360cycling: building a development pathway with UCI ambitions
One year after our first profile, 360cycling has expanded its pathway, launched a women’s programme and reworked how it funds its riders - through coaching, product sales and its own UCI-approved bike. In a candid conversation with The British Continental, the North West project explains how grassroots racing, internal reinvestment and long-term planning underpin its ambitions to reach the UCI level.
A year ago, The British Continental profiled 360cycling as a fast-growing North West development project built on affordable coaching, grassroots engagement and a commitment to producing young riders capable of competing at national level. At that point, the team reported five national titles, nine regional titles and 89 wins across disciplines, had expanded its under-23 squad from five to ten riders, and was preparing for a more ambitious race programme spanning National A and B events, French races and two UCI road races.
Our ambition over the next four years – Project 2030 – is still to be a UCI team
Twelve months on, that foundation has not only held but expanded considerably. In a new conversation with The British Continental ahead of the 2026 season, the team outlines a broader, more structured programme than at any point in its short history. The under-23 squad has grown again, a women’s team has been launched, staffing has deepened across youth, junior and senior levels, the race calendar has widened both in the UK and Europe, and the organisation has developed its own UCI-approved 360cycling-branded bike. Much of this growth is rooted in lessons learned during 2025; all of it is framed by a longer-term ambition the team now refers to as “Project 2030”.
This piece picks up the story one year on, charting how 360cycling’s principles of progression, regional development and internal sustainability have evolved into a broader structure spanning youth, junior, under-23 and now women’s racing. Together, these developments offer a clearer picture of how the project is positioning itself for the years ahead.
Jake Edwards (360cycling) finishes second at the Witheridge Grand Prix. Image: Olly Hassell/SWpix.com
The 2025 season provided the strongest validation yet of the pathway 360cycling had been building. On the road, the team won the Under-23 National Road Series, a result shaped by consistency and standout individual performances. That success came largely through Maxwell Hereward, who claimed overall victory at the Clive Tiley Memorial Stage Race and won the Yorkshire Under-23 Classic. Elsewhere, the team’s depth was evident through Jake Edwards’ second place at the Witheridge Grand Prix, a National Road Series round that reinforced 360 Cycling’s growing presence at the sharp end of elite domestic racing.
The progress extended beyond the UK. Six riders were supported across two UCI events, most notably the Ronde de l’Isard, where five of the six reached the finish, and the team contested four high-level French races, including two stage races. For a squad operating without the budget or infrastructure of established Continental teams, those results confirmed that its riders could cope with sustained, demanding racing environments.
We have come a long way over the last two years and we have gained a lot of experience, but it is key that we keep the progression going
At the same time, the season exposed limits within the existing structure. “A lot of our focus, during the later part of 2025, has been getting our house in order for 2026,” Head Coach Joseph Cadwallader explains. “We have come a long way over the last two years and we have gained a lot of experience, but it is key that we keep the progression going.” Progression, rather than short-term results, has become the organising principle behind the changes now being introduced.
The most visible of those changes is the expansion of the under-23 men’s squad to 15 riders for 2026. There is natural turnover. Hereward and Edwards move on after successful seasons to “roll the dice in Italy”, a step the team views as evidence that its pathway is functioning as intended. George Safranaukas also departs after his final year in the category. Returning riders include Ben Etherington, Cia Roberts, Archie Fletcher, John Bardsley, Xavier Teece-Round and Daniel Sabba, each at a different stage of development.
Alongside them is a sizeable intake of new under-23 riders: Alex Sutton, James Ingham, Elliot Holt, Liam Hewitt, Ted Harvey, Jake Lunt and Hew Cressey-Rodgers, as well as second-year under-23 rider Jago Sadler. The increase in numbers is not presented as an end in itself. “Last year we found it hard to fully support races due to not having enough riders,” Cadwallader says. “We know that for around six to eight weeks of the year we will be racing in France. That will take six to eight riders per trip, leaving six to eight riders to race in the UK.”
The larger group also reflects the reality that riders develop at different speeds. “The boys are all at different stages,” he says. “Some will struggle to get round a Nat A, others will be looking to podium. So it is important that we split them up and send them to different areas or races.” Time trialling continues to play a role in that balance. “We should also remember that time trialling is a big part of what we do, so some weekends riders will be targeting TTs as well. Things like this play a key part in supporting grassroots cycling and local clubs.”
