Ribble Outliers, the UK-based gravel racing team, has announced its 2026 line-up following a debut season that included over 20 podium finishes. The team, which is backed by Ribble Cycles, achieved gold medals at UCI World Series and Gravel Earth events during the 2025 season.
For the 2026 season, the roster has grown from six to seven riders with the addition of Abi Smith and Josie Millard. Smith joins from the Women’s UCI WorldTour with six national titles across road, time trial, track, hill climbing, and gravel. She is the current British National Gravel Time Trial Champion.
Josie Millard enters her first year as a professional cyclist having previously been a professional skateboarder. Millard was the first woman to be named European Skateboarder of the Year before transitioning to endurance sport.
The new signings join five returning athletes:
- Metheven Bond – Moving from semi-pro to a full professional role.
- Harry Tanfield – Former WorldTour professional and current British National Gravel Time Trial Champion.
- Ben Thomas – Four-time national champion.
- Sophie Wright – Winner of the 2025 Gravel Suisse and top-performing UK female gravel racer.
- Jenson Young – 2025 Three Peaks champion and UCI Gralloch gold medallist.
During the 2025 season, Jenson Young set a new course record at the Three Peaks Cyclocross Challenge, while Sophie Wright secured victory at Gravel Suisse.
The team intends to race a full international calendar throughout the remainder of the 2026 season.
David Stacey, Commercial and Marketing Director at Ribble Cycles, said “We’re really proud of the incredible results the Ribble Outliers delivered last year. Gravel racing is a unique combination of challenges which gives the sport an unpredictable, exciting edge that we love, and there’s no better proving ground for our bikes.”
Metheven Bond, who transitioned from the Ribble marketing team to professional racing, said “Over 25,000km taught me what our ULTRA-GRIT bike can do. Now it’s about proving what I can do, and my goal is to achieve my first pro podium.”
The team is supported by a range of industry partners including Kalas, Schwalbe, Restrap, POC, SRAM, Zipp, TrainingPeaks, Selle Italia, Presta, and Precision Fuel & Hydration.
Jenson Young, who will be coached by team-mate Ben Thomas this year, said “Breaking the Three Peaks record and winning UCI Graean proved what’s possible when I fully commit. But records are meant to be beaten, and with my team-mate Ben pushing my coaching, I feel like more races are there to be won this year.”
www.ribblecycles.co.uk/ribble-outliers
