One Pro Cycling to be women’s team for 2019
One Pro Cycling is to continue as a women’s team in 2019, potentially leaving its 10 current riders (all on one-year rolling deals) looking for contracts late in the season.
The team, run by former cricketer Matt Prior, cited a funding crisis within the domestic scene and a declining race programme, saying: “It’s not a healthy place at all.” In an interview with the Telegraph, Prior said there was “no value right now, we literally have to pay a fortune just to take part.” But he insisted this was a positive step for the team.
With its eye on a Worldtour berth, One Pro has largely focused on the international scene since its launch in 2015 at Continental level. In 2016 it stepped up to Pro Continental and received its first Worldtour wild card invite at the Tour of Poland.
Despite an impressive first two years, the team was only able to bring in smaller support sponsors and had to step back down to Continental level in 2017.
As the management company behind the team launched One Pro Nutrition and One Pro Insurance, the team was never able to secure the financial support it needed.
Its recent announcement came with little information and no rider names. With a string of transfers recently announced in the women’s peloton, One Pro might struggle to find riders with enough UCI points to reach Worldtour status. However, with Wiggle-high5 folding it is believed there are still enough riders on the market to fill a roster.