Our sponsored athletes experienced tremendous success in 2024, whether they were sprinting for victory under the bright lights of the USA, conquering 250 kilometres of gruelling gravel, or pushing their limits in multi-distance triathlons. We asked a selection of Ribble Collective and sponsored athletes to share their highlights from the year. Here are their responses.
What’s been your favourite ride or event this year?
Ruben: Racing Unbound and Tulsa Tough in the same week. Two totally different races, one with Ribble Rebellion and the other one with the Ribble collective. Two really awesome groups of people. A lot of similarities but completely different. A massive shock to the system going from a sub 10h bike race to three days of racing just over one hour.
Maddy: Tough question! This year has been filled with some epic races. I’d say safari and migration gravel race do stand above the rest though.
Amelia: Traka! Despite it not being a good race for me personally, the atmosphere in Girona was awesome. The town was full of cyclists, both gravel and roadies, and the gravel terrain is superb. I can't wait to go back!
Lewis: Ironman Mallorca 70.3. It was my first visit to the island and it didn’t disappoint. The roads were fantastic and there was a bit of everything. Fast and flat, as well as hilly and technical aspects in the hills. I can see why it’s the mecca for all things road cycling, I achieved one of the faster bike splits and felt really good going into the run, which isn’t normally the case. Although I didn't achieve the time I wanted, it was great to experience and certainly was a race people should add to their bucket list.
Tom: To win a race by attacking from the gun has to be the best feeling. To win this years Battle on the Beach has to make it one of my favourite events, especially when the conditions were awful and made for an even more epic event. It’s not only the racing but the whole atmosphere surrounding events such as this which make them so fantastic. I’ve been loving the gravel riding and racing this year and can’t wait for more of this in 2025.
Joe: Redlands and Speedweek. Racing to win with friends. It was more than just a bike race, it was fun.
Any personal cycling goals or milestones you've hit?
Ruben: My main goal was to discover the world and have a lot of fun. I saw a lot of new places all over the world and i had a lot of fun.
Maddy: Winning a uci gravel race! It was never a goal because I didn’t think it was feasible for me, but I'm so happy to have achieved it.
Amelia: A podium at the Nationals was pretty awesome and to have the opportunity to represent GB at Worlds was always going to be a highlight of the season! Overall I would say, to have the opportunity to compete in so many races in the EU and America has been an incredible experience, particularly getting a taste for the racing stateside and racing Unbound.
Lewis: I really wanted to achieve a top-10 position overall in all the UK races that I entered this year. I managed to achieve this ambitious milestone and targeted harder races this year (I was ill for Dorney lake but did manage 3rd in my category). The two races I was most proud of were Cardiff and Bala, there were some seriously fast elite racers. In addition, I wanted to produce more meaningful content for my socials, where I can help grow the sport of triathlon and motivate others to push their boundaries. Growing the sport is something I’m really passionate about. Becoming a British Triathlon & Welsh Triathlon ambassador this year has been an honor and privilege to be a part of.
**Tom: ** A big goal of mine this season was to go back to basics. Racing weekend after weekend can be tough and the fatigue from both the racing and travelling can really add up. With that in mind, I wanted to do at least one adventure ride where the focus was far more on the journey rather than the race. This years edition of the Rapha Pennine Rally allowed me to do precisely that. 500km over three days, my first event of this kind, was both challenging but extremely enjoyable. It gave me an immense appreciation of the capabilities a bike can give you and would highly recommend to anyone else.
**Joe: ** Podium at Redlands GC
What gear or tech upgrades have stood out for you?
Ruben: Just vibes, my main tech upgrade was vibes. Just enjoy everything you are doing.
Maddy: My aero gravel wheels have made a huge difference in the latter part of this year. That was a cool change to my setup.
Amelia: Using decent sealant does in fact make a difference.
Lewis: The Ribble Ultra-Tri has been a ‘game changer’ for me in 2024. Before this session, I was using a modified road bike for all my races, which comes with it's own limitations. The step-up to a Triathlon / TT bike has been incredible. My bike splits have certainly improved thanks to the Ribble Ultra Tri, allowing me to achieve faster overall times at all my triathlons this year, having PB’d all distances I had entered. An honorable mention goes to the Ribble Ultra SL R. You can really tell the amount of Innovation and research which has gone into it to make it one of the fastest road bikes on the planet. I have ridden over one hundred road bikes while testing for multiple brands over consecutive years, nothing comes close to the aerodynamics of the SL R.
Tom: 2025 was the first year I’ve used SRAM for racing and I’ve been blown away. I'm now wishing I made the switch earlier. Previously I’d always been a Shimano user but after using it aboard my Ribble Gravel SL, I wouldn’t go back. What stands out most for me is the ability to run such a large gear ratio, giving you so much capability both on and off-road.
Joe: Honestly, none that we can really talk about!!
Any memorable or unexpected moments from this year?
Ruben: Just this whole year, it started in Australia and went all over Europe to continue in the USA. I wasn't really sure what to expact. But it was awesome.
Maddy: I actually loved supporting the collective riders in Iceland at the Rift even though I couldn’t race myself. There was something special about being on the other side of the race for a change.
Amelia: Riding with Maddy for 5hrs at Dirty Riever. It was our first event together as part of the Collective and so it was nice to find ourselves at the front of the 'race' working together and sharing jelly babies to keep motivation high. It was a very long, cold and hilly day out, so a real bonding experience!
Lewis: My most memorable moment for the 2024 season was representing GBR in my age group at the European Championships in Vichy. Not only did I represent for the Sprint, but also for the Standard distance. A double-header weekend that certainly pushed me mentally and physically. The competition and the talent in both races was something I haven’t faced before, and was a good reminder that I still have a long way to go. I am proud of both of my results and know my strengths as well as weaknesses in both distances, but knew my results could have been better if I focussed on one distance. But only being in the sport for three years after transitioning as an elite mountain biking with no running or swimming background, I am still extremely proud of these achievements and representing my country. I have nothing to complain about this season, my goals were realistic while holding down an incredibly stressful job within the NHS, moving into my first home with my fiancé and achieving my triathlon goals in the progress.
Tom: Every year you hope to be racing for the wins but in gravel racing there are so many uncertainties and so to look back at such a successful season it’s certainly memorable. From podiuming at The Traka, to defending my title at The Gritfest as well as winning Battle on the Beach has certainly made it a successful one!
Joe: Cole winning up Onyx Summit.
