A year to make it count: Horsfield bets on Cycling Sheffield
After a breakthrough season with Reflex-Nopinz, Josh Horsfield steps into Cycling Sheffield with a clear objective: use one year to learn quickly, race hard, and earn a move to the continent.
Josh Horsfield cuts a relaxed figure as he mingles with sponsors, guests, and the media at the Cycling Sheffield team launch, such an occasion one of many firsts this season for Dave Coulson’s new signing.
“You feel like a pro, don’t you?” he smiles, chatting to The British Continental, surrounded by his new teammates, some of whom he is five years the senior, having joined the Elite Development Team after a breakthrough 2025 with Reflex-Nopinz.
I’m excited to, I guess, pass on what I know, if they want a bit of help, and to get stuck in this year
“I absolutely do!” the 24-year-old laughs when asked if such a setting makes him feel like the old man of the team.
“It’s a bit daunting,” he continues, “but they’re all proper mature lads. And I’m excited to, I guess, pass on what I know, if they want a bit of help, and to get stuck in this year.”
Horsfield is, in many ways, an enigma in his new surroundings. Despite his relative experience as a National B road and circuit race winner, he readily admits he has a lot to learn when it comes to riding as part of a team, the former Mud Dock Racing rider looking at 2026 as a one-year finishing school rather than a longer-term project, as many of those around him are undertaking.
Horsfield at the 2026 Clayton Spring Classic. Image: Joe Hudson
“The goal, ultimately, is to go abroad and race abroad,” he sets out with conviction, taking inspiration from riders such as Adam Mitchell and David Hird, both beneficiaries of a solitary year under Coulson’s wing, using it as a springboard to successful, ongoing stints on the continent.
“Being honest, I did have a few opportunities [to move abroad], but they just didn’t quite fit,” he reveals, hoping a year on a squad renowned for helping riders find opportunities in Europe will pay dividends for him.
I spoke to Dave, and the opportunities we’ve got this year, racing in France and Belgium, I just think it’s the right fit for me. I’ve got a really good feeling about this year
“I spoke to Dave, and the opportunities we’ve got this year, racing in France and Belgium, I just think it’s the right fit for me. I’ve got a really good feeling about this year,” he adds.
Now a full-time cyclist, having given up his job in pursuit of his goal, Horsfield is under no illusions that 2026 is the most important year of his career so far, the next six months critical in what is a make-or-break season.
“You can put opportunities down to Covid or whatever you want, but it is what it is. Obviously I’d love to keep trying, but you’ve got to bite the bullet at some point. I’m not getting any younger, am I?” he points out, the lack of UCI teams based in the UK forcing not only Horsfield’s, but his generation’s, hand when it comes to their futures.
“It’s a shame the UK is in the state that it’s in, because obviously you’d want to stay at home. But I really want to go as far as I can in the sport, and I think Europe is probably the only way to do that now, unfortunately,” he reasons.
Horsfield caught the eye with some impressive performances in a breakthrough 2025 racing for Reflex-Nopinz, a stage win in the Sherpa Performance Stage Race the highlight of a campaign which included top tens in the Wheldrake 200, Royal Navy Cup, and his local Evesham Vale Road Race.
At the 2026 Portsdown Classic. Image: Paceline Media
“I can do the flat stuff, the rolling stuff, just anything without a massive hill in it,” he confirms, Coulson likening him to James Hartley as he introduces his new signing to the auditorium, describing him as a punchy rider with a fast finish from a small group.
“I think the main thing for me was the mental side of racing,” Horsfield declares, looking back on 2025, the kit he is sporting one that he would once have let get the better of him.
I think the main thing for me was the mental side of racing. It’s really easy to get intimidated by all the jerseys and other riders, but I kind of just got it out of my head and cracked on
“It’s really easy to get intimidated by all the jerseys and other riders, but I kind of just got it out of my head and cracked on,” he says.
“I had a really consistent winter. I got – not a brand new coach, because I’d worked with [Josh Whitehead] the year before when I was at Mud Dock – but we just sort of really knuckled down, got dialled in, really disciplined, and yeah, I really found my feet.
“I was in a really good place mentally. I think it’s all about having the right people around you.”
Horsfield has started 2026 in a similar vein, already raising his arms in victory in a National B criterium at the Doncaster Dome, starting as he means to go on after telling the audience his ambition, aside from securing a ride in Europe for 2027, was simply “to win”.
However, he is aware bigger challenges are to come, the circuit races he has, and continues to, impress in secondary to occasions such as the Beaumont Trophy and Lincoln GP this season.
“I did focus on the circuit series last year and I got 10th overall in the series, and I’m absolutely going to give it another go, but I don’t think it’s going to be my main goal. I just don’t think European teams are really bothered about crits.
I think the big, prestigious races are definitely a goal
“I think the big, prestigious races – well, they’re prestigious, aren’t they?! Everyone knows what Lincoln is about, so races like that are definitely a goal,” he smiles.
As well as the National Road Series, Horsfield will have the opportunity to flex his legs on the continent, Cycling Sheffield offering multiple race days in both France and Belgium over the course of the season.
“100%,” he replies when asked if these dates were a goal, races such as the Tour des Deux-Sèvres and Estivale Bretonne offering not only valuable stage race experience and the chance to shine, but a certain amount of redemption.
“I’ve raced in Belgium quite a bit, and I’ve raced in France a little bit, not as much as I’d have liked to,” he explains.
