2021 was not a normal year but it was better than the previous one. Even so, The Rayner Foundation still managed to offer support to 42 riders...
Not all of them made it to the end of the interrupted season but a fair proportion of them had good experience in the end.
Leading the way in terms of contracts signed is Lewis Askey who has signed a World Tour Contract, always the pinnacle of our sport. After two years with development squad Groupama FDJ Conti the team were wise enough not to let him go and took him into the World tour Team Groupama FDJ where he will race with another former Rayner Rider Jake Stewart
Speed skating, 5km runs and future goals: how Lewis Askey is prioritising fun as he progresses through cycling's ranks - Cycling Weekly
Another rider who has been with us for a while, Calum Johnston, also signed a professional contract with the Pro Team Caja Rural - Seguros RGA. Calum spent his first years as an U23 with Zappi Racing Team in Italy but transferred to Spain at the start of 2021. He had quite a torrid time this year, with travel restrictions and actual Covid he only started to race in July but ended the season with four victories.... look out for him in the green and white in 2022
James McKay catches up the talented Scottish climber on Covid, Brexit and his current purple patch in Spain - The British Continental
Josie Nelson was mainly known as a cyclo-cross rider but decided to give the Belgian kermesse scene a whirl in the summer.. Racing there is fast and furious and suits a great sprinter like Josie. Barely a month had gone by and she had visited the podiums several times including standing on the top step a couple of times. Fast forward to August and she was snapped up by Women's UCI Team Coop-Hitec who immediately put her to work in their busy race programme. In September the team took her to the The Women's Tour in the UK and Josie acquitted herself well with several high placings. Following that she made a big impression at the National Championships where she was second in both the U23 and Elite classifications. Josie stays in the team for the next two seasons so we are looking forward to seeing some impressive performances...
The talented British cyclist Josie Nelson immediately joins Team Coop – Hitec Products.
Toby Perry spent most of the year in Huesca in the north of Spain, where he raced a second season with the club La Tova - Asesoria Amudevara. Its fair to say that 2021 was more successful than 2020.... 7 wins over all kinds of terrain caught the eye of Axel Merckx who has recruited Toby into his team HAGENS BERMAN AXEON for 2022....
All-round excellence: James McKay speaks with new Hagens Berman Axeon recruit Toby Perry - The British Continental
Leo Hayter had a rollercoaster of a season. He had serious motivation problems in the early season but was open and honest about it in the media and it certainly helped him and hopefully others to understand the pressures of performance. After some time off the bike to reflect he decided that racing was what he wanted to do and got stuck into some concentrated training which led him to some big successes in the late season.
A solo win at Liege Bastogne Liege U23 in September followed by another solo stage win at Le Tour de Bretagne in France. Returning to the UK in October he won the U23 Time Trial Championships in Lincoln. Staying in the Team DSM Development we feel it will not be long before we see Leo on the biggest stage.
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