Rider of closed down Saint Piran attempts to build a new British Continental team at a last minute: "We have to act fast"

British domestic scene may well be at an all-time low with no teams ready to apply for UCI Continental team status in 2025. The closure of Trinity Racing (at least on road) and most recently Saint Piran leaves a huge hole in UK cycling. With a last minute call, Harry Tanfield (former pro with Katusha, AG2R and Qhubeka) and a group of allies hopes to turn the tides and register brand new team that could save many careers for 2025.

"We want to be a ground-up new team, to fill the gap left by Saint Piran and TRINITY Racing stopping," Tanfield outlined the vision behind the team, The British Continental brings. "The idea is to provide a crucial platform for UK cycling and help under-23 riders to progress to the next level. With the licence deadline extended by two weeks, we have to act fast in order to have a budget agreed in principle."

The initiative has received a boost from British Cycling, which has extended the UCI Continental licence application deadline by two weeks to give the group more time to finalise plans. If successful, the new team would provide a critical pathway for under-23 riders, supporting their progression to higher levels of the sport while revitalising the UK domestic racing scene as it would go on to become the only British Continental formation in 2025.

Harry Tanfield and his colleagues aren't faced with an easy task but the early reports suggest that they were able to find sponsors willing to fund their project at last minute. The next few days will be critical yet Tanfield believes in a positive outcome.