“I did go to France at the end of last year, guesting for a team, but I was ill for the week I was there, so it kind of just crumbled. Just poor timing.”
Relaxed and quietly confident, there is little sign that the 24-year-old’s future is on the line, belief that Cycling Sheffield is also the right place as he looks to further his career, following in the footsteps of many of the guests surrounding him at what is his first – but may not be his last – team launch.
Josh Horsfield cuts a relaxed figure as he mingles with sponsors, guests, and the media at the Cycling Sheffield team launch, such an occasion one of many firsts this season for Dave Coulson’s new signing.
“You feel like a pro, don’t you?” he smiles, chatting to The British Continental, surrounded by his new teammates, some of whom he is five years the senior, having joined the Elite Development Team after a breakthrough 2025 with Reflex-Nopinz.
“I absolutely do!” the 24-year-old laughs when asked if such a setting makes him feel like the old man of the team.
“It’s a bit daunting,” he continues, “but they’re all proper mature lads. And I’m excited to, I guess, pass on what I know, if they want a bit of help, and to get stuck in this year.”
Horsfield is, in many ways, an enigma in his new surroundings. Despite his relative experience as a National B road and circuit race winner, he readily admits he has a lot to learn when it comes to riding as part of a team, the former Mud Dock Racing rider looking at 2026 as a one-year finishing school rather than a longer-term project, as many of those around him are undertaking.
“The goal, ultimately, is to go abroad and race abroad,” he sets out with conviction, taking inspiration from riders such as Adam Mitchell and David Hird, both beneficiaries of a solitary year under Coulson’s wing, using it as a springboard to successful, ongoing stints on the continent.
“Being honest, I did have a few opportunities [to move abroad], but they just didn’t quite fit,” he reveals, hoping a year on a squad renowned for helping riders find opportunities in Europe will pay dividends for him.
“I spoke to Dave, and the opportunities we’ve got this year, racing in France and Belgium, I just think it’s the right fit for me. I’ve got a really good feeling about this year,” he adds.
Now a full-time cyclist, having given up his job in pursuit of his goal, Horsfield is under no illusions that 2026 is the most important year of his career so far, the next six months critical in what is a make-or-break season.
“You can put opportunities down to Covid or whatever you want, but it is what it is. Obviously I’d love to keep trying, but you’ve got to bite the bullet at some point. I’m not getting any younger, am I?” he points out, the lack of UCI teams based in the UK forcing not only Horsfield’s, but his generation’s, hand when it comes to their futures.
“It’s a shame the UK is in the state that it’s in, because obviously you’d want to stay at home. But I really want to go as far as I can in the sport, and I think Europe is probably the only way to do that now, unfortunately,” he reasons.
Horsfield caught the eye with some impressive performances in a breakthrough 2025 racing for Reflex-Nopinz, a stage win in the Sherpa Performance Stage Race the highlight of a campaign which included top tens in the Wheldrake 200, Royal Navy Cup, and his local Evesham Vale Road Race.
“I can do the flat stuff, the rolling stuff, just anything without a massive hill in it,” he confirms, Coulson likening him to James Hartley as he introduces his new signing to the auditorium, describing him as a punchy rider with a fast finish from a small group.
“I think the main thing for me was the mental side of racing,” Horsfield declares, looking back on 2025, the kit he is sporting one that he would once have let get the better of him.
“It’s really easy to get intimidated by all the jerseys and other riders, but I kind of just got it out of my head and cracked on,” he says.
“I had a really consistent winter. I got – not a brand new coach, because I’d worked with [Josh Whitehead] the year before when I was at Mud Dock – but we just sort of really knuckled down, got dialled in, really disciplined, and yeah, I really found my feet.
“I was in a really good place mentally. I think it’s all about having the right people around you.”
Horsfield has started 2026 in a similar vein, already raising his arms in victory in a National B criterium at the Doncaster Dome, starting as he means to go on after telling the audience his ambition, aside from securing a ride in Europe for 2027, was simply “to win”.
However, he is aware bigger challenges are to come, the circuit races he has, and continues to, impress in secondary to occasions such as the Beaumont Trophy and Lincoln GP this season.
“I did focus on the circuit series last year and I got 10th overall in the series, and I’m absolutely going to give it another go, but I don’t think it’s going to be my main goal. I just don’t think European teams are really bothered about crits.
“I think the big, prestigious races – well, they’re prestigious, aren’t they?! Everyone knows what Lincoln is about, so races like that are definitely a goal,” he smiles.
As well as the National Road Series, Horsfield will have the opportunity to flex his legs on the continent, Cycling Sheffield offering multiple race days in both France and Belgium over the course of the season.
“100%,” he replies when asked if these dates were a goal, races such as the Tour des Deux-Sèvres and Estivale Bretonne offering not only valuable stage race experience and the chance to shine, but a certain amount of redemption.
“I’ve raced in Belgium quite a bit, and I’ve raced in France a little bit, not as much as I’d have liked to,” he explains.
“I did go to France at the end of last year, guesting for a team, but I was ill for the week I was there, so it kind of just crumbled. Just poor timing.”
Relaxed and quietly confident, there is little sign that the 24-year-old’s future is on the line, belief that Cycling Sheffield is also the right place as he looks to further his career, following in the footsteps of many of the guests surrounding him at what is his first – but may not be his last – team launch.
Featured image: Paceline Media
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