Image: Olly Hassell/SWpix.com
Regional identity remains central to the team’s thinking. “For the most part, we want riders to be North West based,” Cadwallader says, though he acknowledges that supporting a small number of riders from outside the region strengthens the overall squad. Even so, the first eight places are ring-fenced for North West riders, maintaining the local core of the project.
One late addition to the under-23 group reflects both opportunity and disruption within the domestic scene. Henry Hunter joins 360cycling following the closure of the MUC-OFF-SRCT-STORCK team, having emerged as one of the breakthrough riders of the 2025 season. His standout results included a stage win at the Mennock Pass Stage Race and second place at the North West, Yorkshire & North East Regional Road Race Championships, finishing just behind Dexter Leeming-Sykes.
Jago is actually the most powerful rider I have ever coached, but Henry, James and Ben can use him and keep him close and he will prove very useful
Internally, the team is clear about how it sees his role developing. “It is a really good fit,” Cadwallader says. “Jago [Sadler] is actually the most powerful rider I have ever coached, but Henry, James and Ben can use him and keep him close and he will prove very useful.” On Sadler, he says, the emphasis now is on race craft. “We now switch to teaching him to race and ride a bike well. He is improving and it will be a very interesting watch this year.”
The most significant structural addition for 2026 is the launch of a women’s team, bringing the project closer to the fully integrated pathway it has been working towards. Kate Taylor, who has spent the past three years embedded within 360cycling, takes charge of an eight-rider squad spanning junior and under-23 road racers alongside two high-level triathletes. “It’s a really interesting mix of girls from very different backgrounds,” Joseph Cadwallader says, “but each one we think has the potential and our job is to help them unlock that potential.”
The squad brings together Jessica Taylor and Amelie Smethurst, both established triathletes, alongside road racers Ella Greenall, Abby Johnston, Tia Taylor, Evelyn Field, Robin Casey and Ruby Blanc. The intention is not to chase immediate results, but to expose the group to high-quality training, racing and support within a structured environment.
Expectations for the programme’s first season are deliberately realistic. “Nat A and B races are going to be 100% supported by the full squad,” Cadwallader says. “Top tens at Nat B and A races would be great to see.” The inclusion of triathletes is viewed as a strategic decision rather than an experiment. “With the triathletes it will be very interesting,” he adds. “They have the numbers to be fast.”
For the junior riders, progression is prioritised over outcomes. “The junior girls will be a big ask at the start of the year,” Cadwallader says, “but by the end of the year getting round a Nat A race would be fantastic.” Among the under-23s, expectations are clearer. Ruby Blanc and Evelyn Field are identified as leaders within the group. “Ruby and Evie we fully expect to press on in 2026 and lead the team from the front,” he says. “Personally I think Ruby can top ten at a Nat A and podium in a Nat B on the right course. Evie is also capable, with the right work over the winter, of podiums in a Nat B.”
Teaching people to race is best done on the bike and not in the car – at least that’s my view
Supporting this expanded rider base is a broader staffing structure. Josh Whitehead – winner of the Lancaster Grand Prix in 2021 – steps into the role of under-23 DS, a choice Cadwallader describes in philosophical rather than tactical terms. “A fresh face and a clean slate,” he says. “He has not been tainted by the decline in money pumped into British teams. He knows this is an opportunity to grow something a bit special.” Whitehead’s ability to ride with the squad is viewed as central. “Teaching people to race is best done on the bike and not in the car – at least that’s my view.”
Charlie Paige – a professional with TDT-Unibet for the last two season – continues as lead under-23 coach, Tristan Pilling oversees the junior programme, and Taylor leads the women’s side, supported on race days by Andy Blanc and Damian Field. On the youth side, Steve Obertelli and Andrew Patterson remain central, with Obertelli spending time with the junior and under-23 squads to prepare for a future Junior DS role. “All the time we are thinking about the next stage,” Cadwallader says. “We also get a lot of support from the club riders – I think we have over 80 now – and some of the riders we have coached in the past still offer support.”
