The lasting legacy of a cycling race team from St Albans was lauded as they prepare for a seventh season.
Verulam Reallymoving is moving into its seventh season in 2023 and their success at bringing through young riders from Hertfordshire, and giving them exposure of top-end bike racing, was highlighted at their launch event held at Spoke Cycles cafe and workshop in Codicote.
On presenting duties was Jez Cox, director of the cycling academy at Oaklands College and also a Eurosport and GCN commentator, and he pointed to a recent race he was covering as proof.
He said: I was commentating on the Tour of Taiwan and was absolutely delighted to see young Will Smith at the front of the field.
"Will is a fantastic example of the legacy that Verulam Reallymoving is delivering.
"He is now racing for one of the top UK teams, Trinity Racing, having been supported and nurtured by Verulam Reallymoving as a youth, giving him the opportunity to now be competing on the world stage."
Samuel Stacey could be one of the next to burst onto the scene having been selected for the British Cycling Regional School of Racing programme.
A bit further behind is one of the new generation, nine-year-old George Rice.
He is a regular winner at the Welwyn Track League and has started this season with a bang, winning the U10 race at the MK Bowl Spring Youth Bowl Circuit Series.
And he hopes to follow in the footsteps of another young world and Olympic champion.
He said: "My favourite type of cycling is cyclo-cross because I like the mud but this year I’m racing on circuits at Hillingdon and Milton Keynes.
"I'll be back on the track when the season starts and back to cyclo-cross later in the year.
"I want to follow my cycling hero, Tom Pidcock."
The last 12 months have also seen the club continue to benefit from lead sponsors Verulam Cycling Club and Reallymoving.com, whose ongoing support has created a stability and helped projects like the Cottonmill Cycling Hub come to fruition.
The newest addition to the sponsors' list is Whitton Electrical and Jon Whitton explained why he had backed the squad.
He said: "Sponsoring the team is a natural progression from our company’s already long relationship with local cycling through events such as the Fete du Velo in Redbourn.
"The results last year were outstanding and I fully expect that the team will have the same level of success that the other sports team we support, Hemel Storm Basketball, have achieved."
The team don't just focus on the youths though and some of their older team-mates are there to encourage as well as win races in their own right.
Alan Gunner, who is a force in both cyclo-cross and mountain biking, told the youngsters to "live for the moment" and " enjoy their successes at the time rather than constantly focussing on what comes next".
Masters racer Jared Millar added: "I love the tactics, the game of chess that plays out on a race.
"I would say to the young riders that they should think about what they love about racing, focus on it, learn about it, train hard and then you’ll get so much out of the sport.
"You don’t have to be the strongest rider to win; sometimes you just have to be the smartest."
The club though is continuing to recruit at all ages with Batu Yildiz having made the step up from Verulam CC.
He said: "Matt Wight and I joined the team to take the next step in applying our talents to racing.
"John Jones has been helping me to become part of the team and I’m excited to have this opportunity to show what I can do.
"I’ve had about six races so far so I’m on a learning curve but I’m enjoying it."
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