Aspiring Young Scottish Cyclist Seeks Funding
Donation protected
I started cycling a little over a year and a half ago when my season of u18s rugby came to an end at Stirling County R.F.C. I had been playing rugby since I was 6 years old. I used cycling as a means of keeping fit over the the summer of 2017 initially, but soon became passionate for cyling and decided I wanted to race competitively .
I applied for Spokes Racing Team, and was luckily forwarded for the selection weekend. I had a pretty good weekend on the bike and managed to somehow impress Craig Grieve and Blair Whiteside[Team manager], on my locals hills I had ridden throughout the summer with Stirling Bike Club. I was then one of the few riders accepted for the 2018 Junior Spokes Racing Team. This gave me an awesome opportunity and insight to the highest levels of Junior road racing in the U.K. and Europe.
My passion for cycling increased,as my season of 2018 progressed.
I had a lot of ups and downs and an absolute mega amount of learning to do about racing tactics, big bunch riding , crashes , cobbles, climbs and descents. I never dreamed I'd be racing alongside olympian Ed Clancy on the cobbled climbs of Durham behind the T.V. cameras, just a few days after crashing on the cobbled roads of a prestigious Belgian race after making the winning break, then ending up in a Belgium hospital getting my chin stitched up!
I had also dreamed and had targeted some big races that I thought suited me in the U.K and Europe [ UCI races.] However the other Spokes riders were so strong , I was never really in the position or place, for the chance to ride for my self. This was fine as I cherished riding for my teammates as they succeded throughout the season at a number of big British Junior cycling events ,rapidly establishing themselves as the best junior cycling team in the U.K. I felt I had my place in helping towards that success. I was also extremely fortunate to be selected to ride for Scotland at the Junior Tour of Wales in August.
Near the end of the the road season on th 9th of September My last big race with Spokes Racing Team was in France, La Ber Cycle, hosted by Junior French team Club Cycliste De Villeneuve Saint Germain Soissons Aisne. This race was a French National Junior race.
We as a team and individuals rode really well having a rider in the winning break and another in the top 10 . I also had one of my best rides ,getting 5th in the climbers classification and just finishing outside the top 20 on the road stage after attacking and blocking all day for teammates. I secured 19th over all on General Classification from over 120 riders.
The Manager of the French team ( Didier Chatelin) was so impressed by the Scottish Team Spokes that he got in contact with Craig Grieve (manager) of Spokes to offer a place for a rider from our team to race and live in France for the senior team [DN1 Club Cycliste Villeneuve St Germain ]in 2019.
I applied for the team and was accepted, this was a huge suprise to me and my family, and a dream come true. However we knew as a family it would be quite tight financially as I had intended after leaving school to join the Army but Cycling has now become my full focus so I applied for funding for 2019 as many other British cyclists racing in Europe do. Unfortunately I didnt get funding. We are led to believe this was probably due to a high number of British applicants and the very short time I had been racing, compared to other British riders applying.
For my first season racing in France I will have to pay for my accomodation, food and utility bills and will not have a job to support myself as Cycling will be full time in training and racing so I will be relying on my parents and family friends to help support me. I am therefore looking for any financial support people may be kind enough to offer me, however small. Even if anyone knows of potential sponsors who would be willing in anyway to support me ,I would be extremely grateful.
Anything from having a read to donating a couple of pounds would mean a lot and make things easier for me and my family in 2019.
I would like to say the response so far has be insane and my family and I can’t thank everyone enough for their kind donations and thoughtful comments and shares on social media.
Cheers
Morgan Bown
[email redacted]n
I applied for Spokes Racing Team, and was luckily forwarded for the selection weekend. I had a pretty good weekend on the bike and managed to somehow impress Craig Grieve and Blair Whiteside[Team manager], on my locals hills I had ridden throughout the summer with Stirling Bike Club. I was then one of the few riders accepted for the 2018 Junior Spokes Racing Team. This gave me an awesome opportunity and insight to the highest levels of Junior road racing in the U.K. and Europe.
My passion for cycling increased,as my season of 2018 progressed.
I had a lot of ups and downs and an absolute mega amount of learning to do about racing tactics, big bunch riding , crashes , cobbles, climbs and descents. I never dreamed I'd be racing alongside olympian Ed Clancy on the cobbled climbs of Durham behind the T.V. cameras, just a few days after crashing on the cobbled roads of a prestigious Belgian race after making the winning break, then ending up in a Belgium hospital getting my chin stitched up!
I had also dreamed and had targeted some big races that I thought suited me in the U.K and Europe [ UCI races.] However the other Spokes riders were so strong , I was never really in the position or place, for the chance to ride for my self. This was fine as I cherished riding for my teammates as they succeded throughout the season at a number of big British Junior cycling events ,rapidly establishing themselves as the best junior cycling team in the U.K. I felt I had my place in helping towards that success. I was also extremely fortunate to be selected to ride for Scotland at the Junior Tour of Wales in August.
Near the end of the the road season on th 9th of September My last big race with Spokes Racing Team was in France, La Ber Cycle, hosted by Junior French team Club Cycliste De Villeneuve Saint Germain Soissons Aisne. This race was a French National Junior race.
We as a team and individuals rode really well having a rider in the winning break and another in the top 10 . I also had one of my best rides ,getting 5th in the climbers classification and just finishing outside the top 20 on the road stage after attacking and blocking all day for teammates. I secured 19th over all on General Classification from over 120 riders.
The Manager of the French team ( Didier Chatelin) was so impressed by the Scottish Team Spokes that he got in contact with Craig Grieve (manager) of Spokes to offer a place for a rider from our team to race and live in France for the senior team [DN1 Club Cycliste Villeneuve St Germain ]in 2019.
I applied for the team and was accepted, this was a huge suprise to me and my family, and a dream come true. However we knew as a family it would be quite tight financially as I had intended after leaving school to join the Army but Cycling has now become my full focus so I applied for funding for 2019 as many other British cyclists racing in Europe do. Unfortunately I didnt get funding. We are led to believe this was probably due to a high number of British applicants and the very short time I had been racing, compared to other British riders applying.
For my first season racing in France I will have to pay for my accomodation, food and utility bills and will not have a job to support myself as Cycling will be full time in training and racing so I will be relying on my parents and family friends to help support me. I am therefore looking for any financial support people may be kind enough to offer me, however small. Even if anyone knows of potential sponsors who would be willing in anyway to support me ,I would be extremely grateful.
Anything from having a read to donating a couple of pounds would mean a lot and make things easier for me and my family in 2019.
I would like to say the response so far has be insane and my family and I can’t thank everyone enough for their kind donations and thoughtful comments and shares on social media.
Cheers
Morgan Bown
[email redacted]n
Organizer
Morgan Bown
Organizer