The British Conti Awards 2025: Outstanding Contribution to Domestic Road Racing shortlist revealed
An impossible choice in a category defined by selflessness: this year’s Outstanding Contribution shortlist honours just three figures from a community of volunteers, organisers and innovators whose work keeps British road racing alive.
Some awards are hard to judge. This one was almost impossible.
We were overwhelmed with nominations for the Outstanding Contribution Award – far more than any other category. Riders, parents, volunteers, club officials, team staff and organisers sent in heartfelt entries recognising the people who keep British road racing alive. It became immediately clear that there are dozens of individuals and groups whose work deserves recognition.
The panel was left with an unenviable task. In another year, or with another panel, we could easily have selected a completely different trio. The three nominees below represent only the very tip of the iceberg – a snapshot of the extraordinary, often unseen work that sustains our sport.
This award exists to honour the people whose dedication rarely appears in results sheets, but without whom British racing wouldn’t function at all.
Last year’s award was won by Sarah King, recognising her outstanding work leading London’s women’s development pathway and supporting the wider domestic scene.
Shortlist
Marc Etches
For more than 30 years, Marc Etches has been one of the most influential volunteers in Yorkshire cycling – a rider, organiser, commissaire and regional leader whose work has strengthened the sport at every level. At Sheffrec Cycling Club, he helped expand membership tenfold and co-founded the White Rose Youth League, creating racing opportunities that helped shape the early careers of riders like Tom Pidcock, Cat Ferguson and Harry Hudson.
His contribution extends across the domestic calendar. As a national commissaire and Chair of British Cycling’s Yorkshire Board, Etches has supported dozens of events each year and worked to develop a stronger, more connected volunteer workforce across the region. When the Sheffield Grand Prix was at risk due to funding pressures, he played a crucial role in rallying sponsors and volunteers to keep the race alive – ensuring the city retained its flagship crit night.
Those who know him describe a modest, industrious figure who never seeks recognition yet underpins huge swathes of the sport. Etches estimates he contributes more than 50 event-days a year on top of his day job, driven by a simple ethos: giving back to the community that shaped him. His influence – consistent, humble and long-standing – has made him one of the sport’s most valued custodians.
Etches with Joey Walker at the 2019 Sheffield Grand Prix. Image: Simon Wilkinson/SWpix.com
Sonja Harper
For seven years, Sonja Harper has been the driving force behind the Otley Cycle Races, preserving one of Britain’s most atmospheric and historic criteriums during a period of financial uncertainty and shrinking race calendars. As Race Director, she strengthened Otley’s organisational foundations by creating a distributed volunteer structure, ensuring each element of the event has its own dedicated lead. It is a model that makes the race truly sustainable – and one that will allow Lizzie Deignan to take over seamlessly in 2026.
Harper also reworked Otley’s revenue model, securing individual sponsors for each race and attracting corporate partners through a high-quality hospitality offering. It transformed Otley into an event that businesses actively seek to support – a rare achievement in domestic racing. On the ground, she maintained the qualities that make the race special: the flowing circuit, the electrifying final corner, and the packed crowds that have led many, including Deignan herself, to call it the sport’s “unofficial crit world champs”.
Through calm leadership and deep community partnership, Harper kept Otley thriving when many other races faltered, leaving a legacy of stability and ambition for those who follow.
Image: Sarah Behind the Lens
Yomp Bonk Crew
The Yomp Bonk Crew (YBC) began as a group of Sheffield teenagers looking for riding partners; they quickly evolved into one of the most innovative new forces in British race promotion. Frustrated by the lack of events, they adopted a simple philosophy – “If you want more racing, organise more racing” – and in doing so helped revitalise the calendar at a time of widespread cancellations.
Their headline creations include the Peaks 2 Day stage race, now an early-season staple in the Peak District, and the newer Ronde van Wymeswold, another National B stage race that was elevated to the Rapha Super-League this year in recognition of its slick-level organisation and ability to draw a top-level field from its very first edition. Alongside these marquee events, YBC have bolstered the grassroots scene with series and crit nights at Harvey Hadden and other local venues. Their members also volunteer across regional championships and were recognised nationally when Thomas Hutchison received British Cycling’s Young Volunteer of the Year last year.
What sets YBC apart is their youthful energy: modern branding, slick communications, and a can-do ethos that has inspired riders and volunteers alike. In just a few years, they’ve created opportunities where gaps once existed – proof that new ideas and collective effort can reshape British racing from the ground up.
