British Cycling

NEWS FOR JULY 2003

PROFILE: Team Milton Keynes
by Campbell Noon, pictures by Larry Hickmott

World number 1 in Duathlon, Vickie Pincombe showed she has the potential to be one of the best in cycling with a bronze medal in the recent Womens National Road Race Championship at Celtic Manor. Vicki is one of a number of star riders in Team Milton Keynes.

In September of 2001, Team Milton Keynes was established, embracing the �Concept of One� - the objective being to unify several local clubs to establish a larger, more prominent multi-sports club. Since its inception, Team Milton Keynes has gone from strength to strength.

The merging of the MK Cycling Club and the MK Triathlon Club, along with several smaller cycling teams made Team Milton Keynes more diverse and dynamic. The name change and complete image overhaul served to brand the new club along with new team kit, web site and excellent sponsorship from local companies. The transformation was realized over a period of six months, with much of the foundation work already in place thanks to the efforts of Bob Varney having established the youth development squad, Team Keyne.

Left: Adam Illingworth -- winner of the Junior National Series last year and riding well in the Under 23 series as well. Adam is spending time this year racing in France as well.

The �Concept of One� at the heart of Team Milton Keynes has made cycling, triathlon and duathlon more appealing and accessible to a wider audience � clearly reflected in the club membership which has escalated from a starting membership of 90 members at the end of 2001 to a current club of over 225 active members. A wide variety of sports are catered for and members span a vast age range.

Importantly, whilst Team Milton Keynes is focused on competing at the highest level, it is equally supportive of those members, who just love their sport and enjoy the social aspect it brings. To encourage interest from the younger generation and sponsors, the club maintains a multi-sport approach and professional image � ensuring maximum presence within the sporting fraternity.

Our team kit and web site are top quality, with members putting in much effort behind the scenes to maintain the high standards, which have been set. In addition, the club produces a quarterly magazine � �ThePACE� - which is a full colour publication, free to all members and sponsors, keeping all informed and in touch with the efforts of the club.

Team Milton Keynes and Team Keyne also promote a full range of club and open events including two open road races, an open time trial and a national youth series event so far this year with the enormously successful Emberton Triathlon and Home Nations Duathlon Championship still to come. These are backed up by a regular programme of club events throughout the Summer including the Trek Youth Challenge, evening duathlon series and club time trials..

Left: Duathathlete Mark Simmons who 'smoked' the Pedal Power 3/4 cycle race by attacking before halfway and staying to win by over a minute.

The CYCLE SQUAD begins at the grass roots level with the junior squad - Team Keyne, a proactive youth development squad. The introduction of the U23 Cycle Squad provides younger riders the next stepping-stone, whilst mixing with the Senior Road Squad - combining up-and-coming talent with knowledge and experience.

The performances of James Flanagan and Adam Illingworth this year, under the guidance of Roy Chamberlain pays testimony to this approach with James currently leading the U23 National Series and Adam racing in Southern France. The principal aim is to assist and support riders in their development allowing them to race for Team Milton Keynes, professionally or as part of the BCF Performance Programmes.

This approach extends to other areas of the club with the introduction in 2003 of a Women�s Road Team, open to all women in the club aimed at encouraging female road racing. The results to date are very encouraging - with Vicky Pincombe�s outstanding performance to finish 3rd in the British Cycling Women�s Road Race Championships at Celtic Manor Newport, Wales supported by first year rider Kelly Grant.

Competition at 2nd, 3rd and 4th categories is also well supported with several riders moving up a category this year and mixing the road racing with off road and time trial events as well.

Right: A member of the cycling squad, Roy Chamberlain has shown good form this year with strong rides in the Lincoln Grand Prix and Five Valley's classics as well as victories in a number of other elite races.

The DUATHLON SQUAD can claim to be the best in the country with Team Milton Keyne�s Martin Yelling and Vicky Pincombe being the current National Elite Duathlon Champions. In addition, the squad has performed well, securing numerous wins both in the UK and abroad throughout the elite and age-group categories. In addition, no less than 12 members of the club have qualified for the 2003 Great Britain Duathlon Age Group Team to race at World Championships in Switzerland.

In 2003 the TRIATHLON SQUAD have managed to secure the services of top class swim coach, Kevin Richards, which has gone a long way to improving upon the results of the triathletes. Last year saw club coach Mark Booth establish himself as the top veteran Triathlete in the country and his guidance and inspiration to the Triathlon Squad has been invaluable.

In theU23 Division, Oliver Howton is now competing with the Elite and making good progress under the coaching of Chris Jones in Swansea. At just 15 years of age James Murray has just been selected for the BTA Youth Development Squad. In the senior ranks Al Nisbet won the Clydesdale World Championships for his weight category at the Royal Windsor Triathlon in June, whilst Imogen Thornburgh continues her string of successful races and is proving to be one of the most consistent females age group triathletes in the country.

This year also sees the 4th running of the Milton Keynes Triathlon which is growing in popularity with the event fully subscribed at 700 entries. The British Triathlon Association has given the event Grand Prix and World Championship Qualification Status for the 2004 Worlds in Portugal. The event is organized and promoted purely by the club and its very own race committee, with almost the entire membership present at race day to help out.

Right: James Flanagan, leading the Under 23 National Series and one of Team Milton Keynes leading riders.

The Club Committee work hard to ensure members get value for their membership and ensure youth development is a priority. A considerable amount of work is done behind the scenes to ensure training is encouraged, races can go ahead and the sport is enjoyed by all.

Team Milton Keynes has a very proactive attitude towards sponsorship and we are constantly keeping each of our sponsors up to date and involved. Partnership agreements with sponsors such as TREK, Phil Corley Cycles and Body Limits provide discount arrangements which assist all club members.

Our web site is hosted and maintained by the Personal Group of Companies who are currently our main sponsor. Abbeygate Developments are another major sponsor with Director Clive Faine�s love of the sport second to none - be it competing, supporting or on an administrative basis. And finally, Siemens have recently also become a sponsor with their involvement still in its infancy, we look forward to a successful relationship.

Above all the vast majority of our members and competitors are based in or near the Milton Keynes area, making Team Milton Keynes a true town club - functioning well, developing its performances, attracting new people to the sport and securing interesting sponsors, all who are based locally.

One of Milton Keynes best ever riders and still performing at an Elite level, Aarron McCaffrey seen here getting in an early break in the National Road Race Championship.