Words James Ion - Photography Jody Wilson
Joe Laverick stares back at me from the screen, it is early morning where he is, and despite living out of a suitcase on his North American block he is his typically affable self. In fact, throughout the interview, he gives an air of someone at ease, despite his hectic and full-on privateer lifestyle. How then does he manage it, how did he get here? Just like everything it is best to start at the beginning.
“Until then I was lucky, I had been given many opportunities but I think I am best when my back is against the wall”
“A complete accident” reminisces Joe “Cycling was not a family sport, I was more into football”. Then in 2013 partly due to what he called the “Wiggins Effect” he decided to give cycling a go and from there, it spiraled out of control. “It doesn't make sense” smiles Joe “I joined the local cycling club, and was taken under the wing of a local rider John Moult, who was then in his 80s, he taught me all the basics, like when to change gear, what to take with me on a ride, stuff you take for granted”.
So was he a born natural, victories in his first races? “I was shit” replies Joe honestly”I was being lapped, I didn't show any promise that I could eventually make anything of the sport. I went from being lapped to being one of the best Time Trialists in the UK, no idea how that happened!
From these rather humble beginnings, Joe went on to ride for the HMT Cycling development team “Luck! I was in the right place at the right time, the team was sponsored by the Healthcare Management Trust which managed the local hospital, so being a local lad I got to ride with them until they folded in 2018. I then called practically every team in Europe until I was given a slot on the Madison Genesis team as a development rider” Unfortunately for Joe this team folded too and in 2020 he was left without a team.
“Until then I was lucky, I had been given many opportunities but I think I am best when my back is against the wall”. This determination led to him finding a home at the well-renowned under-23 development team Hagens Berman Axeon, the starting point of many a World Tour rider's career.
“Here was tough, I didn't get a good start in the Juniors and at Axeon I didn't have much luck.” This was also when U23 races were just not happening due to COVID, and coincided with the rise of Remco Evenepoel. “Remco changed everything”.
“Remco changed U23 development by going straight from the Junior ranks to the World tour. I’d previously said I had no regrets, but that’s a lie, I just didn't reach my potential.”
It was a tough time for a lot of U23 riders, some made it, and a lot left the sport. For Joe, it was a time to figure things out. “Who knows what could have been, I would have made it at the World Tour level, but right then I just didn't know what I was going to do. Conti level did not appeal so in December 2022 I decided to become a Privateer, even though I didn't really have any idea what that meant!”
Joe also manages and races for the Ribble Rebellion Crit team - Photo courtesy of Ribble
What is refreshing about Joe is his honesty. If you visit his blog or read any of his articles he is very candid about the reality of being a one-man team, he gives you insight into how it really is. Because, let's be honest here, being a Privateer may sound exciting but it is hard work.
“I didn't want to just be ‘playing at bikes’ you can bum around at Conti Level, but I wanted to take it seriously, I was coming to the age where I wanted a regular salary. GRVL was not what I wanted to begin with, I remember chatting with Nathan Haas and thinking GRVL is stupid, but now it is the most fun I have had racing. There is money in GRVL so this is where I wanted to go”.
This leads us to TAG, or ‘Tarmac and Gravel’ the project name for Joe’s new career. “I was out riding and it dawned on me I was ‘tagging out of the road scene, it just went from there and it gave me the freedom to ride what I want, so TAG was born.”
“Year one was the pilot, the main goal was for it not to cost me anything, and to prove to myself that the concept worked”
“I work out how much the calendar year is going to cost me, how much will I need. For me each year I effectively put myself into 30k of debt. This money is what I need to cover all the foreseeable costs, travel, accommodation, kit etc”
“I then also need to eat so on top of this I want to pay myself and so I look for about 30k just for me. If it all works out, for a year I need to find 60k”
It is all about the hustle as a Privateer, you might think that it is all about the racing but in reality, its is a lot about your brand, about who you are, race results are not the only thing that potential sponsors are looking for.
“Each year I effectively put myself into 30k of debt”
“Sponsorship contracts are more than just racing” Joe tells me “You need to offer something more than just good results, especially if you are not the one winning every week. I am known as the ‘Racer Writer’, this gives me a unique standing and means that I can negotiate my contracts not just based on results.”
For example, Castelli expects a certain amount of articles as part of their sponsorship deal, so it pays to have more to your brand than just riding fast.
How did a boy from Grimsby with no love of English literature become the Writer Rider? “Just fell into it, another accident! I was writing a diary series when I was at Madison, and then I lived near a journalist from Cycling Tips called David Everett, met for a coffee and that gave me a chance”. At 19 Joe became the youngest freelancer at Rouleur and made money not just from racing but from his penmanship too.
“I have been lucky to be on teams that have a story. I have a certain style as I write the way I talk”. This style has led to articles for the Cycling Podcast, and Cycling Weekly and has given him the added support needed to keep on track.
With his extensive race calendar, he needs all the support he can get. He has just finished his recent America Block having raced at Unbound, Oregon Trails, UCI Blue Mountains Gravel, plus a number of Crit races with his Ribble Rebellion Team. So he is in a unique position to evaluate the differences between American and European GRVL.
“It is more event first in the US” he reflects “In Europe, it is race first there is not so much a festival atmosphere as in the States. Unbound is the Glastonbury for bikes! The events are much more lucrative for Privateers, despite the focus on grassroots and the community, a great example is Mid South Gravel, I would even take my parents there as it's just such an event even with no bike knowledge you would have fun!
European riders and teams are increasingly making their way to the US, introducing new team tactics and racing styles in hopes of impacting the outcomes.
“When it comes down to it, the priority is getting from point A to point B as fast as possible”. The possibility of a 'super team' emerging is real, but it would require substantial financial resources. While content as a privateer, considering the benefits – financial and strategic – Joe is open to joining a team in the future.
“The spirit of GRVL must evolve or die. As the sport becomes more professional and competitive, it needs to evolve to attract a larger audience. Currently, there is a lack of significant coverage.”
Honest, and affable to the end.
Joe is not your average rider. He is a writer, a relentless competitor, and someone who lays it all on the line – physically, emotionally, and truthfully.
To find out more about Joe Laverick visit his Substack
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