Underlying the structural expansion is a funding model that remains distinctive within British domestic cycling. The team has moved away from providing direct cash payments to riders. “We have stopped the cash payments,” Cadwallader explains, “mainly due to some spending the money in ways we did not think worked best for the project.” Instead, the budget is directed towards equipment and essentials. “Next year we will increase the budget, but instead give the riders items that they will need. A key part of our project is money being recycled with us. When a rider purchases from another retailer… well, it just does not work.”
Coaching will bring in around 100% more in 2026 than in 2025. That money is 100% put back into the project after Kate Taylor and Charlie Paige take a small fee
Coaching income is expected to play an even greater role. “Coaching will bring in around 100% more in 2026 than in 2025,” he says. “That money is 100% put back into the project after Kate Taylor and Charlie Paige take a small fee – they give up around 40% to the project.” Product sales form the second pillar. “The rest comes from sales of shop products – kit, power meters, wheels. We get solid rates direct and in effect the more we push the products the more we make, the more we can put back in.”
Riders are expected to buy into that model. “If they don’t like them or rate them… we are not the team for you.” The expectation is not blind loyalty but belief. “Having tested a large volume of products, we think our cycling clothes are amazing value. Nepest, Xendurance, Favero and Continental are as good if not better than anyone else anyway.” Riders also contribute beyond racing. “It’s also worth noting our riders put a lot back into the project too – helping in the shop, clothing design, kids coaching sessions.”
That logic extends to equipment. “The bike is actually a 360 bike – we have the UCI number,” Cadwallader says of the team’s partnership with Nepest. “It is very much a partnership.” In 2025, 17 frames were produced and 12 sold. Several youth riders already race on them, and in 2026 James Ingham will ride the flagship Dura-Ace build. “As for the under-23 girls and boys, they can move onto one should they wish now, no problem.” Looking ahead, the ambition is clear. “In 2027 yes, I would like to see at least six of our main team on them. I believe they are faster than other bikes, and it also makes bike changes and parts very, very easy to control as we stock and carry everything.”
The team’s February block in Mallorca will act as a focal point. The full squad meets for a seven-day camp, riding in three groups that converge towards the end of each session. After the camp, the under-23 men and junior boys remain for an additional week of racing. The women may extend their stay in future seasons. “We are not ruling out the girls staying on for another week to race,” Cadwallader says, “but it’s hard with exams and supporting more than 12 riders on one trip.” Looking ahead, the expectation is clear. “In 2027 we fully expect the girls to be at the same level as the boys are now in terms of pathway and opportunities.”
The jump from junior to Nat A is crazy big – it really is men against boys – so the U23 races really do give the younger boys a fighting chance
Domestically, priorities are unambiguous. “Every race in the North,” Cadwallader says. “The Yomp Bonk Crew do a great job and we see it as key to support them. Cold Dark North at Capernwray is also very close to our hearts.”
The Under-23 National Road Series remains central. “For some reason, last year, a lot of teams did not fully support the series. I felt like that detracted from what is something we very much need in the UK. The jump from junior to Nat A is crazy big – it really is men against boys – so the U23 races really do give the younger boys a fighting chance.” Internationally, the Ronde de l’Isard remains a key target. “Last year we got five of our six riders around. This year, with James [Ingham] and a much-improved Ben Etherington, we could push a really good place overall – but it’s key that we select the right boys to truly support them.”
All of this sits beneath a clearly stated longer-term ambition. “Our ambition over the next four years – Project 2030 – is still to be a UCI team,” Cadwallader says. That aim is not framed around rapid external recruitment, but around developing riders internally. “This revolves around a key group of 13–14 year old riders from the North West that we believe have the ability to go all the way in the sport.” The current under-23 squad, he adds, is part of that process rather than the end point. “This year’s U23 riders are, for the most part, really helping us lay the foundations for what is to follow.”
Financial transparency is positioned as a non-negotiable part of that journey. “[We need] to be clean and transparent on a financial side,” Cadwallader says. “The partners we have are super excited about the grassroots-to-professional project.” Having spoken with major companies, he is clear about what they want to see. “They want balance bikes, they want CX bikes, they want track bikes, they want male and female, they want UK and European stuff. They want to see that the system works like a football academy or a school where the riders are developed from the same area and together as a true team.”
The belief is that the project is moving in that direction. “We believe we are delivering in this area year in, year out and improving in all areas year in, year out. Get this right, and hopefully we can sell the dream… or actually grow 360 Cycling to the point where it can support the team.”
