I started cycling in the early 1980s in North West England, riding with my brother and friends to escape the boredom of our rural village home before discovering the world of bike racing. I rode as a teenager for Nelson Wheelers, Leek CC, and the West Midlands Centre of Excellence squad, competing in road racing, track, and time trials. I raced alongside riders such as Chris Boardman (Olympic gold medalist and cycling advocate) and Matthew Stephens (professional cyclist and TV commentator). 

In 2009 I returned to the sport, racing for Kingston Wheelers and Sigma Sports, mixing Masters, second category, and elite-level road racing. In 2014, I competed in the Elite Men’s National Road Race Championships, racing alongside Geraint Thomas, Tao Geoghegan Hart, Simon Yates, and other World Tour pros as a Fortysomething amateur because it was cheaper than riding the sportive. 

Alongside racing, I coached YouTuber Francis Cade from 2nd category to Elite, led the Kingston Wheelers Skills Day, and hosted interviews with the likes of Rod Ellingworth, Yanto Barker, Alice Barnes, Matthew Stephens, and Daniel Lloyd.

My experience of diversity and inclusion work in the music business enabled me to write Diversity In Cycling, now in its second edition. In 2021, I joined British Cycling’s Diversity and Inclusion advisory board.

I continue to ride on road and track, and have discovered the joys of gravel riding and XC mountain biking after many years of being a roadie.