The British Continental

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Stories about British bike racing, teams and riders.

Episode 1

New World Disorder

Send us a text The British Continental Podcast is back with a fresh look at the state of British domestic road racing. With key teams like Saint Piran, Trinity Racing, and Lifeplus-Wahoo all folding recently, host Denny Gray sits down with James McKay (Wheelbase CabTech Castelli) and Lucy Gadd (Smurfit Westrock CT) to discuss the fallout, explore its impact on riders’ careers, and debate what it means for the future of the sport. In a candid and insightful conversation, James and Lucy share their experiences dealing with the uncertainty of team closures, the challenges in navigating their careers, and their thoughts on the evolving landscape of the UK peloton. Also in this episode, we hear from one of the early standout performers of the season, Adam Howell (Muc-Off-SRCT-Stork). Adam talks through his remarkable rise, from taking up cycling during lockdown to winning major domestic races this year, and what it means for his confidence and ambitions. Finally, the panel previews the upcoming East Cleveland Classic, offering tactical insights, highlighting key riders and teams, and sharing their predictions for what promises to be an intriguing race. Featuring: • James McKay (Wheelbase CabTech Castelli) • Lucy Gadd (Smurfit Westrock CT) • Adam Howell (Muc-Off-SRCT-Stork) Keep up with all things British domestic racing at www.thebritishcontinental.co.uk Support the show Rapha presents The British Continental.
Episode 2

From DNF to Lincoln Legend | James McKay’s three-year ascent

Send us a text James McKay joins host Denny Gray fresh from a career-making victory at the 2025 Rapha Lincoln Grand Prix. The 28-year-old Sheffield-based rider in Wheelbase-CabTech-Castelli green relives the sprint up Michaelgate that delivered his first National A win and explains why “it’s just about sunk in” now the champagne haze has cleared. The conversation rewinds to 2022, when McKay was black-flagged at the same race, rode home in despair and phoned development-team boss Dave Coulson to quit - only for Coulson to reply “nonsense” and insist the talent was still there. That single vote of confidence pulled McKay back from the brink and set in motion the comeback the pair dissect on air. McKay credits a whole cast of British road-racing royalty - Ali Slater, Tom Stewart, the Downing brothers, Graham Briggs, and 1995 Lincoln winner Mark Walsham - for the chain-gang sessions and blunt advice that “made me realise I was actually at a decent level” . Their wisdom, plus a breakout 2023 season, helped him banish the imposter syndrome he once masked by calling every good result “a fluke”. He also lifts the lid on Wheelbase’s distinctive ethos: “we race selfishly together”. With no fixed leader, prize money split evenly and trust that everyone will get their day, the system lets multiple engines fire without ego - something McKay believes was decisive both at East Cleveland and again in Lincoln’s heat. Race-day detail comes thick and fast: the late attack that shed Ben Granger, Alex Peters’ solo gamble, and a three-abreast elbow-fight into the famous left-hander. On the climb McKay twice kicked clear - “with the roar of the crowd I had no idea who was on my wheel, so I just kept drilling it”. Friends who had trained with him all winter formed a noisy green wall that, he says, “gave me wings”; later they soaked up the moment in the pub while he nursed a podium sip of champagne before driving home. Looking ahead, the Lincoln trophy resets nothing and everything. McKay still wants a crack at the National Road Championships, plans to focus on the National Road Series rather than the Circuit Series, and admits he’d consider a return to UCI Continental level “if the right people and calendar came along” -but at 28 he’s determined to savour the sport rather than chase a long-shot pro contract. Tune in for a candid masterclass in resilience, team chemistry and the sheer emotional punch of Britain’s cobbled monument - plus the reminder that sometimes a single word of faith can change an athlete’s life. Support the show Rapha presents The British Continental.
Episode 3

From Cat 4 Licence to UCI Podiums in 12 Months | Inside Lauren Dickson’s Meteoric Rise

Send us a text Twenty-five-year-old Scot Lauren Dickson only pinned on a race number in 2024 - yet by May 2025 she was 3rd overall at the Tour of Norway and winner of the Rapha Lincoln Grand Prix. In this conversation with host Denny Gray, the former mountain-runner and triathlete breaks down the defining moments, steep learning curves and audacious goals that have made her one of Britain’s fastest-rising road racers. The Handsling Alba Development Road Team rider's sporting life did not start on two wheels. She began as a Scotland-capped junior runner but broke a bone in her left foot in 2019, leaving her ankle too fragile for downhill running. Rehab led her to triathlon and draft-legal duathlon in Spain, where she picked up bunch-riding skills. In 2024 she Googled how to start road racing, joined Edinburgh Road Club, finished 44th in her first event, then won two local races a fortnight later. Second place at the Lancaster Grand Prix caught Handsling Alba Development Road Team’s eye; a runner-up ride at Ryedale and methodical work on her descending followed. She delivered Alba’s first National Road Series win at the Rapha Lincoln GP and, with new confidence, matched WorldTour climbers at the Tour of Norway. Next up is the Tour of Britain Women on home roads, while former pro Hannah Barnes is helping her to navigate WorldTour interest. For now, though, the plan is simple: keep learning fast, race even faster—and enjoy every descent she once feared. If you enjoy the show, please rate us, leave a review and share it with a club-mate who still thinks Cat-4 is the ceiling. Produced by Will Jones. Support the show Rapha presents The British Continental.

3 Episodes

Stories about British bike racing, teams and riders.

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British Conti
Episodes

63
Seasons

6
Rating

Clean
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© 2026 British Conti
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The British Continental