Ben Jones

Born in 1882 in Leigh, Greater Manchester, Benjamin Jones is widely celebrated as the most successful rider of the 1908 Olympic Games, where he helped establish British cyclists’ reputation as a force to be reckoned with internationally.

Benjamin’s efforts saw him compete in five separate events and 11 different races and cemented his success as a track cyclist champion. He won two Olympic gold medals, one for the men’s 5000m track and the other for the men’s team pursuit. He also won a silver medal in the 20 kilometres event, where he reportedly lost by the narrowest of margins.

Outside of his revolutionary pursuits at the Olympics, Ben experienced even more success: Just two weeks before the 1908 Games, he won the National Cyclists’ Union (NCU) 5-mile title, and his post-Olympic successes include a silver medal in the 1908 world amateur sprint.championship, a second victory in the NCU 5-mile championship in 1910, and four wins at the South African championships between 1911 and 1914.

Benjamin began his cycling career at a local club in Wigan. However, he settled in South England, riding for Southwark Cycling Club and later Putney Cycling Club, before spending his final years in Johannesburg, Africa.

Alan Bannister

Throughout the late 1940s and early 1950s, Alan Bannister was one of the most notable names in UK cycling, cinching notable achievements in tandem cycling.

In the early years of his career, Bannister spent time cycling with the Manchester Wheelers. This amateur cycling club began in 1883 and still operates today, and its album also includes pro cyclist Chris Boardman.

He later achieved some incredible professional feats, including winning silver in the tandem cycling event at the 1948 Olympics held in London. In the same year, he also claimed the British National Individual Sprint, later dubbed a three-time British track champion after claiming the win another two times in 1949 and 1950, respectively. He would lose his fourth effort to Manchester Clarion racer Cyril Bardsley in 1951, coming in second place.

Since Bannister's trailblazing career in cycling and two-time appearance in the Olympics, the landscape of the sport in a competition capacity has changed dramatically. In 1972, the Olympic event, which ultimately gave Alan Bannister his deserved recognition in the sport, would be disbanded, and tandem cycling would no longer feature as an event at the Olympic games.

Cyril Bardsley

Although not as well known as some professional cyclists to emerge from the North West, Cyril Bardsley still holds impressive recognition and achievements.

By age 20, Bardsley had already risen to prominence in professional cycling. Following a stint of racing for the Manchester Clarion, Cyrial Bardsley would ultimately make a name for himself during the British National Individual Sprint Championships of 1951, where he would beat Olympic medalist and champion tandem cyclist Alan Bannister to the gold - earning himself the title of British track champion.

Stan Brittain

From winning his first race wearing plimsolls to representing Great Britain, Stan Brittain's cycling career is littered with success. An English racing cyclist, Brittain rode time trials, road races, and the track, going on to win a silver medal at the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games. He also competed in the 1955 Peace Race, finishing in third place, and also completed the 1958 Tour de France.

Brittain began his cycling career with the Woolton Wheelers, where his cycling prowess was quickly recognised. However, in 1952, he was called to the army to start his national service. He set up a cycling army team with Brian Robinson and Jim Grieves during this time. The army entered Brittain into races, eventually leading to his first national selection in the B team for the stage race in Ireland in 1953. Bad weather plagued the race, seeing 58 riders quit and 16 fail to finish. Brittain was among the non-finishers.

Brittain's career saw him compete in further cycling competitions, including the Solingen UCI Road World Championships, during which he crashed on the 7th lap and finished 12 minutes behind the leaders. However, he undoubtedly reclaimed his title during the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne. Brittain represented Great Britain and finished second in the Men's Team Road Race, bringing home a silver medal.

Due to his dedication to the sport, Brittain was honoured with the Golden Cycle Award in 1957 by the Merseyside Cycling Development. He was also presented with a silver pin by Princess Anne in 1988, commemorating his achievements in the 1956 Olympic Games.

Bill Bradley

Bill Bradley’s career was one filled with many successes which few others have gleaned to achieve. Bradley rode for Southport RCC throughout his time as a professional cyclist. He appeared in various high-profile events and competitions, featuring in the 1960 Olympic games in Rome, racing to become a two-time National Road Race Champion and, until recently, would come to hold the record for climbing the Grossglockner in the Tour of Australia.

However, his most impressive achievement is one no other professional cyclist has been able to match. To this day, Bill Bradley is still the only sporting professional to have won 2 consecutive Tour of Britain competitions, in 1959 and 1960, respectively.

Undoubtedly, his incredible prowess and skill clinched his claim as one of the best professional cyclists in the sport, presenting spectacular achievements that modern athletes aspire to achieve to this day.

