JOE LAVERICK

The goalkeeper- turned- cyclist who has joined Axel Merckx’s team for 2021

Tell me about Joe. Joe Laverick is a 20year-old from Grimsby, who has just signed for Hagens Berman Axeon for 2021, after racing with Chambéry CF, Ag2r’s feeder team, in 2020. He got into cycling after playing football to a reasonably high level. Goalie, in case you were wondering.

Is he a future Giro champion?

Joe may not be the next Tao, but Axeon have an excellent track record at developing young riders. Anglophone HBA graduates have quite often moved to Ineos.

What does Joe make of HBA?

He’s excited to work with Axel Merckx’s team and experience bigger races. He tells Procycling: “When Axel Merckx emails you as a U23 you reply straight away. I was on a night out in Chambéry and got a call from Axel asking to chat. I’m more motivated than ever before. You don’t want to be that rider who is on Axeon and isn’t performing. If you can’t go pro from Axeon you can’t go pro from anywhere.”

What kind of rider is he?

Joe says that he doesn’t know yet. He says: “All my best results have come in time trials and I can climb pretty well too. I’m relatively light, but my engine is still developing. I want to try everything.”

What results does he have so far?

One highlight was eighth in the junior TT world champs in 2018. He also beat Remco Evenepoel in a TT, which he points out is a bigger deal now than at the time.

How did he find riding in France?

2020 was tough, and not just because of the pandemic. He explains: “It was very French, and nothing seemed to have changed since the 90s. I didn’t speak much French, it was hard to fit in. We didn’t always see eye to eye. Britain is a relatively new cycling nation so things are a lot more science driven, whereas in France they do what they did 40 years ago.”

What’s the dream?

For Joe, it isn’t winning the Tour or even one of the monuments. “The dream is to win a world title. There’s something about the rainbow bands that does it for me.”