Image: Harry Jones
What’s next
Three nominees whose impact reaches far beyond race results. One award.
The winner of the Outstanding Contributionaward will be announced next week.
Featured images: SWpix.com / Sarah Behind The Lens / Harry Jones
Some awards are hard to judge. This one was almost impossible.
We were overwhelmed with nominations for the Outstanding Contribution Award – far more than any other category. Riders, parents, volunteers, club officials, team staff and organisers sent in heartfelt entries recognising the people who keep British road racing alive. It became immediately clear that there are dozens of individuals and groups whose work deserves recognition.
The panel was left with an unenviable task. In another year, or with another panel, we could easily have selected a completely different trio. The three nominees below represent only the very tip of the iceberg – a snapshot of the extraordinary, often unseen work that sustains our sport.
This award exists to honour the people whose dedication rarely appears in results sheets, but without whom British racing wouldn’t function at all.
Last year’s award was won by Sarah King, recognising her outstanding work leading London’s women’s development pathway and supporting the wider domestic scene.
Shortlist
Marc Etches
For more than 30 years, Marc Etches has been one of the most influential volunteers in Yorkshire cycling – a rider, organiser, commissaire and regional leader whose work has strengthened the sport at every level. At Sheffrec Cycling Club, he helped expand membership tenfold and co-founded the White Rose Youth League, creating racing opportunities that helped shape the early careers of riders like Tom Pidcock, Cat Ferguson and Harry Hudson.
His contribution extends across the domestic calendar. As a national commissaire and Chair of British Cycling’s Yorkshire Board, Etches has supported dozens of events each year and worked to develop a stronger, more connected volunteer workforce across the region. When the Sheffield Grand Prix was at risk due to funding pressures, he played a crucial role in rallying sponsors and volunteers to keep the race alive – ensuring the city retained its flagship crit night.
Those who know him describe a modest, industrious figure who never seeks recognition yet underpins huge swathes of the sport. Etches estimates he contributes more than 50 event-days a year on top of his day job, driven by a simple ethos: giving back to the community that shaped him. His influence – consistent, humble and long-standing – has made him one of the sport’s most valued custodians.
Sonja Harper
For seven years, Sonja Harper has been the driving force behind the Otley Cycle Races, preserving one of Britain’s most atmospheric and historic criteriums during a period of financial uncertainty and shrinking race calendars. As Race Director, she strengthened Otley’s organisational foundations by creating a distributed volunteer structure, ensuring each element of the event has its own dedicated lead. It is a model that makes the race truly sustainable – and one that will allow Lizzie Deignan to take over seamlessly in 2026.
Harper also reworked Otley’s revenue model, securing individual sponsors for each race and attracting corporate partners through a high-quality hospitality offering. It transformed Otley into an event that businesses actively seek to support – a rare achievement in domestic racing. On the ground, she maintained the qualities that make the race special: the flowing circuit, the electrifying final corner, and the packed crowds that have led many, including Deignan herself, to call it the sport’s “unofficial crit world champs”.
Through calm leadership and deep community partnership, Harper kept Otley thriving when many other races faltered, leaving a legacy of stability and ambition for those who follow.
Yomp Bonk Crew
The Yomp Bonk Crew (YBC) began as a group of Sheffield teenagers looking for riding partners; they quickly evolved into one of the most innovative new forces in British race promotion. Frustrated by the lack of events, they adopted a simple philosophy – “If you want more racing, organise more racing” – and in doing so helped revitalise the calendar at a time of widespread cancellations.
Their headline creations include the Peaks 2 Day stage race, now an early-season staple in the Peak District, and the newer Ronde van Wymeswold, another National B stage race that was elevated to the Rapha Super-League this year in recognition of its slick-level organisation and ability to draw a top-level field from its very first edition. Alongside these marquee events, YBC have bolstered the grassroots scene with series and crit nights at Harvey Hadden and other local venues. Their members also volunteer across regional championships and were recognised nationally when Thomas Hutchison received British Cycling’s Young Volunteer of the Year last year.
What sets YBC apart is their youthful energy: modern branding, slick communications, and a can-do ethos that has inspired riders and volunteers alike. In just a few years, they’ve created opportunities where gaps once existed – proof that new ideas and collective effort can reshape British racing from the ground up.
What’s next
Three nominees whose impact reaches far beyond race results. One award.
The winner of the Outstanding Contribution award will be announced next week.
Featured images: SWpix.com / Sarah Behind The Lens / Harry Jones
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