Aero CLCTV launch with bold five-year plan to reach the Tour of Britain
Aero CLCTV have officially launched with a six-rider line-up and a bold, five-year plan: to race their way to the Tour of Britain while helping rebuild British cycling from the ground up.
Aero CLCTV, a Hampshire-based, mission-led race team, has launched officially with a bold, measurable target: to race its way to the Tour of Britain within five years — and to help rebuild the domestic sport along the way.
The newly formed six-rider squad features Elliott Colyer, Alex Stanley, Charlie Palmer, Archie Wright, Bobby Buenfeld, and Oscar Hoult. Backing comes from Alta Via Bicycle Components, Better Degree AI, and Harvest Stanley Accountants, with NOPINZ providing the team kit. The team will also carry the logo of Hampshire & Isle of Wight Air Ambulance in recognition of the charity’s life-saving work across the region.
Their 2026 programme will focus on National B races, but Aero CLCTV’s ambitions stretch far beyond next season’s start line.
The launch marks the latest chapter in a story we first covered in September, when we profiled co-founder Elliott Colyer in The new road racing entrepreneurs: Elliott Colyer and the rise of rider-led initiatives. Then, Colyer spoke about the need for a new generation of self-starting riders willing to take the sport’s future into their own hands. Yesterday’s announcement turns that philosophy into something tangible.
In a Direct Message exchange with The British Continental following the team’s launch, co-founders Alex Stanley and Elliott Colyer were asked whether their Tour of Britain target was realistic — or simply another bold line in a team launch release. Both were quick to stress that it’s more than marketing. “That’s a really fair question, and one we’ve thought about a lot,” they said. “We know plenty of teams have said something similar before, and we don’t want to be another that shouts big goals without showing how we’ll get there.”
The Tour of Britain target isn’t a dream statement for us; it’s an active goal. As Dan Bigham put it, you have to reverse-engineer from the finish line — start at the end
They continued: “The Tour of Britain target isn’t a dream statement for us; it’s an active goal. As Dan Bigham put it, you have to reverse-engineer from the finish line — start at the end. We know what the end looks like, and we’re building backwards, frameworks, systems, and structure, to make it achievable over five years rather than hoping it’ll just happen.”
It’s a measured take on ambition — the kind that recognises the sport’s fragility but refuses to be limited by it. “A lot of people overestimate what they can do in a year and underestimate what they can build in five,” they said. “We deliberately set those two big goals — racing to the Tour of Britain and helping rebuild British cycling — because they give people something bigger than ourselves to get behind.”
Aero CLCTV’s model, they explained, is built around two parallel tracks: performance and community. “Performance and structure mean building systems now that make us scalable later,” they said. “Even small things like shared media folders, aligned branding, and consistent sponsor assets mean the foundations are solid before we grow.”
Alex Stanley and Elliot Colyer. Image: Paceline Media
“And on the community side, we don’t see elite racing as the only lever for progress,” they continued. “The racing bubble is small and doesn’t deliver ROI to most sponsors, so we’re creating ways for brands to engage with the wider cycling ecosystem. Our upcoming Recce Rides project is a good example: social rides that connect racers and newcomers, with guest riders and local partnerships. It’s not just exposure — it’s engagement, content, and opportunity.”
The approach is already bearing fruit. They say that during 2025, the AeroCLCTV Instagram content averaged around a million views per month — figures that, they believe, demonstrate their reach and potential as a platform for both racing and participation.
“We want the team to be more than the sum of its parts,” they said. “The riders, content, and community initiatives all work together to create something that outlasts race results. Our short-term goal — 2026 — is to build a proof of concept that shows sponsors they’re investing in a system with a return, not just a promise.”
Our short-term goal — 2026 — is to build a proof of concept that shows sponsors they’re investing in a system with a return, not just a promise
That focus on long-term value echoes a theme familiar to anyone following British cycling’s recent struggles. “We want to be part of growing the pie,” they said, “not fighting over smaller slices.”
Citing the example of the Rockets’ modern, sustainable model in the professional ranks, they said Aero CLCTV want to apply similar thinking to the domestic scene. “We’re ambitious, yes, but not naïve,” they said. “It’s about building something sustainable, relevant, and future-facing. The Tour of Britain is a milestone — not the end point.”
