Welcome back to The British Continental. Refreshed and eager to get podcasting again after a summer break, we’ve got a set of episodes planned for you all focused on this year’s Tour of Britain.
Listen out for daily audio diaries from British Continental riders and staff, giving you unparalleled insight into the race from the perspective of the domestic teams after each stage.
First up, though, we have an in-depth interview with Canyon dhb SunGod owner and DS Tim Elverson.
Elverson has taken the team a long way in its short existence. Established in 2015 as elite-level squad Pedal Heaven, the team is now the domestic scene’s longest-running – and arguably most successful - squad. They have an ambitious race calendar, one that sees the team regularly competing at a high level, often going toe-to-toe with some of the best WorldTour teams.
We spoke with Tim just a few days out from the Tour of Britain. The British road racing calendar has been severely disrupted by Covid-19 restrictions, leaving domestic teams with slim pickings when it comes to top-level racing at home. As the only major road race on UK soil for men in 2021, the Tour of Britain is even more important than usual for British Continental teams.
What’s more, as Tim reveals in the interview, the team goes into the race with an uncertain future, still looking for the additional funds it needs to continue into 2022.
As well as the team’s potentially perilous position, we talk about how the season has gone for the team, the tough decisions Tim has had to make in choosing his squad for the race, and the approach the team will take to racing the first UCI stage race held in Britain for two years.
**Listeners can still get 10% off with luxury skincare brand VeloSkin, a brand that sponsors Tim’s Canyon dhb SunGod team as well as Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling. Just shop at using this link and the discount should automatically be applied when checking out. **
The British Continental. Proudly presented by Le Col, supported by Pro-Noctis