Graduate scheme: the new student-run team keeping Scottish riders in the race
A new dawn for Scottish cycling: in the wake of The Cycling Academy’s closure, racer-turned-team-founder Elijah Kwon is filling the gap with Edinburgh Bike Fitting RT, a low-cost, student-focused project that aims to keep young talent on the road—and in the lecture hall
Scottish cycling has long produced standout riders, but the domestic racing scene has faced challenges in recent years. The closure of The Cycling Academy at the end of 2024 left a significant gap, particularly for young male Scottish riders looking to develop at the elite level. Enter Elijah Kwon, a promising racer who saw an opportunity to create something new: Edinburgh Bike Fitting RT.
Kwon, who raced as a junior with The Cycling Academy before spending a season riding solo, found himself in a unique position. Speaking with fellow riders, it became clear that many lacked a structured setup for the 2025 season. Rather than let talent go to waste, Kwon took matters into his own hands. With support from Edinburgh Bike Fitting – where he works part-time – he decided to form a team that would allow riders to race together, without the financial burden that often comes with elite cycling setups.
It started as just an idea between friends. I thought, ‘why don’t we just put a kit on and race together?
“It started as just an idea between friends,” Kwon explains. “I thought, ‘why don’t we just put a kit on and race together?’ At first, we wanted something low-cost and low-commitment, but it turns out there’s a bit more to running a team than just having a matching kit!”
Lancaster Grand Prix 2024, Open Race – Finn McHenry of The Cycling Academy. Image: Craig Zadoronyj/SWpix.com
This DIY approach mirrors similar efforts seen across British domestic cycling. Ewan Mackie recently launched The Ad Hoc Collective, a flexible, rider-led collective aimed at providing UK-based racers with access to UCI events. Meanwhile, former WorldTour pro Harry Tanfield has been working to establish a new Continental-level team following the collapse of Saint Piran. On the women’s side, the Phoenix Collective emerged from the closure of Hutchinson-Brother UK, reinforcing the trend of riders taking control of their own destinies in the absence of long-term team stability.
The six-rider team is built around talented young Scottish racers, all of whom are balancing their ambitions on the bike with university studies:
Elijah Kwon (Unattached) – former junior rider with The Cycling Academy, raced solo last season.
Finn McHenry (The Cycling Academy) – fourth at the 2024 Lancaster Grand Prix, promising young climber.
Craig Paterson (Vanelli Project Go) – winner of the Straiton Struggle in 2023 and overall Alba Road Series champion.
Sam Chisolm (The Cycling Academy) – top-10 finisher at the British Cyclo-cross Championships, will split time between road and off-road disciplines.
Sam Carrotte (University of Aberdeen CC) – Scottish Hill Climb champion, second at BUCS Hill Climb Champs.
Angus Toms (University of Edinburgh CC) – strong hill climber, making his full-season road debut.
What sets Edinburgh Bike Fitting RT apart is its student-first philosophy. Recognising the reality of university life, the team is structured to fit around academic schedules. That means a focus on the Alba Road Series and National B races in the early part of the season, before turning attention to international UCI races in the summer months.
We can’t really focus as much on racing abroad in April or May because of exams, but it also means we can really commit to racing through the summer
“We can’t really focus as much on racing abroad in April or May because of exams, but it also means we can really commit to racing through the summer,” explains Kwon.
For young riders who want to continue studying while racing in the UK, teams like Edinburgh Bike Fitting RT are critical. Without them, the only realistic pathway would be to join an English-based team or look abroad, something not all riders are able or willing to do.
Craig Paterson. Image: the Press Room
Unlike many elite setups, Edinburgh Bike Fitting RT doesn’t charge rider fees. Kwon has seen too many peers drop out of the sport due to costs. “I didn’t want this to be another team where you have to pay to race,” he says. “We’re all students, and that’s a barrier for so many people in the sport.”
Instead, sponsorship from Edinburgh Bike Fitting, JDS Gardening, and DM Hall covers basic costs such as race entries, kit, and equipment. Riders receive a skinsuit, jersey, and bib shorts, along with access to Lake shoes and Abus helmets through Edinburgh Bike Fitting. There is also a small funding pot to help cover race costs. “We’ve got a small pot of money from sponsors that we’ll use to cover race entries,” says Kwon. “When it runs out, it runs out.”
While Kwon is debuting for his new outfit at the Royal Navy Cup, the team’s official season debut will be at the Gifford Road Race on March 15th, a Scottish classic and the opening round of the Alba Road Series. Other key domestic races will include National B events and selective entries into the National Road Series, depending on invitations.
It’s about having fun and taking the opportunities that come our way
The team also has UCI racing ambitions, with planned appearances at the Rutland-Melton CiCLE Classic, Tour of Lithuania, and additional European races.
“We’re sending out emails, seeing which organisers will take us,” Kwon says. “It’s about having fun and taking the opportunities that come our way. We know teams want to race CiCLE, so we’ll just have to see how selection goes.”
Sam Carrotte winning Scottish Hill Climb Championships. Image:The Press Room
With the collapse of key Scottish development teams, promising riders now face a stark choice: race on fragmented club teams or look south for opportunities.
“Scotland has some great riders,” Kwon reflects, “but there just aren’t many teams taking them to the biggest races. We want to change that, even in a small way.”
The contrast with women’s cycling is stark. Teams like Handsling Alba Development RT and Solas Race Team are providing clear routes for female riders. Meanwhile, on the men’s side, promising juniors increasingly find themselves having to join English teams to access high-level racing opportunities.
The real problem is there’s no proper elite team in Scotland anymore. There are good club teams but nobody is regularly taking Scottish riders to big races in England
“The real problem is there’s no proper elite team in Scotland anymore. There are good club teams like Vanelli, but nobody is regularly taking Scottish riders to big races in England,” Kwon notes.
