Topp Cycling to power The British Continental’s National Road Series previews in 2026
Topp Cycling will sponsor The British Continental’s National Road Series previews this season, bringing data-driven insight to our coverage of the courses and routes that shape some of Britain’s biggest domestic road races.
There is always a tension at the heart of a race preview.
Part of the job is to describe what is there in plain sight: the route, the climbs, the likely weather, the nature of the roads, the riders on the start sheet. But another part is about trying to read what may happen when those elements are thrown together at speed. Where a race might split. Which terrain will suit whom. How a course can sharpen, expose or distort the form book.
This season, The British Continental’s National Road Series previews will have another layer to them.
We are pleased to welcome Topp Cycling as sponsor of our National Road Series previews for 2026. Throughout the season, they will appear as National Road Series previews powered by Topp Cycling, with Topp bringing data-driven insight into the courses and routes of some of the country’s biggest domestic road races.
It is a partnership that feels fitting. At their best, previews do not simply list contenders or rehearse last year’s results. They help readers understand the race a little better: why a finish matters, how a climb bites, where a selection may be made, and which riders might be suited by the demands of the day. Topp Cycling’s work with performance data offers another way into that task.
I founded Topp Cycling because I believe World Tour-level training and insight shouldn’t be limited to the sport’s elite riders
The company was founded by coach Jake Hollins, whose background in the sport – both as a rider and in working closely with athletes – shaped the thinking behind it.
“I’ve been involved in cycling for most of my life, both as a rider and working closely with athletes as a coach,” Hollins said. “Those experiences shaped how I think about cycling today and ultimately led to the creation of Topp Cycling.”
For Hollins, the starting point was a belief that high-level performance support should not be reserved for the few.
“I founded Topp Cycling because I believe World Tour-level training and insight shouldn’t be limited to the sport’s elite riders,” he said. “There are so many passionate riders out there who want to improve and understand their performance better. We’re making that level of training and performance insight available to anyone who loves the sport and wants to get faster.
“As a coach, working with performance data was always one of my biggest strengths. Years ago, the hard part was getting hold of meaningful data. Now the opposite is true. Riders have access to more data than ever, but most still do not have the support to interpret it properly or use it to make better decisions.
Jake Hollins. Image: Pitchside Photography
“That is the real advantage World Tour riders have. Not just better legs, but better support. They have coaches, nutritionists, physiologists and analysts helping them turn data into smarter training. Topp exists to make that level of training and performance insight available to any rider who wants to improve.”
That emphasis on interpretation matters. Data, on its own, can flatten a sport as much as illuminate it. What matters is not simply having numbers, but knowing what to do with them – and what they may reveal about the shape of a race before the flag drops.
That is what Topp Cycling will bring to the previews.
“Performance data is at the heart of what we do at Topp Cycling,” Hollins said. “We have built our own algorithms that analyse rider performance, race history and different performance indicators to understand how riders compare with each other. That allows us to make informed predictions about how races might play out and where riders are likely to finish in the pack.”
For The British Continental, the partnership is also about something broader than preview analysis alone. Domestic road racing survives on effort that is often underpaid, under-recognised or simply unseen: organisers trying to make events stack up, volunteers giving long days to keep races on the road, teams piecing together programmes, riders chasing results with limited support. Journalism has its place in that ecosystem too, and so does sponsorship that helps sustain coverage.
A lot of people work incredibly hard to make the domestic scene happen, from riders and teams to organisers and volunteers. If we can help shine a light on that and support coverage of the racing, we’re proud to play a part
Hollins said that was central to Topp Cycling’s decision to get involved.
“We wanted to work with The British Continental because it does a fantastic job of telling the stories behind British racing,” he said. “A lot of people work incredibly hard to make the domestic scene happen, from riders and teams to organisers and volunteers. If we can help shine a light on that and support coverage of the racing, we’re proud to play a part.”
That support is not confined to media.
“UK cycling means a lot to us and we want to support it as much as we can,” Hollins said. “That is why we’re really pleased to step in and back Cold Dark North’s race at Capernwray next month. We want to do our bit to help the scene continue to grow.”
The National Road Series sits among the key threads of the domestic road season: a set of races that repeatedly test riders across varied terrain, reward consistency as well as flair, and offer some of the clearest markers of who is truly shaping the year. They deserve coverage that does more than skim the surface.
