FTP Racing set out 2026 plans with early squad announcement
British Team Cup champions in 2024, FTP Racing are the first to unveil their 2026 line-up — a slimmed-down but strengthened squad featuring marquee signing Ruby Oakes, breakthrough talent Phoebe Roche and a clutch of rising U23s, as the team sharpens its focus on National A racing in a domestic scene rumoured to contract at UCI level.
FTP-Fulfil the Potential-Racing have set down an early marker for 2026, becoming the first women’s team to announce their line-up for the new season. The South West-based Elite Development Team, crowned British Team Cup champions in 2024, will slim their roster from 26 riders to around 15–16, signalling a strategic shift towards quality over quantity.
The message from management is clear: FTP want to establish themselves as a consistent force at National A level. With the number of British women’s UCI Continental teams in the UK women’s scene rumoured to be contracting in 2026, the role of Elite Development Teams such as FTP could take on new importance.
New arrivals
The most high-profile addition is Ruby Oakes, one of the most promising young riders in Britain. Still only 19, Oakes finished the 2025 season 31st in the national rankings with 135 points, riding UCI Continental outfit DAS-Hutchinson.
Image: Mark James
Oakes’ hallmark has been consistency against strong fields. She placed 4th overall in the Ronde van Wymeswold YBC stage race, 2nd at the Bath CC Road and was 7th at the Duncan Murray Wines Road Race this year. Her 2024 was even better. Racing as a junior with Shibden Apex RT, she turned heads with 11th place finishes at both the Lancaster GP and Ryedale GP, 12th at the Rapha Lincoln GP, 8th at the Capernwray Road Race, and a win at the Duncan Murray Wines Road Race. It was an impressive return.
“FTP had a really good vibe at the Team Cup races,” Oakes said in the team’s announcement. “After reaching out, the response was so positive. I’m looking forward to helping the team continue to be successful.” Her decision to join FTP represents a coup for the team and underlines their growing credibility as a destination for U23 riders.
Alongside Oakes, FTP have secured the services of Phoebe Roche, one of the season’s breakout names. Still only in her first full year of road racing, Roche collected victories at Witham Hall and Wymeswold, placed 5th at the Florrie Newbery Classic, and ended the year ranked 25th nationally. Having switched across from a background in mountain biking and cyclo-cross, her rapid progression has turned heads.
Roche brings an attacking style and clear upward trajectory, and her partnership with Oakes gives FTP two of the brightest U23 prospects in the country.
Phoebe Roche wins stage 1 of the 2025 Ronde van Wymeswold. Image: Matt de-B Photography
The team has also moved to bolster its roster with three further signings:
Carys Blowers – already a Welsh junior champion in both time trial and track. She placed 4th in the final round of the British Team Cup and is seen as a versatile rider with room to develop across multiple disciplines.
Kayla Dinnin – a Scottish junior with a strong background across road, crit and track, plus international racing experience at Flanders and Ghent-Wevelgem. She adds valuable depth and a taste of European racing that FTP hope to build on with a small number of international outings next year.
Jessica Morrish – a consistent performer across the 2025 season, whose reliability and tactical awareness should strengthen the team’s presence in National B and National A races alike.
Together with Roche and Oakes, these signings mark a clear step up in the calibre of rider FTP are attracting.
The squad will retain a strong core of riders from 2025, providing balance and experience. Confirmed returnees include Anna Boniface, Rachel Galler, Gemma Mitchell, Harriet Jane Evans, Teri Bayliss, Claire Nott, Elektra Georgiakakis, Rebecca Babbage, Ella Brown and Anastasia Bowler.
Between them, these riders have provided much of the consistency that underpinned the team’s 2024 British Team Cup triumph, and their presence will give stability to what is otherwise a refreshed line-up.
“A braver, clearer direction”
Speaking to The British Continental, team manager Billy Oliver described the restructure as a “brave step” but one made with long-term progression in mind.
“We’ve recruited some really strong U23 talent that we’re confident will grow in the team and thrive off the support and rider-first approach we provide. Next year we want to fully focus on the National Road Series and National A races, with a few trips into Europe. It will be our third full season with the women’s team, and we now know better where to focus. We can definitely offer the riders a stronger support package.”
Image: Mark James
The decision to trim the squad was not taken lightly, but reflects the team’s desire to give riders the best chance to progress while avoiding overstretching resources.
FTP’s announcement arrives at a moment of flux. With a rumoured reduction in UCI Continental teams in 2026, the domestic elite tier looks set to carry even more weight. For talented riders like Oakes and Roche, elite development teams may become the primary proving ground ahead of potential moves to the European scene.