Despite its grassroots nature, Edinburgh Bike Fitting RT hopes to punch above its weight in 2025. Success will be measured not just in results but in the opportunities it provides to young Scottish riders.
“This isn’t about trying to go Pro Conti in five years,” Kwon says. “It’s about keeping a group of talented riders racing together, enjoying the sport, and proving that you don’t need a huge budget to compete.”
Edinburgh Bike Fitting RT may be a small team, but it represents something much larger—a shift towards rider-led initiatives filling the gaps left by disappearing development pathways. As British domestic cycling continues to evolve, teams like this could play a crucial role in keeping talented riders in the sport, proving that passion and initiative can be just as powerful as big budgets.
Scottish cycling has long produced standout riders, but the domestic racing scene has faced challenges in recent years. The closure of The Cycling Academy at the end of 2024 left a significant gap, particularly for young male Scottish riders looking to develop at the elite level. Enter Elijah Kwon, a promising racer who saw an opportunity to create something new: Edinburgh Bike Fitting RT.
Kwon, who raced as a junior with The Cycling Academy before spending a season riding solo, found himself in a unique position. Speaking with fellow riders, it became clear that many lacked a structured setup for the 2025 season. Rather than let talent go to waste, Kwon took matters into his own hands. With support from Edinburgh Bike Fitting – where he works part-time – he decided to form a team that would allow riders to race together, without the financial burden that often comes with elite cycling setups.
“It started as just an idea between friends,” Kwon explains. “I thought, ‘why don’t we just put a kit on and race together?’ At first, we wanted something low-cost and low-commitment, but it turns out there’s a bit more to running a team than just having a matching kit!”
This DIY approach mirrors similar efforts seen across British domestic cycling. Ewan Mackie recently launched The Ad Hoc Collective, a flexible, rider-led collective aimed at providing UK-based racers with access to UCI events. Meanwhile, former WorldTour pro Harry Tanfield has been working to establish a new Continental-level team following the collapse of Saint Piran. On the women’s side, the Phoenix Collective emerged from the closure of Hutchinson-Brother UK, reinforcing the trend of riders taking control of their own destinies in the absence of long-term team stability.
The six-rider team is built around talented young Scottish racers, all of whom are balancing their ambitions on the bike with university studies:
What sets Edinburgh Bike Fitting RT apart is its student-first philosophy. Recognising the reality of university life, the team is structured to fit around academic schedules. That means a focus on the Alba Road Series and National B races in the early part of the season, before turning attention to international UCI races in the summer months.
“We can’t really focus as much on racing abroad in April or May because of exams, but it also means we can really commit to racing through the summer,” explains Kwon.
For young riders who want to continue studying while racing in the UK, teams like Edinburgh Bike Fitting RT are critical. Without them, the only realistic pathway would be to join an English-based team or look abroad, something not all riders are able or willing to do.
Unlike many elite setups, Edinburgh Bike Fitting RT doesn’t charge rider fees. Kwon has seen too many peers drop out of the sport due to costs. “I didn’t want this to be another team where you have to pay to race,” he says. “We’re all students, and that’s a barrier for so many people in the sport.”
Instead, sponsorship from Edinburgh Bike Fitting, JDS Gardening, and DM Hall covers basic costs such as race entries, kit, and equipment. Riders receive a skinsuit, jersey, and bib shorts, along with access to Lake shoes and Abus helmets through Edinburgh Bike Fitting. There is also a small funding pot to help cover race costs. “We’ve got a small pot of money from sponsors that we’ll use to cover race entries,” says Kwon. “When it runs out, it runs out.”
While Kwon is debuting for his new outfit at the Royal Navy Cup, the team’s official season debut will be at the Gifford Road Race on March 15th, a Scottish classic and the opening round of the Alba Road Series. Other key domestic races will include National B events and selective entries into the National Road Series, depending on invitations.
The team also has UCI racing ambitions, with planned appearances at the Rutland-Melton CiCLE Classic, Tour of Lithuania, and additional European races.
“We’re sending out emails, seeing which organisers will take us,” Kwon says. “It’s about having fun and taking the opportunities that come our way. We know teams want to race CiCLE, so we’ll just have to see how selection goes.”
With the collapse of key Scottish development teams, promising riders now face a stark choice: race on fragmented club teams or look south for opportunities.
“Scotland has some great riders,” Kwon reflects, “but there just aren’t many teams taking them to the biggest races. We want to change that, even in a small way.”
The contrast with women’s cycling is stark. Teams like Handsling Alba Development RT and Solas Race Team are providing clear routes for female riders. Meanwhile, on the men’s side, promising juniors increasingly find themselves having to join English teams to access high-level racing opportunities.
“The real problem is there’s no proper elite team in Scotland anymore. There are good club teams like Vanelli, but nobody is regularly taking Scottish riders to big races in England,” Kwon notes.
Despite its grassroots nature, Edinburgh Bike Fitting RT hopes to punch above its weight in 2025. Success will be measured not just in results but in the opportunities it provides to young Scottish riders.
“This isn’t about trying to go Pro Conti in five years,” Kwon says. “It’s about keeping a group of talented riders racing together, enjoying the sport, and proving that you don’t need a huge budget to compete.”
Edinburgh Bike Fitting RT may be a small team, but it represents something much larger—a shift towards rider-led initiatives filling the gaps left by disappearing development pathways. As British domestic cycling continues to evolve, teams like this could play a crucial role in keeping talented riders in the sport, proving that passion and initiative can be just as powerful as big budgets.
Read the domestic team guide here.
Featured image: supplied. Elijah Kwon racing at the Gifford Road Race 2022
Share this:
Discover more from The British Continental
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.