In a domestic scene currently stripped of men’s Continental teams, Aero CLCTV’s launch feels like a rare thing: an injection of optimism built on structure rather than sentiment. Whether they reach their five-year goal remains to be seen. But in a sport short on long-term plans, the fact they have one at all already sets them apart.
Aero CLCTV, a Hampshire-based, mission-led race team, has launched officially with a bold, measurable target: to race its way to the Tour of Britain within five years — and to help rebuild the domestic sport along the way.
The newly formed six-rider squad features Elliott Colyer, Alex Stanley, Charlie Palmer, Archie Wright, Bobby Buenfeld, and Oscar Hoult. Backing comes from Alta Via Bicycle Components, Better Degree AI, and Harvest Stanley Accountants, with NOPINZ providing the team kit. The team will also carry the logo of Hampshire & Isle of Wight Air Ambulance in recognition of the charity’s life-saving work across the region.
Their 2026 programme will focus on National B races, but Aero CLCTV’s ambitions stretch far beyond next season’s start line.
The launch marks the latest chapter in a story we first covered in September, when we profiled co-founder Elliott Colyer in The new road racing entrepreneurs: Elliott Colyer and the rise of rider-led initiatives. Then, Colyer spoke about the need for a new generation of self-starting riders willing to take the sport’s future into their own hands. Yesterday’s announcement turns that philosophy into something tangible.
In a Direct Message exchange with The British Continental following the team’s launch, co-founders Alex Stanley and Elliott Colyer were asked whether their Tour of Britain target was realistic — or simply another bold line in a team launch release. Both were quick to stress that it’s more than marketing. “That’s a really fair question, and one we’ve thought about a lot,” they said. “We know plenty of teams have said something similar before, and we don’t want to be another that shouts big goals without showing how we’ll get there.”
They continued: “The Tour of Britain target isn’t a dream statement for us; it’s an active goal. As Dan Bigham put it, you have to reverse-engineer from the finish line — start at the end. We know what the end looks like, and we’re building backwards, frameworks, systems, and structure, to make it achievable over five years rather than hoping it’ll just happen.”
It’s a measured take on ambition — the kind that recognises the sport’s fragility but refuses to be limited by it. “A lot of people overestimate what they can do in a year and underestimate what they can build in five,” they said. “We deliberately set those two big goals — racing to the Tour of Britain and helping rebuild British cycling — because they give people something bigger than ourselves to get behind.”
Aero CLCTV’s model, they explained, is built around two parallel tracks: performance and community. “Performance and structure mean building systems now that make us scalable later,” they said. “Even small things like shared media folders, aligned branding, and consistent sponsor assets mean the foundations are solid before we grow.”
“And on the community side, we don’t see elite racing as the only lever for progress,” they continued. “The racing bubble is small and doesn’t deliver ROI to most sponsors, so we’re creating ways for brands to engage with the wider cycling ecosystem. Our upcoming Recce Rides project is a good example: social rides that connect racers and newcomers, with guest riders and local partnerships. It’s not just exposure — it’s engagement, content, and opportunity.”
The approach is already bearing fruit. They say that during 2025, the AeroCLCTV Instagram content averaged around a million views per month — figures that, they believe, demonstrate their reach and potential as a platform for both racing and participation.
“We want the team to be more than the sum of its parts,” they said. “The riders, content, and community initiatives all work together to create something that outlasts race results. Our short-term goal — 2026 — is to build a proof of concept that shows sponsors they’re investing in a system with a return, not just a promise.”
That focus on long-term value echoes a theme familiar to anyone following British cycling’s recent struggles. “We want to be part of growing the pie,” they said, “not fighting over smaller slices.”
Citing the example of the Rockets’ modern, sustainable model in the professional ranks, they said Aero CLCTV want to apply similar thinking to the domestic scene. “We’re ambitious, yes, but not naïve,” they said. “It’s about building something sustainable, relevant, and future-facing. The Tour of Britain is a milestone — not the end point.”
In a domestic scene currently stripped of men’s Continental teams, Aero CLCTV’s launch feels like a rare thing: an injection of optimism built on structure rather than sentiment. Whether they reach their five-year goal remains to be seen. But in a sport short on long-term plans, the fact they have one at all already sets them apart.
Read our domestic team guide here.
Featured image: supplied
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