Grass-roots scene steps up to solve its problems

Open letter from race organiser highlights issues and ways to combat failing system, reports Paul Knott

Payments of £200,000 from British Cycling to top domestic teams, moving the Tour Series, and forming season-long competitions, are among suggestions put forward to help stabilise the turbulent domestic racing scene.

Chris Pook, organiser of the National-b level Giro Del Mon, posted an open letter last week with a 20-point plan that could be implemented to improve the British racing scene after a spate of teams and races folded.

The plan includes the formation of an eight-round men’s and women’s road race series from April to June, with the leading riders and teams in the series then gaining qualification for the National Championships and the Tour of Britain.

“If you’re 19 or 20 years old and not in that BC clique around Manchester and you want to get into it then you need to do that by road results,” Pook told CW. “There needs to be a structured and sustainable series that has credibility and history and that you know is going to be there every year,” he added.

One of the more controversial points in Pook’s letter was to move the Tour Series from May to July. He also suggested making it voluntary to ride, rather than necessary for Tour of Britain qualification.

“There’s a time and a place for it,” Pook said. “Perhaps before the National Circuit Championships. You could have a two-to three-week window and they’d still get lots of people wanting to ride it because it’s a town centre crit and it’s a well organised event. But the problem is the time of year, when it

can stunt a rider’s form.”

Unsurprisingly, the suggestion drew a response from Sweetspot boss Mick Bennett, organiser of the Tour Series, who questioned on social media why the current Tour of Britain qualification system wasn’t working.

An important part of Pook’s plan was a proposal to solve the current collapse of teams by having a top tier of eight elite teams that would apply for a £200,000 annual payment from British Cycling to help with funding. Cycling Weekly contacted BC, which was aware of the letter but declined to comment on it.

It isn’t just Pook trying to plan ways forward for the British scene. Local organisers will be holding an open meeting at Hillingdon Cycle Circuit on November 28 to discuss the current dilemma. All parties involved in the sport are welcome to attend and discuss the current issues within the domestic scene and potential solutions, with the aim of putting their own proposals together.

“The plan includes a men’s and women’s road series”