Colin Sturgess Explained

Colin Sturgess PhD
Fullname:Colin Andrew Sturgess
Birth Date:1968 12, df=yes
Birth Place:Ossett, Wakefield, England
Height:1.8m (05.9feet)
Weight:77kg (170lb)
Ridertype:Pursuitist (track)
Amateuryears1:2015
Amateurteam1:SportGrub Kuota
Amateuryears2:2018
Amateurteam2:Planet X–Northside
Amateuryears3:2019
Amateurteam3:East Mids–Pearces–RDA
Proyears1:1989
Proyears2:1990–1991
Proyears3:1992
Proteam3:Premier Milling–Snowflake
Proyears4:1998
Proteam4:Team Brite Voice
Proyears5:1999
Proteam5:Team Men's Health
Manageyears1:2016–2017
Manageteam1:Metaltek–Kuota
Manageyears2:2018
Manageyears3:2019
Manageyears4:2020
Manageyears5:2021–2022
Show-Medals:no

Colin Andrew Sturgess (born 15 December 1968) is an English former road and track cyclist, who last worked as a directeur sportif for UCI Continental team .[1] On the track, he won a gold and a bronze medal in the individual pursuit at the world championships in 1989 and 1991. He competed at the 1988 Summer Olympics in the 4 km individual pursuit and finished in fourth place. On the road, he won the British National Road Race Championships in 1990. In 2010 he was inducted to the British Cycling Hall of Fame.

Early life

Sturgess was born in Ossett, Wakefield, England, the only child of Alan and Ann Sturgess, both from London. When he was six, his family moved to Johannesburg, South Africa. The family subsequently returned to the UK, settling in Leicester, in order to help Sturgess make progress in his cycling career. He took a silver medal in the individual pursuit at the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, finishing ahead of Chris Boardman.[2]

Professional career

Sturgess turned professional after the 1988 Olympics. Among his professional teams was ADR, where he was a team-mate of Greg LeMond. He became celebrated for his showmanship on the bike; rather than maintaining an even pace as was the conventional tactic, he would hold back until the final lap and kick hard. In his World Championship win in 1989, where he trailed Dean Woods by over a second going into the last lap, he employed this tactic and crossed the finish line 1.66 seconds ahead of his rival.

He won the British National Individual Pursuit Championships professional event three times in 1989, 1990 and 1991.[3] [4] [5]

Disillusioned with the sport, in part due to drug-taking in the peloton, he had interrupted his career around 1993, when he graduated in English literature from Loughborough University and moved with his partner to Sydney, Australia. In Australia, he resumed competing, while working as a sports journal editor, and later returned to England. He finally retired in 2000, after winning a silver medal at the 1998 Commonwealth Games as part of the England team pursuit squad alongside a young Bradley Wiggins, and worked as a wine maker and wine educator near Sydney, winning national awards for his work. According to Sturgess, the immediate reason for his retirement was a dispute with British Cycling's management regarding money, however he later identified the falling out as a symptom of a then-undiagnosed case of bipolar disorder, which contributed to the break-up of his two marriages, problems with alcoholism, and a suicide attempt.

Post-cycling career

Sturgess returned to the UK in 2013, and has since involved himself with coaching. In 2014 he returned to competition, winning the League of Veteran Racing Cyclists time trial championship in September of that year.[6] In May 2016 he joined the Metaltek–Kuota team in a dual role as a rider in veterans' races and also as the team's directeur sportif.[7] After guiding Metaltek rider Daniel Fleeman in the 2017 Rutland–Melton International CiCLE Classic, in October of that year Sturgess was announced as team manager with,[8] but left the team one year later.[9] in 2023 Colin joined Blanca Bikes in Javea, Costa Blanca as a cycling guide and team coach https://blancabikes.com/

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling. UCI.org. Union Cycliste Internationale. 23 February 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210223141819/https://www.uci.org/road/teams/TeamDetail/15318/2003321/276. 23 February 2021.
  2. Web site: Former world champion Colin Sturgess endured his life falling apart but is now back on track . Dineen . Robert . 16 April 2017 . . 12 May 2017.
  3. News: Bryan, Peter. "Sturgess is on time for top title." Times, 4 Aug. 1989, p. 32. The Times. 4 August 1989 . 32 . Bryan . Peter .
  4. News: "For the Record." Times, 4 Aug. 1990, p. 25. The Times. 4 August 1990 . 25 .
  5. News: "For the Record." Times, 1 Aug. 1991, p. 33. The Times. August 1991 . 33 .
  6. Web site: Colin Sturgess returns to winning after 14-year break . Smythe . Simon . 1 October 2014 . . 12 May 2017.
  7. Web site: Former World champion Colin Sturgess takes on a new role with county elite cycling squad . 4 October 2016 . . 12 May 2017 .
  8. Web site: Former world champion Colin Sturgess joins Madison-Genesis as team manager . Robertshaw . Henry . Pitt . Vern . 9 October 2017. . 16 March 2019.
  9. Web site: Hammond to return to Madison Genesis as directeur sportif . 6 November 2018 . cyclingnews.com. 16 March 2019.