Mark Bell

Mark Bell was an athlete who showed prowess and promise from an early age, successfully competing against boys in higher age divisions from the tender age of 9.

Bell had an impressive career in both amateur and professional standing, landing many incredible achievements throughout both legs of his cycling vocation. His amateur career saw Mark Bell feature in various high-profile competitions and events, including riding for GB in the Commonwealth Games (1982) and the Olympics (1984). However, his crowning moment would be when he made history in 1983, becoming the first non-Belgian to win the Étoile de Stud stage race.

Later, Mark Bell remained a prominent figure in his craft, riding for several professional cycling teams during his latter years. Beginning his professional career with Falcon, Bell would secure various admirable attainments to see his career bloom even further - the most notable being clinching the win at the Delyn Grand Prix in his first season.

Bell eventually retired from cycling in 1988 and would go on to struggle with his health and addictions to alcohol, sadly passing away in January 2009 at age 48.

Mandy Jones

Born in 1962, Mandy Jones, joint-founder of Fawkes Cycles and former Women’s World Road Race Champion, has had an unforgettable career in British cycling.

She began her cycling career at the West Pennine Road Club, entering her first race in 1974. Just five years later, Jones achieved joint-first place in the national junior 10-mile time trial championship, an achievement which spurred her on to pursue a professional cycling career.

In 1980, at 18, Jones rode the world road race championship for Britain, taking home a bronze medal. She then went on to win the 1982 3000m National Individual Pursuit at Leicester, breaking the world 5000 metres record in the same year and on the same track.

Jones has enjoyed significant achievements throughout her professional cycling career, from becoming a national 50-mile time-trial champion to winner of the World Championship road race in Goodwood. This made her the first British woman to win a world championship in 15 years.

In 2009, her countless achievements saw Jones inducted into the British Cycling Hall of Fame. Though she deems herself an accidental champion, her achievements, despite not having the support and backing cyclists enjoy today, make her an invaluable addition to our celebration of North West British cyclists.

Chris Boardman

Nicknamed ‘The Professor’ for his meticulous training, Chris first rode a bike at thirteen. However, he landed a spot on the national cycling team three years later and competed professionally between 1993 and 2000.

Born in Merseyside, Chris was no stranger to winning championships during his amateur years. However, people were mostly unaware of him until the 1993 Olympics, where he took Great Britain’s opening Gold medal while riding the legendary Lotus bike - this was the first British cycling gold medal in seventy-two years, but just the beginning of Boardman’s cycling career.

Throughout his cycling career, Boardman took home three world titles, broke several world records, and was awarded an MBE for services to cycling. Even his diagnosis of osteopenia in 1998, which threatened his commitment to cycling, could not stop him. Treatment to prevent his condition from worsening was banned under anti-doping rules, and Boardman was denied an exemption on medical grounds. Faced with retiring or continuing his cycling career without treatment, Boardman chose to cycle untreated for two more years.

Today, Boardman’s commitment to cycling continues to grow through various channels, from his advocacy for the sport at competitive levels to his position as Chair of Sport England, where he advocates to help cycling and sport become more accessible for everyone. Boardman continues his legacy as the Cycling and Walking Commissioner for Greater Manchester and co-founder of his bike brand, Boardman Bikes.

Caroline Alexander

Beginning her career in the early ’90s, Caroline Alexander swiftly became a trailblazer in the cycling world, specifically mountain biking.

Alexander’s burgeoning career saw her achieve incredible success across her some 16 years in the sport, including being the first female British biker to win a UCI World Cup stage in 1997 and representing Scotland in the first-ever mountain bike event to be featured in the Commonwealth Games in 2002 - just 3 years before she hung up her wheels and retired from cycling altogether.

It was these impressive achievements and her iconic presence as a woman in cycling that gained her well-deserved recognition within the sport and which would later see her inducted in the coveted British Cycling Hall of Fame in 2009 - a list that, as of 2023, still only houses a total of 8 women.

Jason Kenny

Born in 1988 in Bolton, Jason Kenny has left an unforgettable mark on British cycling history. He is among the most well-known names in cycling and Olympic history. Since starting as a junior in 2003, his long-standing career has positioned him as a household name across the UK, and looking at his impressive roster of achievements; it’s easy to see why.

Despite being only 35 years old, Kenny is currently billed as the most successful British Olympic cyclist, racking up a staggering total of seven gold and two silver Olympic medals. He is the single holder of most records for both Olympic golds and total Olympic medals for a cyclist.

