Whereas there are extra British riders than ever within the males’s WorldTour, the home racing scene within the UK continues to take hits, with the final remaining Continental crew asserting their closure yesterday.
Saint Piran, the Cornwall-based crew named after the county’s patron saint, has competed within the UCI’s third racing class since 2021 however will not function in 2025 after a tricky season and struggling to safe sponsorship.
They introduced their closure on Tuesday night, simply two weeks after CyclingWeekly Tom Pidcock and Ben Healy’s bounce to the WorldTour, would additionally shut.
Regardless of 34 riders being set to compete in males’s biking’s prime division subsequent season, the Continental stage is left teamless.
“There’s a vivid future for UK biking. However that thrilling future will occur with out Saint Piran Professional Biking. With a tricky season behind us, and extra lately turbulent media protection hitting sponsorship alternatives for subsequent yr, it has been determined that Saint Piran Professional Biking UCI Continental Staff is not going to take to the startline in 2025,” learn a press release from the crew.
“Over the previous six months, the senior crew has undertaken a strategic evaluate analysing how we are able to improve the alternatives for a few of the UK’s brightest skills and encourage extra to get on bikes. To realize each we have now to maneuver to the following stage. It’s not attainable for any skilled sports activities crew to face nonetheless.”
Saint-Piran have been on the centre of controversy all through the latter phases of 2024, after it was reported that they’d been utilizing unmarked Chinese language frames with faux UCI approval stickers utilized to them, in response to reviews by CyclingWeekly
In the course of the peak years of British biking from 2010-2019, there have been at the very least 5 UK-based Continental groups operating. The final time there have been none was in 2004.
4 British ladies’s Continental groups are set to be operational in 2025.
Saint-Piran was the earlier crew of present WorldTour Brit Jack Rootkin-Grey and is at present dwelling to a number of former Monitor Biking world champions comparable to Will Tidball and Ollie Wooden. Lots of their 21 contracted riders’ futures from 2024 can be plunged into doubt.
“This has been an extremely tough determination for all at Saint Piran however one which we consider is true. Sadly for us, the celebrities didn’t align in 2024 and it has taken its toll. Unhealthy luck, poor well being and an unfair reminder we have now made errors over the eight years of growth have contributed to this determination,” continued the assertion.
“Earlier than some in our sport rejoice and little doubt sensationalise the closure of the crew, you will need to perceive how a lot has been invested in getting this small crew to a spot on the UCI desk. Our determination has a a lot wider influence that deserves extra dialogue than simply sensationalised headlines.
“We wish to take this chance to thank everybody who performed a component in our progress and success over our eight years. It couldn’t have been attainable with out you.”
