A POPULAR Aberystwyth cyclist has spoken to the Cambrian News ahead of his first season with one of the UK’s top professional cycling teams.

Gruff Lewis, 28, said he was looking forward to his first season with Madison Genesis, winners of last year’s Pearl Izumi Tour Series, an event which will again visit Aberystwyth this year, following continued support from Ceredigion County Council and the town council.

Although he joined Ystwyth Cycling Club when he was 15, Gruff said he wouldn’t have got into cycling “seriously” had he not broken his leg while playing rugby at the age of 21.

“Cycling was more of a means of transport for me when I was younger,” said Gruff, who grew up in Penrhyncoch and now lives in Talybont with his father Dilwyn and sister Tirion.

“I was also into different sports, and when I broke my leg playing rugby, the doctor told me to get back on my bike for rehab.”

It wasn’t long before Gruff’s raw talent started turning heads in British cycling and he was quickly snapped up by UK Youth, a professional cycling team owned by the former British Formula One world champion, Nigel Mansell.

“I spent two years with UK Youth, then I moved to Metaltek Kuota for a year before I moved on to Pedal Heaven and have cycled for them for the last two years.”

His move to Madison Genesis, a team which was only formed in 2013, is significant for Gruff’s career because team manager Roger Hammond has said that the team’s success will be measured by how many riders move on to the next level.

Madison Genesis is one of six UCI Continental teams in the UK, and the next step for a cyclist is the Pro Continental level where teams get invited to “world tour events such as the Tour of Spain, Tour of Italy, and even the legendary Tour de France.

Team Sky is the only World Tour-level team in the UK, but will compete against Madison Genesis — the only team last year at UCI level to have two riders, Tom Scully and Mark Mcnally, progress to Pro Continental level for 2016 — at several events including the Tour of Yorkshire and the Tour of Britain, which Gruff hopes to be selected for.

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