Drops saved at the last
Boss Varney keeps women’s team on the road
After weeks of uncertainty about their future, the Drops team have announced they will be continuing as the only British UCI women’s team. However, their funding crisis means none of their riders will be paid to race.
“We are very sad and very embarrassed,” Bob Varney, who owns the team with his son Tom, told CW. “It wasn’t a decision that we took lightly; it was something we did in communication with our riders. It was a collective decision. We wouldn’t have been able to run the team with salaries.
“We are actively seeking additional funding, and they will get paid if we get the funding, but they will get a good race programme, they will get first-class equipment, and full expenses.
“It is disappointing, but we would rather have a team than not.”
The recent uncertainty means the team have been forced to cancel a December training camp and withdraw from January’s Santos Women’s Tour Down Under.
Now the team, who will revert to their original name from Trek-drops, plan to start their 2019 campaign in late February and will compete through to the end of September.
While the roster was not available at the time of going to press, Varney said the squad would have 10 riders, including one overseas rider. He did, however, reveal former professional and coach Jonny Bellis would be joining the team as directeur sportif.
The uncertainty began in early summer when the team was told by Trek it would be launching its own women’s outfit, and while a new backer was soon found, it withdrew at the end of October, after which the team launched a crowdfunding campaign.
“We had to do something that really raised awareness,” continued Varney. “We perhaps replaced Trek a little too easily, perhaps we could have been a little more diligent.
“People have asked why we are continuing and why we are putting ourselves through this, but we are determined people and the amount of support we have had across the board is really uplifting and it makes us want to fight harder.”
As time ran out for the team to raise sufficient funds, one of the biggest factors in their continued existence was help from both British Cycling and the UCI, who extended their registration deadlines.
“They felt we were a project worth helping, so we are obviously eternally grateful to both British Cycling and the UCI,” Varney said.