'For the love of the game' –how Britain's top male riders juggle training, full-time work, and increasing costs
Meet the elite riders stuck in high-striving limbo
Tom Armstrong and Tom Martin both ride for Wheelbase CabTech Castelli as top male cyclists in Britain. Despite their success in the National Road Series, neither of them earns a living from their cycling passion. Armstrong, a 32-year-old cyclist, has to balance his work at a bike shop in Barnsley with training and competing in races.
Martin, a 27-year-old, juggles 18 hours of training per week and long travel to races while working as a mechanical fitter in a shipyard. The cost of competing at an elite level is high and the financial rewards are lean for even the best domestic riders in Britain. The situation has been further complicated by Brexit, which restricts the freedom of movement for potential riders wanting to join European squads.
The top amateurs in Britain find themselves in a difficult position as there are no men's Continental teams to progress to the next level, and any hope of joining a European squad is hindered by the strict Schengen limit.
Written by urgent.news from Cycling Weekly's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
