These days the tried-and-trusted approach most British riders graduate through is via the national academy in Manchester, but occasionally a rider comes along and does it his or her way. They forgo the norm and embark on a path less travelled.
James Shaw is one such rider. At 20, he is the latest talent to graduate from the Lotto Soudal U23 programme and is making his WorldTour debut at the Tour Down Under.
"It’s my first year and I’ve got a while to develop," he said. "I’m willing to invest time as well a bit of effort. I just want to use the next year to gain as much experience as possible and grow as a person and a rider.”
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Daniel Benson is the Editor in Chief at both Cyclingnews.com and BikePerfect.com. Based in the UK, he has worked within cycling for almost 15 years, and he joined the Cyclingnews team in 2008 as the site's first UK-based Managing Editor. In that time, he has reported on over a dozen editions of the Tour de France, several World Championships, the Tour Down Under, Spring Classics, and the London 2012 Olympic Games. With the help of the excellent editorial team, he runs the coverage on Cyclingnews and has interviewed leading figures in the sport including UCI Presidents and Tour de France winners.