Blog|ribble-pro-team

The Ribble Outliers- Ribble’s Gravel Racing Team

12 March 2025

  • The Spirit of Gravel. The Pursuit of Adventure. The Ribble Outliers.

  • Meet The Ribble Outliers - a gravel racing team that isn’t just about podiums or polished perfection; it’s about pushing limits, embracing chaos and proving what’s possible on two wheels.

    Our team of six riders will take on some of the toughest gravel races on the planet, putting a brand-new gravel platform set to launch in the summer of 2025 through its paces. This bike is built to handle whatever the trail throws at it, and The Ribble Outliers are here to prove it.

  • RECENT NEWS

  • The Gralloch, Scotland

  • Ribble Outliers continue to impress with a strong set of results from the Gralloch. Set amongst the beautiful rolling hills of Dumfries and Galloway, our Outliers keep raising the bar, this week achieving our first team UCI podium result, with Sophie Wright just missing out on a win but claiming 3rd.

    Ben Thomas fought hard having been in the break all day with an outstanding 4th place, while Harry Tanfield and Metheven Bond both posted top 25 finishes. Tom Couzens also gained a category win in the 19-34’s, so all in all a great weekend’s work!

  • Outliers at Lincoln

  • A fine day in Lincoln yesterday. No podiums but the Ribble Outliers were ever present at the pointy end of both the men's and women's race. Not bad for single riders from a gravel team.

    Sophie bagged 17th after leading the group into the base of the final climb towards the line but faded halfway up and finished 17th. She did take the Queen of the Mountain prize though.

    Harry was in the main move of the men's race but was found out two laps to go and ended up 15th in a super attritional day on the bike.


  • Traka, Girona

  • Ribble Outliers fought hard throughout the weekend at the biggest gravel event in Europe! In a field packed with the best gravel riders in the world, Sophie Wright continued her brilliant form with a top 10 podium finish in the women's 200 and Ben Thomas finished 22nd fighting all the way to the line in the front group in the men's 200.

    There were also memorable performances for Jenson Young who looked set to podium but was very unlucky with punctures but still managed to come in 38th, and Metheven Bond who completed his longest race to date, finishing 32nd in the tough 360.

    Also riding at Traka, Ribble sponsored riders Tom Couzens and Amelia Mitchell both achieved fantastic results. Tom came 7th in a field of over 1000 riders in the Traka 100 yesterday, while Amelia finished 16th in the women's 200. These exciting results demonstrate real momentum is building for the Outliers and for our sponsored riders ahead of Gralloch in 2 weeks' time.


  • Dirty Reiver

  • The Ribble Outliers delivered a dominant performance at Dirty Reiver 2025, with Metheven Bond and Jenson Young crossing the line arm-in-arm to take 1st and 2nd, 15 minutes ahead of the field. Sophie Wright smashed her longest-ever race, finishing as the first woman home.

    The result was a true team effort, built on grit, spirit, and teamwork. A huge thanks to everyone at Ribble who helped make this success possible!


  • Meet The Outliers

  • Harry Tanfield – UK

    Moving to gravel racing feels like a natural step in my career. I’m excited to compete in this fast-growing discipline and be part of a forward-thinking team. This year, I’m bringing my road racing experience to gravel and aiming to make an impact in major events

  • Sophie Wright – UK

    I am really excited to be starting a new chapter in my career racing a mixed program for the first time with ribble this year, including some of the biggest gravel races in the world. Havht competed in an offical gravel race before to stoked for the adventure it will be.

    Coming from the north of England, ribble is well known and It will be awesome to be racing their new gravel and road bikes that are being introduced very shortly. Knowing the amount of work that has gone into developing these over the last few years

  • Jenson Young - UK

    Coming from a Cyclocross and Road background, gravel, to me, is a combination of both that requires different skills from both disciplines. I feel it suits me perfectly so I’m really excited to get stuck into the racing and hopefully achieve some great results

    It was a no-brainer to join the Outliers team. Having ridden Ribble bikes in other teams, I knew exactly how they performed when racing. With the new equipment and sponsors, I’m confident we have the tools to compete at the top level of the sport.

