Mid Devon Cycling Club

Why is the MDCC so good at nurturing young talent? The answer is possibly that riders who have competed and succeeded as racing cyclists, such as Colin Lewis, stay within the club and hand on that valuable experience they have learnt to younger riders. This is the one determining factor that has made the MDCC arguably one of Great Britain’s most successful clubs to date in terms of the riders it has produced.

Since the success of Colin Lewis, professional cyclist, Olympian, National champion and Tour De France rider, the Mid Devon Cycling Club has almost continually produced outstanding riders of international quality.

The result of the club being so rich with experience has meant that at present there are seven riders who are riding as professional cyclists after spending their Junior years with the club.

 

Among those seven are Jeremy Hunt ( retired). Twice British National Road Race Champion Tour De France rider, Olympian and currently just retiring from a 15 year career riding professionally for teams including Sky Pro Cycling. Jeremy has supported riders such as Bradley Wiggins and was in the team which helped Mark Cavendish win the World Championships. Jeremy won the Junior National Road Race Championships and alsorode for Team GB in two world championships whilst in the MDCC. Josh Hunt, Jeremy’s younger brother has also signed this year for Team UK Youth.

 

Jon Tiernan Locke, who this year won the Tour of Britain, spent his younger years with the MDCC. JTL as he is known won four big stage races on the continent in 2012 including the Tour of Britain and has now been signed by Sky Pro cycling.

 

Yanto Barker. Yanto won the national Junior Road Race Championships whilst with the club. He now also rides for British continental team UK Youth and was in 2012 placed 10th in the Tour of Britain.

Brennan Townshend. Brennan was a Junior with the club two years ago and won the Junior Tour of Wales whilst representing the club. He Rode for Team Raleigh as a first year Professional and is still finding his feet in the professional ranks. He has been signed this year for an exciting new development team managed by ex-professional and world champion Roger Hammond called Madison Genesis. He has had some good results with the team so far in 2013 Sebastian Bayliss. Seb was a Junior in 2012, coached by EPiCC uk. He represented Team GB in Junior world cup races, came second in the National championships narrowly missing out on Gold and won two national Junior Series Races among other achievements. Seb has also been signed as a professional rider by Madison Genesis.

Apart from these six note able riders the Mid Devon CC has also produced riders such as Roy Hopkins (holder of the fastest Milk Race stage and over 40′s National Champion), Mike Parker ( over 40′s National Champion) Lester Clarke (Junior National Champion), Andy Hitchens (GB Junior+ Senior Team member), Mark Woodward (GB Junior Team Member ), Andy Parker (GB Junior+ Senior Team member) and Mark Dolan (Junior National Champion and GB Team member)