By acting early, FTP Racing have positioned themselves at the centre of that conversation. Their 2026 squad is smaller, but arguably stronger, and the capture of Ruby Oakes and Phoebe Roche in particular shows they are capable of attracting some of the very best talent available in the UK domestic scene.
What that translates into on the road remains to be seen, but with an ambitious programme and a reinforced line-up, FTP are setting out their stall to be among the teams to watch next season.
FTP-Fulfil the Potential-Racing have set down an early marker for 2026, becoming the first women’s team to announce their line-up for the new season. The South West-based Elite Development Team, crowned British Team Cup champions in 2024, will slim their roster from 26 riders to around 15–16, signalling a strategic shift towards quality over quantity.
The message from management is clear: FTP want to establish themselves as a consistent force at National A level. With the number of British women’s UCI Continental teams in the UK women’s scene rumoured to be contracting in 2026, the role of Elite Development Teams such as FTP could take on new importance.
New arrivals
The most high-profile addition is Ruby Oakes, one of the most promising young riders in Britain. Still only 19, Oakes finished the 2025 season 31st in the national rankings with 135 points, riding UCI Continental outfit DAS-Hutchinson.
Oakes’ hallmark has been consistency against strong fields. She placed 4th overall in the Ronde van Wymeswold YBC stage race, 2nd at the Bath CC Road and was 7th at the Duncan Murray Wines Road Race this year. Her 2024 was even better. Racing as a junior with Shibden Apex RT, she turned heads with 11th place finishes at both the Lancaster GP and Ryedale GP, 12th at the Rapha Lincoln GP, 8th at the Capernwray Road Race, and a win at the Duncan Murray Wines Road Race. It was an impressive return.
“FTP had a really good vibe at the Team Cup races,” Oakes said in the team’s announcement. “After reaching out, the response was so positive. I’m looking forward to helping the team continue to be successful.” Her decision to join FTP represents a coup for the team and underlines their growing credibility as a destination for U23 riders.
Alongside Oakes, FTP have secured the services of Phoebe Roche, one of the season’s breakout names. Still only in her first full year of road racing, Roche collected victories at Witham Hall and Wymeswold, placed 5th at the Florrie Newbery Classic, and ended the year ranked 25th nationally. Having switched across from a background in mountain biking and cyclo-cross, her rapid progression has turned heads.
Roche brings an attacking style and clear upward trajectory, and her partnership with Oakes gives FTP two of the brightest U23 prospects in the country.
The team has also moved to bolster its roster with three further signings:
Together with Roche and Oakes, these signings mark a clear step up in the calibre of rider FTP are attracting.
The squad will retain a strong core of riders from 2025, providing balance and experience. Confirmed returnees include Anna Boniface, Rachel Galler, Gemma Mitchell, Harriet Jane Evans, Teri Bayliss, Claire Nott, Elektra Georgiakakis, Rebecca Babbage, Ella Brown and Anastasia Bowler.
Between them, these riders have provided much of the consistency that underpinned the team’s 2024 British Team Cup triumph, and their presence will give stability to what is otherwise a refreshed line-up.
“A braver, clearer direction”
Speaking to The British Continental, team manager Billy Oliver described the restructure as a “brave step” but one made with long-term progression in mind.
“We’ve recruited some really strong U23 talent that we’re confident will grow in the team and thrive off the support and rider-first approach we provide. Next year we want to fully focus on the National Road Series and National A races, with a few trips into Europe. It will be our third full season with the women’s team, and we now know better where to focus. We can definitely offer the riders a stronger support package.”
The decision to trim the squad was not taken lightly, but reflects the team’s desire to give riders the best chance to progress while avoiding overstretching resources.
FTP’s announcement arrives at a moment of flux. With a rumoured reduction in UCI Continental teams in 2026, the domestic elite tier looks set to carry even more weight. For talented riders like Oakes and Roche, elite development teams may become the primary proving ground ahead of potential moves to the European scene.
By acting early, FTP Racing have positioned themselves at the centre of that conversation. Their 2026 squad is smaller, but arguably stronger, and the capture of Ruby Oakes and Phoebe Roche in particular shows they are capable of attracting some of the very best talent available in the UK domestic scene.
What that translates into on the road remains to be seen, but with an ambitious programme and a reinforced line-up, FTP are setting out their stall to be among the teams to watch next season.
Featured image: Mark James
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