A few months ago, Spirit TBW Stuart Hall Cycling was on top of the world. George Kimber’s audacious National Road Series triumph made history—no male rider from an Elite Development Team had ever claimed the title before. It was a moment that should have been a springboard for the team, a confirmation of its place in the domestic racing hierarchy. Instead, as the winter chill set in, so too did the uncertainty.
Long-time backer and team owner Russell Rowles made the decision to step away, and with some existing sponsors unable to continue their support, the team was left in a precarious position. For team bosses Josh Parkin and Jason Nind, the dream they had nurtured for so long was on the brink. “Email after email, call after call,” Parkin says, describing the struggle to keep the lights on. “Not through lack of trying.”
It’s a story that has become all too familiar in British domestic racing. Last year, Rick Lister fought tooth and nail to keep Pro-Noctis on the road, describing the hundreds of emails he sent out to prospective sponsors before finally hitting the jackpot with Smurfit Westrock. This winter, Harry Tanfield has been on a similar odyssey, trying to piece together the funding for a new UCI Continental team. Even well-established squads aren’t immune to the financial pressures that come with running an elite-level racing outfit in the UK. The sponsorship model is fragile, the costs relentless.
George Kimber wins the 2024 Lloyds Bank National Road Series. Image: Olly Hassell/SWpix.com
And Spirit’s survival is all the more significant given the wider context of British domestic racing. The men’s UCI Continental scene was wiped out at the end of 2024, with the UK’s last two remaining Conti teams – Saint Piran and TRINITY Racing – both shutting their doors. Project1, another Elite Development Team, also folded. The net result is a domestic racing ecosystem under siege, on the men’s side at least, with fewer and fewer stepping stones for ambitious riders to climb the ranks. So in many ways, the continuation of the Spirit team, one of the longest-running squads in the UK, makes it a vital lifeline for British talent.
Such was the last-minute nature of the team’s survival that the squad was only finalised on Monday, with the team scrambling to pull together a roster for the season ahead. More riders may yet be added, but for now, the team will carry on in 2025 under a slightly stripped-back name: Spirit Racing Team. Until yesterday, the team’s future was still an open question. The release of British Cycling’s Elite Development Team announcement was the first public confirmation that Spirit would continue for 2025.
The roster has undergone changes – key rider Will Perrett has moved on to DAS Richardsons after the winter uncertainty – but crucially, they have retained their talisman. Kimber, the man who made the team a force to be reckoned with last season, stays. So too do Matthew Houlberg, Ethan Rowell and John Appleby. New names join the ranks, with Luke Gibson, Mathys Venter and Charlie McFadzean stepping into the fray, the former two riders stepping up from the junior ranks.
Picture by Craig Zadoronyj/SWpix.com – 28/07/2024 – British Cycling – 2024 Lloyds Bank National Road Series – Lancaster Grand Prix 2024, Open Race – George Kimber of Spirit TBW Stuart Hall Cycling, Series Leader
“Squad-wise, we’ve opted for some younger, up-and-coming talent,” Parkin explains. “It’s key that we focus on supporting and developing riders through the ranks while continuing to support the likes of George in achieving their aspirations. I know George has more to give.”
Survival is a victory in itself, but sustaining momentum will require more than just a committed management team and talented riders. For now, though, Spirit Racing Team is still here. Still racing. In a domestic scene that continues to contract, their survival is a reminder that teams can still find a way. The challenges remain – securing long-term sponsorship, maintaining a competitive squad, and providing a viable pathway for ambitious riders – but for 2025, at least, Spirit has weathered the storm.
A few months ago, Spirit TBW Stuart Hall Cycling was on top of the world. George Kimber’s audacious National Road Series triumph made history—no male rider from an Elite Development Team had ever claimed the title before. It was a moment that should have been a springboard for the team, a confirmation of its place in the domestic racing hierarchy. Instead, as the winter chill set in, so too did the uncertainty.
Long-time backer and team owner Russell Rowles made the decision to step away, and with some existing sponsors unable to continue their support, the team was left in a precarious position. For team bosses Josh Parkin and Jason Nind, the dream they had nurtured for so long was on the brink. “Email after email, call after call,” Parkin says, describing the struggle to keep the lights on. “Not through lack of trying.”
It’s a story that has become all too familiar in British domestic racing. Last year, Rick Lister fought tooth and nail to keep Pro-Noctis on the road, describing the hundreds of emails he sent out to prospective sponsors before finally hitting the jackpot with Smurfit Westrock. This winter, Harry Tanfield has been on a similar odyssey, trying to piece together the funding for a new UCI Continental team. Even well-established squads aren’t immune to the financial pressures that come with running an elite-level racing outfit in the UK. The sponsorship model is fragile, the costs relentless.
And Spirit’s survival is all the more significant given the wider context of British domestic racing. The men’s UCI Continental scene was wiped out at the end of 2024, with the UK’s last two remaining Conti teams – Saint Piran and TRINITY Racing – both shutting their doors. Project1, another Elite Development Team, also folded. The net result is a domestic racing ecosystem under siege, on the men’s side at least, with fewer and fewer stepping stones for ambitious riders to climb the ranks. So in many ways, the continuation of the Spirit team, one of the longest-running squads in the UK, makes it a vital lifeline for British talent.
Such was the last-minute nature of the team’s survival that the squad was only finalised on Monday, with the team scrambling to pull together a roster for the season ahead. More riders may yet be added, but for now, the team will carry on in 2025 under a slightly stripped-back name: Spirit Racing Team. Until yesterday, the team’s future was still an open question. The release of British Cycling’s Elite Development Team announcement was the first public confirmation that Spirit would continue for 2025.
The roster has undergone changes – key rider Will Perrett has moved on to DAS Richardsons after the winter uncertainty – but crucially, they have retained their talisman. Kimber, the man who made the team a force to be reckoned with last season, stays. So too do Matthew Houlberg, Ethan Rowell and John Appleby. New names join the ranks, with Luke Gibson, Mathys Venter and Charlie McFadzean stepping into the fray, the former two riders stepping up from the junior ranks.
“Squad-wise, we’ve opted for some younger, up-and-coming talent,” Parkin explains. “It’s key that we focus on supporting and developing riders through the ranks while continuing to support the likes of George in achieving their aspirations. I know George has more to give.”
Survival is a victory in itself, but sustaining momentum will require more than just a committed management team and talented riders. For now, though, Spirit Racing Team is still here. Still racing. In a domestic scene that continues to contract, their survival is a reminder that teams can still find a way. The challenges remain – securing long-term sponsorship, maintaining a competitive squad, and providing a viable pathway for ambitious riders – but for 2025, at least, Spirit has weathered the storm.
Read our domestic team guide here.
Featured image: SWpix.com
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