Team News: RFDA cycling team finishes

The 2023 road race season is the last year for RFDA who after five seasons will no longer have a team in the sport of cycling

Team News: RFDA cycling team finishes

RFDA team finishes – Press release: All good things come to an end, and we are announcing that the 2023 road race season will be the last year for RFDA. Over the last five seasons we have supported almost 30 different female riders, from Youth A to under 23.

We set out with the aim of giving riders the opportunity to develop and grow within a supportive environment and to that end we have riders that have gone on to compete internationally and at World Tour level. Others have developed what we hope will be a lifelong love of cycling, and the sport of cycling.

Initially the team was the brainchild of Mick Dawes and Richard Maxwell (Racescene), and along with a number of sponsors (Key of which was Polypipe) the team was formed. Rather than an individual Director Sportif upon which everything hinged, the team acted as a group of helpers/parents who brought their own particular abilities, and took on roles within the team. With the addition of The Edge coaching, those riders that wanted it were given personal training programmes.

Training camps in the Peak District, and earlier this year in Calpe, have been highlights as well as racing abroad. The Junior Healthy Ageing Tour in the Netherlands was a tough introduction as our riders were up against the best Juniors in the world, and we were lucky enough to be invited to the first two editions of the Women’s Tour of Portugal, where we finished as the leading U23 team last year. All these things would not have been possible without the support of parents and in particular Andrew Briggs, Ian Cooke, and the McCloreys.

A big thank you to Mick, Richard, and the sponsors. We wish all the best to the riders that have passed through our doors.