As the 2026 season approaches, 360cycling presents itself less as a conventional domestic team and more as a structured development institution. The pathway is clearer, the staffing deeper, the funding model more deliberate and the ambitions more precisely defined. Whether project 2030 ultimately culminates in a UCI licence remains uncertain – cycling rarely offers guarantees – but the direction of travel is unmistakable. One year on, 360 Cycling is no longer simply growing. It is organising itself for the long term.
A year ago, The British Continental profiled 360cycling as a fast-growing North West development project built on affordable coaching, grassroots engagement and a commitment to producing young riders capable of competing at national level. At that point, the team reported five national titles, nine regional titles and 89 wins across disciplines, had expanded its under-23 squad from five to ten riders, and was preparing for a more ambitious race programme spanning National A and B events, French races and two UCI road races.
Twelve months on, that foundation has not only held but expanded considerably. In a new conversation with The British Continental ahead of the 2026 season, the team outlines a broader, more structured programme than at any point in its short history. The under-23 squad has grown again, a women’s team has been launched, staffing has deepened across youth, junior and senior levels, the race calendar has widened both in the UK and Europe, and the organisation has developed its own UCI-approved 360cycling-branded bike. Much of this growth is rooted in lessons learned during 2025; all of it is framed by a longer-term ambition the team now refers to as “Project 2030”.
This piece picks up the story one year on, charting how 360cycling’s principles of progression, regional development and internal sustainability have evolved into a broader structure spanning youth, junior, under-23 and now women’s racing. Together, these developments offer a clearer picture of how the project is positioning itself for the years ahead.
The 2025 season provided the strongest validation yet of the pathway 360cycling had been building. On the road, the team won the Under-23 National Road Series, a result shaped by consistency and standout individual performances. That success came largely through Maxwell Hereward, who claimed overall victory at the Clive Tiley Memorial Stage Race and won the Yorkshire Under-23 Classic. Elsewhere, the team’s depth was evident through Jake Edwards’ second place at the Witheridge Grand Prix, a National Road Series round that reinforced 360 Cycling’s growing presence at the sharp end of elite domestic racing.
The progress extended beyond the UK. Six riders were supported across two UCI events, most notably the Ronde de l’Isard, where five of the six reached the finish, and the team contested four high-level French races, including two stage races. For a squad operating without the budget or infrastructure of established Continental teams, those results confirmed that its riders could cope with sustained, demanding racing environments.
At the same time, the season exposed limits within the existing structure. “A lot of our focus, during the later part of 2025, has been getting our house in order for 2026,” Head Coach Joseph Cadwallader explains. “We have come a long way over the last two years and we have gained a lot of experience, but it is key that we keep the progression going.” Progression, rather than short-term results, has become the organising principle behind the changes now being introduced.
The most visible of those changes is the expansion of the under-23 men’s squad to 15 riders for 2026. There is natural turnover. Hereward and Edwards move on after successful seasons to “roll the dice in Italy”, a step the team views as evidence that its pathway is functioning as intended. George Safranaukas also departs after his final year in the category. Returning riders include Ben Etherington, Cia Roberts, Archie Fletcher, John Bardsley, Xavier Teece-Round and Daniel Sabba, each at a different stage of development.
Alongside them is a sizeable intake of new under-23 riders: Alex Sutton, James Ingham, Elliot Holt, Liam Hewitt, Ted Harvey, Jake Lunt and Hew Cressey-Rodgers, as well as second-year under-23 rider Jago Sadler. The increase in numbers is not presented as an end in itself. “Last year we found it hard to fully support races due to not having enough riders,” Cadwallader says. “We know that for around six to eight weeks of the year we will be racing in France. That will take six to eight riders per trip, leaving six to eight riders to race in the UK.”
The larger group also reflects the reality that riders develop at different speeds. “The boys are all at different stages,” he says. “Some will struggle to get round a Nat A, others will be looking to podium. So it is important that we split them up and send them to different areas or races.” Time trialling continues to play a role in that balance. “We should also remember that time trialling is a big part of what we do, so some weekends riders will be targeting TTs as well. Things like this play a key part in supporting grassroots cycling and local clubs.”
