Steve Lampier Calls Time On His Racing Career

Steve Lampier has officially called time on his long and illustrious racing career, with the National Championships Road Race on 17th October being his last major event.

However, he is by no means retiring from the world of competitive cycling and will be taking on the full-time role of Team Manager and Sports Director for Saint Piran’s Continental team.

This is a move that has been some years in the making. As Steve says:

“I actually started the transition from full time bike racer in late 2017 when (Team Principal) Ricci Pascoe and I started on the road to making Saint Piran a fully fledged pro cycling team, that could stand on its own two feet, be sustainable, and compete at the highest level we could attain.

In 2018-2019 I ran the team at UK Elite level, whilst still racing to a very good standard, and 2019 was a very successful season for myself. That carried on in 2020, though interrupted by Covid, and we then put in place the plan to step up to Continental level.”

However, the burden of managing the team and continuing to be the leader on the road became more difficult to sustain, especially with Saint Piran now competing at the higher level.

“The workload increased as we stepped up, the training slipped and my priorities changed. And having a young family meant that time on the bike wasn’t as freely available. I also felt in the last year that my own performances suffered and I was beating myself up, as I wanted the team to be the best and to have the best. So I felt I was losing on all fronts.

I always intended to race as long as could, at the highest level I could. But my results have levelled off, the workload has increased, and with another baby on the way and the life-long dream of racing a pro race on home roads achieved with last month’s Tour of Britain, the time has come.”

 In future then, Steve’s focus will be fully on the team as Team Manager and DS, and Saint Piran will enjoy the fruits of his 25 years racing experience.

“I have learnt a huge amount over the years, and while I didn’t always achieve the results I wanted, I’ve always been able to predict a outcome of a race. I want to put back into the sport something of what the sport has given me, to pass on my experience to the riders and to drive this team to greater and greater heights.”

And while he will no longer competing at the top level, rest assured that Steve’s competitive instincts remain as sharp as ever:

 “I will always race my bike. I started in 1996 and I’ll carry on until I can physically no longer do it.”