With Topp Cycling on board, we hope these previews will do that with greater depth and precision: combining reporting, context and feel for the scene with a sharper understanding of how the roads themselves may influence what unfolds on them.
Topp Cycling is offering the first 250 riders who sign up six months of coaching for £150. Find the offer here.
There is always a tension at the heart of a race preview.
Part of the job is to describe what is there in plain sight: the route, the climbs, the likely weather, the nature of the roads, the riders on the start sheet. But another part is about trying to read what may happen when those elements are thrown together at speed. Where a race might split. Which terrain will suit whom. How a course can sharpen, expose or distort the form book.
This season, The British Continental’s National Road Series previews will have another layer to them.
We are pleased to welcome Topp Cycling as sponsor of our National Road Series previews for 2026. Throughout the season, they will appear as National Road Series previews powered by Topp Cycling, with Topp bringing data-driven insight into the courses and routes of some of the country’s biggest domestic road races.
It is a partnership that feels fitting. At their best, previews do not simply list contenders or rehearse last year’s results. They help readers understand the race a little better: why a finish matters, how a climb bites, where a selection may be made, and which riders might be suited by the demands of the day. Topp Cycling’s work with performance data offers another way into that task.
The company was founded by coach Jake Hollins, whose background in the sport – both as a rider and in working closely with athletes – shaped the thinking behind it.
“I’ve been involved in cycling for most of my life, both as a rider and working closely with athletes as a coach,” Hollins said. “Those experiences shaped how I think about cycling today and ultimately led to the creation of Topp Cycling.”
For Hollins, the starting point was a belief that high-level performance support should not be reserved for the few.
“I founded Topp Cycling because I believe World Tour-level training and insight shouldn’t be limited to the sport’s elite riders,” he said. “There are so many passionate riders out there who want to improve and understand their performance better. We’re making that level of training and performance insight available to anyone who loves the sport and wants to get faster.
“As a coach, working with performance data was always one of my biggest strengths. Years ago, the hard part was getting hold of meaningful data. Now the opposite is true. Riders have access to more data than ever, but most still do not have the support to interpret it properly or use it to make better decisions.
“That is the real advantage World Tour riders have. Not just better legs, but better support. They have coaches, nutritionists, physiologists and analysts helping them turn data into smarter training. Topp exists to make that level of training and performance insight available to any rider who wants to improve.”
That emphasis on interpretation matters. Data, on its own, can flatten a sport as much as illuminate it. What matters is not simply having numbers, but knowing what to do with them – and what they may reveal about the shape of a race before the flag drops.
That is what Topp Cycling will bring to the previews.
“Performance data is at the heart of what we do at Topp Cycling,” Hollins said. “We have built our own algorithms that analyse rider performance, race history and different performance indicators to understand how riders compare with each other. That allows us to make informed predictions about how races might play out and where riders are likely to finish in the pack.”
For The British Continental, the partnership is also about something broader than preview analysis alone. Domestic road racing survives on effort that is often underpaid, under-recognised or simply unseen: organisers trying to make events stack up, volunteers giving long days to keep races on the road, teams piecing together programmes, riders chasing results with limited support. Journalism has its place in that ecosystem too, and so does sponsorship that helps sustain coverage.
Hollins said that was central to Topp Cycling’s decision to get involved.
“We wanted to work with The British Continental because it does a fantastic job of telling the stories behind British racing,” he said. “A lot of people work incredibly hard to make the domestic scene happen, from riders and teams to organisers and volunteers. If we can help shine a light on that and support coverage of the racing, we’re proud to play a part.”
That support is not confined to media.
“UK cycling means a lot to us and we want to support it as much as we can,” Hollins said. “That is why we’re really pleased to step in and back Cold Dark North’s race at Capernwray next month. We want to do our bit to help the scene continue to grow.”
The National Road Series sits among the key threads of the domestic road season: a set of races that repeatedly test riders across varied terrain, reward consistency as well as flair, and offer some of the clearest markers of who is truly shaping the year. They deserve coverage that does more than skim the surface.
With Topp Cycling on board, we hope these previews will do that with greater depth and precision: combining reporting, context and feel for the scene with a sharper understanding of how the roads themselves may influence what unfolds on them.
Topp Cycling is offering the first 250 riders who sign up six months of coaching for £150. Find the offer here.
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