  • Metheven Bond – UK

    I’m beyond excited to be racing for Ribble Outliers this year and gearing up for an epic season. Kicking off with Sea Otter in California—a long-time bucket list race—I’ll then take on Traka 360, my longest race yet, before heading to Unbound, where I'm hoping for a cleaner run than the infamous peanut butter mud year. The Rift in Iceland is another major highlight, with its brutal yet breathtaking challenge. Having previously raced with the Ribble Collective, I’m thrilled to now be part of a team that truly supports each other in a solo-driven race environment. With Ribble’s full backing and top-tier sponsors, plus the chance to race for the brand I work with daily, this was an opportunity I couldn’t turn down. And with a stunning bike and kit, I can’t wait to take on the world. Bring it on!

  • Ben Thomas - UK

    Having ridden as a privateer for the past few years I'm excited to be a part of a team again after riding for a couple of UCI mountain bike teams earlier in my career. With the athletes riding for Ribble Outliers we have a great chance of being competitive at each event we go to and should have a lot of fun along the way. The event calendar allows me to fulfil so many dreams, we'll be doing all the major UK races, select events from the Life Time Grand Prix in the U.S. including Unbound, the Gravel Earth Series in Europe (including the Traka), and the UCI Gravel Series, culminating in the World Championships. With the support of the team and its sponsors we have everything we need to perform on the race track as well as enjoying some huge cycling adventures away from the race track.

  • Hayley Simmonds – UK

    I'm really excited to embark on the 2025 season with Ribble Outliers! The planned calendar is extensive and incorporates some events I've wanted to do for several years but haven't had the opportunity to race. The team atmosphere is great, and everybody is really enthusiastic about the season; after many years of racing for UCI road teams, I'm looking forward to a change and being part of a group of riders with the same values who want to race hard but also have fun riding bikes at the same time. I'll still be incorporating some TTs into my calendar, but my main focus will, of course, be the gravel races. I always seem to race well at The Gralloch, so I'm excited to return to Scotland in May. I'm also really looking forward to experiencing the US gravel scene, as I think the style of racing will hopefully suit my strengths as a rider.


  • The Bike: Ribble Gravel Prototype

  • The Ribble Outliers will compete on the Ribble Gravel prototype set to launch in summer 2025. This bike has been designed to push the limits of speed, control, and resilience across any terrain. Featuring SRAM, Zipp & Schwalbe components, this real-world race testing ensures it meets the high-performance demands of elite-level gravel racing. For training and endurance rides, the team will also utilise the Ribble Allroad SL R, ensuring they are prepared for every challenge ahead.


  • Team Kit

  • The Ribble Outliers will compete in a bold, high-performance kit designed in collaboration with LE COL. The kit reflects the adventurous spirit of gravel cycling, with a halftone fade aesthetic that embodies the team’s spirit of pushing beyond limits.


  • Race Calendar: Where to Find Us

  • The Ribble Outliers will be taking on some of the biggest and most prestigious gravel races in the world. Here’s where you can follow their journey:

    Completed Races..

    • Sea Otter Classic (USA) – April
    • Dirty Reiver (Scotland) – April
    • Traka (Girona, Spain) – May
    • Gralloch (Scotland) – May

    Up Coming Races..

    • Unbound Gravel (USA) – June
    • UCI Gravel Singen (Germany) - June
    • The Rift (Iceland) – July
    • Houffa Gravel (Belgium) – August
    • British National Gravel Championships (England) – September
    • Sea Otter, Girona (Spain) - September
    • European Gravel Champs (Italy) - September
    • Ranxo Gravel (Spain) – October
    • UCI World Gravel Championships (Holland) – October

    Follow the team as they push themselves and their bikes to the limits on some of the world’s toughest courses.


  • Our Sponsors

  • The Ribble Outliers are supported by industry-leading brands who share our passion for performance and adventure:

    • Ribble
    • LE COL
    • Restrap
    • Precision Hydration and Fuel
    • SRAM
    • Zipp
    • Met
    • Training Peaks
    • Squirt
    • Chamois Butter
    • Schwalbe
    • Lake
    • Selle Italia

  • Follow The Outliers

  • Stay up to date with the team’s journey, race results, and behind-the-scenes content:

    🔗 Instagram – @ribble_cycles/ribbleoutliers 🔗 YouTube – Ribble Cycles 🔗 Facebook – Ribble Cycles

    Join us as we celebrate the adventure, the challenge, and the community that defines gravel riding. This is The Ribble Outliers.


Back to Posts

Tags