D.S. Flávio Zappi
Zappi’s U23 Racing Team has a bright future. We are the only development team in the world to offer the boys the diversity of races all over Europe and the chance to live together as a team for a whole season, bonding, training and becoming better riders.
2016 Team
Callum Ferguson - Captain
YoB 1995
I'm from Bromsgrove near Birmingham. I am now in my 3rd season with the team and am very proud to have been promoted to captain. Being the life and soul of the team I love to have fun and love the banter that goes along with the hard work. After a horrific 2015 season struggling to stay upright on my bike, I am looking forward to getting the 2016 season underway and I am heading into it with big ambitions to work hard and race hard.
James Davey
YoB 1995
I'm from Bromsgrove near Birmingham. I am now in my 3rd season with the team and am very proud to have been promoted to captain. Being the life and soul of the team I love to have fun and love the banter that goes along with the hard work. After a horrific 2015 season struggling to stay upright on my bike, I am looking forward to getting the 2016 season underway and I am heading into it with big ambitions to work hard and race hard.
Alex Fanshawe
YoB 1996
I'm a local boy to the Zappis Club as I live near Oxford. I ran XC when I was young then started racing triathlon seriously. I got wins at junior level in triathlons and duathlons. I raced last year as a 1st year U23 for Zappi's out in Europe. Racing at such a high level in Europe was a steep learning curve having come from triathlon but I loved it. I would say that racing the Giro Valle D'aosta was the highlight of my season. This season I hope to progress with my climbing in the mountainous races as well as helping the team get some great results in races on all sorts of terrain. I study Geography at Exeter University so will be full time with the team from the end of March onwards. I am very grateful to Flávio for allowing me to ride for the team again this year whilst continuing my education.
Jack Billyard
YoB 1997
Originally from Brixton but moved to Devizes, Wiltshire in 2004. I've been racing since I was 15 but only started to train properly as a second year junior where I was 11th at the National RR Championships and 9th Junior Tour of Wales as well as being in full time education. Since 2014, Zappi's U23 Team has been my aim and I'm really looking forward to my time with the team next season. I wouldn't label myself as a specific type rider as I'm still young and my physiology can still change, but I am looking forward to racing on some of the big climbs in Europe. I've had two separate heart operations in October and recently in November but Flávio has been incredibly supportive of me and my condition and I hope to be in full training by the start of January.
Seb Bayliss
YoB 1994
I was silver medallist in the Junior Men’s Road Race of 2012 and am a former representative of Madison Genesis and Great Britain. I am the reigning South West RR champion and is currently reading Chemical Engineering at the University of Manchester. I came to cycling when I realised I was too small to play rugby! I am really look forward to the start of the season and am looking to prove to myself that I can win races at the highest level. Further to this I am looking forward to learning the racing trade in the best possible environment.
Rhys Williams
YoB 1995
I raised in the South Wales Valley of Meateg. I learned to first ride a bike at age 3 but was far more interested in motocross and swimming until I was 10 where rugby took over for the next 7 years. I first started racing mtb xc in 2013 finishing 3rd overall in the junior xc series in Wales but found the road much more suited to me. My first season on the road came in 2014 where I found myself progressing largely and enjoying cycling at the British scene. In 2015 I then started to race much bigger races with my best result holding to green pints jersey in the Ras de Cymru for 4 days. I was then very privileged to join Zappi's at the end of the season and travel to Italy to find out what cycling is really about. I am now very enthusiastic about 2016 where I will be racing and training both in the UK and Europe until I finish my studies at Swansea University in June and join the team full time.
Brendan Cole
YoB 1996
I was born in Sydney, Australia. My best result was when I came 6th in the Australian Nationals. I started racing bikes at the age of six, whilst also competing in MotoCross. As I grew older he focused more on cycling and my passion for the sport grew. I have had both success in cycling and have had bad luck that goes along with cycling with many broken bones including both wrists, both arm, his left leg and right scapula. I have always believed that through my set back I have become physically, mentally and spiritually stronger and have grown as a person.
Jack Mattock
YoB 1997
I am a first year senior. This will be my fourth season racing. I have enjoyed road racing as a junior. 2015 has been good with 2nd on stage 2 at the junior tour of Mendips and 7th at the junior national road race. I would say I was a good all-rounder but I would like to see how well I can go on the climbs in Europe. I am currently still at college, in my final year and wish to get the A-levels I need to go to university if id like to go. In my spare time I like watching rugby, and talking my dog out for long walks.