Kenny first took to cycling when he competed in the Future Stars series as a junior, finishing in the top 10 of the final standings in 2005. He then competed at a junior level for Great Britain and later at a senior level, where he beat the world champion Theo Boss in 2007's Revolution events. However, Kenny's professional cycling career began gaining prominence in the 2008 British Olympics, where he obtained the first of several Olympic gold medals in his career. This was just the start of his achievements.

Following an astounding feat at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, which saw Jason Kenny and teammates Phillip Hindes and Callum Skinner break 2 world records and Kenny himself beat Callum Skinner for the gold in the men’s sprint final, Kenny was awarded the title of CBE in the 2017 New Year Honours for his services to cycling - later granted the title of ‘Sir Jason Kenny’ in 2022 when he was made a Knight Bachelor, once again for his services to cycling.

Kenny's achievements have not only cemented his status as the most successful British Olympian and cyclist, but also as the most successful cyclist in Olympic history.

Simon Yates

Born in Bury in 1992, Yates’ reputation as a talented cyclist does not precede itself: He has a fantastic collection of career wins, including one Grand Tour victory and five Grand Tour stage wins, alongside a string of masterful talents and results.

Simon was born five minutes ahead of his identical twin brother, Adam Yates, also an international cyclist. During his junior years, Simon collected a cluster of titles and victories – but he didn’t establish his reputation in wider cycling circles until 2013 when he won gold at the Track World Championships - this was not just any achievement: It saw Simon become Britain’s first Points race world champion since 2002.

Throughout his cycling career, Simon has continued to build on his success, from participating on the British National Team in the Tour of Britain and establishing his status as the best rider in the under-23 classification to winning his first event of the 2021 season, the Tour of the Alps.

Simon and his brother were introduced to cycling by their father, an avid cyclist. While it is rare to see them side by side due to their differing cycling calendars, they both are making their way as the most successful cycling twins in British cycling.

Adam Yates

Like his brother Simon, Adam is no stranger to success, with various career victories. He was first introduced to cycling by his father, who brought him and his twin brother to ride with the Bury Clarion club when they were young. It quickly became apparent that Simon and Adam were talented cyclists, leading them to pursue professional careers.

Adam’s began his cycling career in France as a supported rider of the Rayner Foundation Charity, a foundation designed to help young riders fund their early careers. He gained valuable experience during this time, allowing him to eventually sign with professional cycling teams.

Adam enjoyed his first professional win in 2014, when he won the queen stage and the overall race at the Tour of Turkey. Other achievements include winning the 2015 Clasica San Sebastian – a race he didn’t realise he’d won until after the finish line - and being crowned the best young rider at the 2016 Tour de France, one year ahead of his brother. This win was significantly potent, as it was the first time a British rider had claimed it.

In 2021, he signed a contract with Ineos Grenadiers, placing 2nd on the UAE tour and winning the Volta a Catalunya in 2021. He also competed in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, where he earned his position within the top 10 in the road race.

Today, Adam rides for team UAE and his achievements have cemented his status as a star in British road cycling. And, though his brother Simon won the birth race, Adam is equally entitled to the family bragging rights, with many years left before hanging up his wheels!

Matt Walls

Standing as one of the youngest riders to come out of the North West, Matt Walls’ cycling career is certainly one to be admired. Since his inaugural races in 2019, Walls has made waves in the world of cycling, landing an array of notable achievements across road and track cycling. This includes achieving omnium gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, scoring a significant total of 153 points which left his fellow competitors in his dust.

In 2021, Walls was presented with the title of MBE for his services and achievements in cycling, further solidifying his already undeniable success in his blossoming career, which will continue throughout.

Today, Matt Walls’ cycling career protracts with the Bora-Hansgrohe team, where he continues to display outstanding skill and form with each racing season that passes. Setting himself up for an extremely successful career in years to come.

Matt Brammeier

Born in Liverpool in 1985, Matt Brammeier is a former professional road cyclist, now coach. Throughout his career, Brammeier secured various titles, including five at the Irish National Cycling Championships. He also won the road race four times and the time trial once.

Brammeier’s professional cycling career spanned over a decade, during which he competed for various cycling teams, making significant contributions to the sport. This includes winning the Irish National Road Race Championships.

However, in August 2015, Brammeier collided with a team car during the Tour of Utah, suffering various injuries to his pelvis, ribs, and lung. These injuries lead him to retire in 2018.

Though retired from professional competition, Brammeier’s dedication to the sport continued with him becoming a lead coach to the British Cyclists endurance programme. From his on-road achievements to his efforts to improve safety conditions for cyclists, it is undeniable that Brammeier has left a lasting impact on British Cycling history.