals hope for a brighter future. With applications closing this Sunday, the team’s next chapter promises to be one to watch.
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