Louis Modell
YoB 1997
I started cycling when I was three and have been riding ever since, after completing my first race in 2011 I fell in love with the buzz of competitive cycling; since then I have been racing non-stop. I'm very much looking forward to the next season, living abroad and racing at a higher level, hopefully taking the next steps towards making the dream of a professional contract a reality.
Scott Auld
YoB 1996
From way up north (Stockton), I'm going into my second year as an u23 and my second year with Zappi. I have been riding since I was 15, taking part in the national junior series I managed several top 10's with my highest finish being 2nd at the junior Lincoln GP. As for my first year at u23 I managed several top 20's (my highest being 13th at due marchigani) in Italian nationals. Next year I hope to step it up another level with the help of Flávio.
2015 Team
Owen James
Track and road rider, Started Racing at 14. Only Welsh rider on the team. Joined Zappis last year and had some decent results in Belgium Kermesses and hope to put the experience gained to use this season in some big UCI races.
James Hill
From Sheffield, played several sports competitively up to the age of 16 including football, rugby, cricket and middle distance/XC running. Started riding the road bike at the age of 8 as my dad rode frequently from a young age, but I only started racing in 2014. This season will be all about improving both my fitness and racing skills by racing and training with more experienced riders on the team.
James Newey
I'm from the west midlands and started riding for Flávio at the end of 2013. I'm by far the heaviest rider on the team and do enjoy to have a café stop when we are out on the bike! I started cycling when I was 15 years old. This year I'm hoping to get some good results in races in Britain and Italy to hopefully get onto a pro team.
James Knox
From the Lake District, Cumbria and grew up doing fell running and was a national cross country champion. Started cycling aged 15 and stuck at it ever since, rode for GB at Junior world championship in Florence, 2013. Blessed with gorgeous curly hair.
Scott Auld
From Middlesbrough (up the boro), in the past played football. Started cycling at around 15, had my best result to date last year in the junior Lincoln GP coming second and winning the King of the mountains competition after a race long break. This year I'm looking to challenge myself in a different level of competition and seeing how much I can improve as a rider from riding full time and being under the guidance of Flávio.
Alex Fanshawe
Local boy to the Zappis cycling club as I live near Oxford in Newbury. Ran XC at school up to county level and then started triathlon under the guidance of my school running coach. I got wins at junior level in triathlons and duathlons before switching to road racing completely last year. I'm the most inexperienced on the team so will be looking to make the most of racing abroad and hopefully get some good results along the way in the hillier races.
Jonathan Knox
Started in Time-Trialling at the age of 13 but had a small 3-year hiatus from racing at the age of 18. Rode in the British Cycling Talent team aged 14-16. Took up cycling last year and toured around Europe for 3 months from Norway to Greece. My goals is to be competitive in the hillier races.
Callum Ferguson
From Bromsgrove, near Birmingham, grew up playing cricket for Worcestershire, my Grandad introduced me to bikes and then I was hooked. I joined Zappis last season and gained a lot of experience that I'm hoping sets me up for this upcoming season.
For 2015 the bar was raised yet again, and people were starting to take note. The team trained hard at start base in Portugal and then in Italy.
2014
During the season they punched well above their weight in world class international amateur races against the best development teams in the world Despite not having other teams resources this did not stop the young riders from showing their metal and taking it to the world’s best.
A few examples of this include a fine 2nd place by young star Dan Pearson in the international Coppa Della Pace race followed by 8th overall in the Giro Valle d’Aosta, renowned as being the hardest stage race for u23 riders. These results were then followed by 9th and first 1995 in the Giro d’Emilia by James Knox, a previous two time winner of the queen stage in the Junior Tour of Wales and Junior National hill climb champion. Other notable results include 2nd and 3rd in the u23 category of the British national road race championships.
The team performed well all season from the first early season races in Portugal onto Italy for three months before a brief return to the UK for the national championships, followed by two months in France and Belgium racing in Kermesses and French nationals. Italy again in September where the boys shone in every race, always up there in the breaks, splits on the climb and becoming a force to be reckoned with.
2012
Will Fox, Chris Boote, Sam Parker, Dexter Gardias, Jack Adams, Adam Cotteral.
If you would like to be trialled for the team please contact: racing@zappis.cc
The Race Team's primary sponsors are
