Lily Martin becomes a UCI rider on Saturday without changing the jersey she will wear in two of her most important races this season.
Handsling Alba Development Road Team announced on Thursday morning that Martin joins as a stagiaire with effect from 1 August, describing the move as a continuation of the development she began at London Academy and has carried on this year at Loughborough Lightning. The British Continental understands her UCI race programme with the Scottish Continental team has not yet been set, and that she will continue to ride for Loughborough in domestic races, including the remaining rounds of the women’s National Road Series.
That matters, because those rounds are live. Martin is second in the series, 28 points behind Morven Yeoman, with the Curlew Cup on 9 August and the North Yorkshire Grand Prix on 16 August still to run.
“Lily’s had a fantastic season, and bringing her in as a stagiaire means she gets to gain experience at UCI level while she’s on a real upward curve,” team manager Bob Lyons said. “This is exactly what Handsling Alba’s development philosophy is about. It’s a great fit for her, and it complements everything she’s been working towards with Loughborough Lightning and London Academy.”
Martin’s season has built steadily rather than arrived. Fourth overall at the Peak 2 Day in March and eighth at the ANEXO/CAMS Women’s CiCLE Classic, she took her first win of the year at the Banbury Star Women’s Road Race in May, attacking the final ascent of The Knowle to finish around 15 seconds clear of Amy Henchoz. The BUCS Road Race Championship followed a week later, again alone. Her Lancaster Grand Prix win on 12 July was the significant one: a first National Road Series victory, taken by more than a minute over Yeoman and Lucy Lee of DAS–Hutchinson. She was second to Lucy Harris at the South Molton Grand Prix on 19 July, and she leads The British Continental‘s women’s road race rankings.
For Alba, the signing fits the pattern of a team that has become synonymous with rider progression and development. Eilidh Shaw left for UAE Development Team after her 2024 domestic double, and Lauren Dickson became the team’s first WorldTour graduate this winter when she joined FDJ–SUEZ.
Lily Martin becomes a UCI rider on Saturday without changing the jersey she will wear in two of her most important races this season.
Handsling Alba Development Road Team announced on Thursday morning that Martin joins as a stagiaire with effect from 1 August, describing the move as a continuation of the development she began at London Academy and has carried on this year at Loughborough Lightning. The British Continental understands her UCI race programme with the Scottish Continental team has not yet been set, and that she will continue to ride for Loughborough in domestic races, including the remaining rounds of the women’s National Road Series.
That matters, because those rounds are live. Martin is second in the series, 28 points behind Morven Yeoman, with the Curlew Cup on 9 August and the North Yorkshire Grand Prix on 16 August still to run.
“Lily’s had a fantastic season, and bringing her in as a stagiaire means she gets to gain experience at UCI level while she’s on a real upward curve,” team manager Bob Lyons said. “This is exactly what Handsling Alba’s development philosophy is about. It’s a great fit for her, and it complements everything she’s been working towards with Loughborough Lightning and London Academy.”
Martin’s season has built steadily rather than arrived. Fourth overall at the Peak 2 Day in March and eighth at the ANEXO/CAMS Women’s CiCLE Classic, she took her first win of the year at the Banbury Star Women’s Road Race in May, attacking the final ascent of The Knowle to finish around 15 seconds clear of Amy Henchoz. The BUCS Road Race Championship followed a week later, again alone. Her Lancaster Grand Prix win on 12 July was the significant one: a first National Road Series victory, taken by more than a minute over Yeoman and Lucy Lee of DAS–Hutchinson. She was second to Lucy Harris at the South Molton Grand Prix on 19 July, and she leads The British Continental‘s women’s road race rankings.
For Alba, the signing fits the pattern of a team that has become synonymous with rider progression and development. Eilidh Shaw left for UAE Development Team after her 2024 domestic double, and Lauren Dickson became the team’s first WorldTour graduate this winter when she joined FDJ–SUEZ.
Featured image: Olly Hassell/SWpix.com
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