Regional identity remains central to the team’s thinking. “For the most part, we want riders to be North West based,” Cadwallader says, though he acknowledges that supporting a small number of riders from outside the region strengthens the overall squad. Even so, the first eight places are ring-fenced for North West riders, maintaining the local core of the project.
One late addition to the under-23 group reflects both opportunity and disruption within the domestic scene. Henry Hunter joins 360cycling following the closure of the MUC-OFF-SRCT-STORCK team, having emerged as one of the breakthrough riders of the 2025 season. His standout results included a stage win at the Mennock Pass Stage Race and second place at the North West, Yorkshire & North East Regional Road Race Championships, finishing just behind Dexter Leeming-Sykes.
Internally, the team is clear about how it sees his role developing. “It is a really good fit,” Cadwallader says. “Jago [Sadler] is actually the most powerful rider I have ever coached, but Henry, James and Ben can use him and keep him close and he will prove very useful.” On Sadler, he says, the emphasis now is on race craft. “We now switch to teaching him to race and ride a bike well. He is improving and it will be a very interesting watch this year.”
The most significant structural addition for 2026 is the launch of a women’s team, bringing the project closer to the fully integrated pathway it has been working towards. Kate Taylor, who has spent the past three years embedded within 360cycling, takes charge of an eight-rider squad spanning junior and under-23 road racers alongside two high-level triathletes. “It’s a really interesting mix of girls from very different backgrounds,” Joseph Cadwallader says, “but each one we think has the potential and our job is to help them unlock that potential.”
The squad brings together Jessica Taylor and Amelie Smethurst, both established triathletes, alongside road racers Ella Greenall, Abby Johnston, Tia Taylor, Evelyn Field, Robin Casey and Ruby Blanc. The intention is not to chase immediate results, but to expose the group to high-quality training, racing and support within a structured environment.
Expectations for the programme’s first season are deliberately realistic. “Nat A and B races are going to be 100% supported by the full squad,” Cadwallader says. “Top tens at Nat B and A races would be great to see.” The inclusion of triathletes is viewed as a strategic decision rather than an experiment. “With the triathletes it will be very interesting,” he adds. “They have the numbers to be fast.”
For the junior riders, progression is prioritised over outcomes. “The junior girls will be a big ask at the start of the year,” Cadwallader says, “but by the end of the year getting round a Nat A race would be fantastic.” Among the under-23s, expectations are clearer. Ruby Blanc and Evelyn Field are identified as leaders within the group. “Ruby and Evie we fully expect to press on in 2026 and lead the team from the front,” he says. “Personally I think Ruby can top ten at a Nat A and podium in a Nat B on the right course. Evie is also capable, with the right work over the winter, of podiums in a Nat B.”
Supporting this expanded rider base is a broader staffing structure. Josh Whitehead – winner of the Lancaster Grand Prix in 2021 – steps into the role of under-23 DS, a choice Cadwallader describes in philosophical rather than tactical terms. “A fresh face and a clean slate,” he says. “He has not been tainted by the decline in money pumped into British teams. He knows this is an opportunity to grow something a bit special.” Whitehead’s ability to ride with the squad is viewed as central. “Teaching people to race is best done on the bike and not in the car – at least that’s my view.”
Charlie Paige – a professional with TDT-Unibet for the last two season – continues as lead under-23 coach, Tristan Pilling oversees the junior programme, and Taylor leads the women’s side, supported on race days by Andy Blanc and Damian Field. On the youth side, Steve Obertelli and Andrew Patterson remain central, with Obertelli spending time with the junior and under-23 squads to prepare for a future Junior DS role. “All the time we are thinking about the next stage,” Cadwallader says. “We also get a lot of support from the club riders – I think we have over 80 now – and some of the riders we have coached in the past still offer support.”
Underlying the structural expansion is a funding model that remains distinctive within British domestic cycling. The team has moved away from providing direct cash payments to riders. “We have stopped the cash payments,” Cadwallader explains, “mainly due to some spending the money in ways we did not think worked best for the project.” Instead, the budget is directed towards equipment and essentials. “Next year we will increase the budget, but instead give the riders items that they will need. A key part of our project is money being recycled with us. When a rider purchases from another retailer… well, it just does not work.”
