To be able to compete in the 2025 season in a French club, nineteen British riders aged 19 to 22 received financial support from the Dave Rayner Foundation based in the United Kingdom. Among the athletes thus supported, Ben Askey, 20 years old, specialist in Paris-Roubaix Espoirs (10th in 2023 and 6th in 2024), spent this winter from the Continentale Groupama-FDJ to CC Etupes.
This sponsorship system has already allowed several British Hopefuls to find a professional contract while studying in France. Past beneficiaries include David Millar, Dan Martin and Adam Yates. This program is supposed to produce a “win-win” effect between the runners, who receive enough to pay for their transport, accommodation and food; French clubs who can thus hire some of the best talents across the Channel; and the British training sector, which has very few amateur clubs and Continental teams.
On the French side, several clubs welcome two to three talented members of the Dave Rayner Foundation, such as AVC Aix-en-Provence (Joe Brookes, Jack Brough, Mark Lightfoot), CC Etupes (Ben Askey, Alistair Gardner), SCO Dijon-Team Matériau-velo.com (Ollie Boarer, Alfie George), Team Bricquebec Cotentin (James Hartley, Matthew Lord), l'A.PO.GÉ Cycliste (Max Krasinski, Ben Marsh) and C'Chartres Cyclisme (Thomas Mead, Paul Opie). By recruiting a rider this season, Vendée U (Adam Mitchell), AC Bisontine (Bradley Perkins), ESEG Douai (Joseph Smith), Béziers Méditerranée Cyclisme (Matt Thompson), ASPTT Nancy (Ben Bright), Bourg-en-Bresse Ain Cyclisme (Huw Buck) and Mayenne-V and B-Monbana (Ben Chilton) participate in this program in their own way.
In total, the Dave Rayner Foundation has selected 35 male and three female riders to support for the 2025 season. While France is the main host country, other young cyclists have obtained contracts in Belgium, Spain and Italy, including in pro team reserves, Visma Lab Devo, Lidl-Trek Devo and Caja Rural U23.
Created in 1995 in memory of the runner David Rayner (1967-1994), who died accidentally at the age of 27, the foundation which bears his name has since its inception helped 90 runners to turn professional and raised a total of 1.2 million pounds ( 1.4 million euros) thanks to the generosity of private donors.
The complete list of the Rayner Foudation class of 2025:
Ben Askey (CC Etupes)
Brandon Baldacci (Rostese cyclist)
Ollie Boarer (SCO Dijon-Team Matériel-velo.com)
Ben Bright (ASPTT Nancy)
Joe Brookes (AVC Aix-en-Provence)
Jack Brough (AVC Aix-en-Provence) – our photo
Huw Buck (Bourg-en-Bresse Ain Cycling)
Ben Chilton (Mayenne-V and B-Monbana)
Taylor Churchill (Hubo Scott CT)
Robyn Clay (DAS Hutchinson)
Joe Cosgrove (Lotto Kern Haus PSD Bank)
Mattie Dodd (Tirol KTC)
Alistair Gardner (CC Etupes)
Alfie George (SCO Dijon-Team Material-velo.com)
Sebastian Grindley (Lidl Trek Devo)
James Hartley (Team Bricquebec Cotentin)
Ella Jamieson (Massi Bax Ter)
Max Krasinski (A.PO.GÉ Cyclist)
Mark Lightfoot (AVC Aix-en-Provence)
Owen Lightfoot (CC Rias Baixas)
Matthew Lord (Team Bricquebec Cotentin)
Nick Makin (Hubo Scott CT)
Ben Marsh (A.PO.GÉ Cyclist)
Thomas Mead (C’Chartres Cyclisme)
Adam Mitchell (Vendée U)
Paul Opie (Chartres Cycling)
Bradley Perkins (AC Bisontine)
Will Piccin (EFC Van Mossel)
Alex Pickering (Summer TBA)
Awen Roberts (Canyon SRAM Generation)
Joseph Smith (ESEG Douai)
Will Smith (Visma LAB Devo)
Jed Smithson (Visma LAB Devo)
Matt Thompson (Béziers Méditerranée Cyclisme)
Lucas Towers (Caja Rural U23)
Joseph Turnbull (Sima Cepial)
Callum Twelves (Torres Trigon)
George Wood (Mg.K Vis Colors for Peace)
France
Cycling