Coaching income is expected to play an even greater role. “Coaching will bring in around 100% more in 2026 than in 2025,” he says. “That money is 100% put back into the project after Kate Taylor and Charlie Paige take a small fee – they give up around 40% to the project.” Product sales form the second pillar. “The rest comes from sales of shop products – kit, power meters, wheels. We get solid rates direct and in effect the more we push the products the more we make, the more we can put back in.”
Riders are expected to buy into that model. “If they don’t like them or rate them… we are not the team for you.” The expectation is not blind loyalty but belief. “Having tested a large volume of products, we think our cycling clothes are amazing value. Nepest, Xendurance, Favero and Continental are as good if not better than anyone else anyway.” Riders also contribute beyond racing. “It’s also worth noting our riders put a lot back into the project too – helping in the shop, clothing design, kids coaching sessions.”
That logic extends to equipment. “The bike is actually a 360 bike – we have the UCI number,” Cadwallader says of the team’s partnership with Nepest. “It is very much a partnership.” In 2025, 17 frames were produced and 12 sold. Several youth riders already race on them, and in 2026 James Ingham will ride the flagship Dura-Ace build. “As for the under-23 girls and boys, they can move onto one should they wish now, no problem.” Looking ahead, the ambition is clear. “In 2027 yes, I would like to see at least six of our main team on them. I believe they are faster than other bikes, and it also makes bike changes and parts very, very easy to control as we stock and carry everything.”
The team’s February block in Mallorca will act as a focal point. The full squad meets for a seven-day camp, riding in three groups that converge towards the end of each session. After the camp, the under-23 men and junior boys remain for an additional week of racing. The women may extend their stay in future seasons. “We are not ruling out the girls staying on for another week to race,” Cadwallader says, “but it’s hard with exams and supporting more than 12 riders on one trip.” Looking ahead, the expectation is clear. “In 2027 we fully expect the girls to be at the same level as the boys are now in terms of pathway and opportunities.”
Domestically, priorities are unambiguous. “Every race in the North,” Cadwallader says. “The Yomp Bonk Crew do a great job and we see it as key to support them. Cold Dark North at Capernwray is also very close to our hearts.”
The Under-23 National Road Series remains central. “For some reason, last year, a lot of teams did not fully support the series. I felt like that detracted from what is something we very much need in the UK. The jump from junior to Nat A is crazy big – it really is men against boys – so the U23 races really do give the younger boys a fighting chance.” Internationally, the Ronde de l’Isard remains a key target. “Last year we got five of our six riders around. This year, with James [Ingham] and a much-improved Ben Etherington, we could push a really good place overall – but it’s key that we select the right boys to truly support them.”
All of this sits beneath a clearly stated longer-term ambition. “Our ambition over the next four years – Project 2030 – is still to be a UCI team,” Cadwallader says. That aim is not framed around rapid external recruitment, but around developing riders internally. “This revolves around a key group of 13–14 year old riders from the North West that we believe have the ability to go all the way in the sport.” The current under-23 squad, he adds, is part of that process rather than the end point. “This year’s U23 riders are, for the most part, really helping us lay the foundations for what is to follow.”
Financial transparency is positioned as a non-negotiable part of that journey. “[We need] to be clean and transparent on a financial side,” Cadwallader says. “The partners we have are super excited about the grassroots-to-professional project.” Having spoken with major companies, he is clear about what they want to see. “They want balance bikes, they want CX bikes, they want track bikes, they want male and female, they want UK and European stuff. They want to see that the system works like a football academy or a school where the riders are developed from the same area and together as a true team.”
The belief is that the project is moving in that direction. “We believe we are delivering in this area year in, year out and improving in all areas year in, year out. Get this right, and hopefully we can sell the dream… or actually grow 360 Cycling to the point where it can support the team.”
As the 2026 season approaches, 360cycling presents itself less as a conventional domestic team and more as a structured development institution. The pathway is clearer, the staffing deeper, the funding model more deliberate and the ambitions more precisely defined. Whether project 2030 ultimately culminates in a UCI licence remains uncertain – cycling rarely offers guarantees – but the direction of travel is unmistakable. One year on, 360 Cycling is no longer simply growing. It is organising itself for the long term.
Read the domestic men’s team guide here.
Featured image: Olly Hassell/SWpix.com
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