Leo Hayter has said that he "felt like he was racing rather than being part of a race" at the Tour of Norway, in a recent social media post about how he has re-found his love of the sport.
Younger brother of Ineos Grenadiers talent Ethan, Leo Hayter rides for the Team DSM development squad as he learns the ropes of racing in the professional peloton.
The 20-year-old, who recently joined the new cycling agency run by Anthony Joshua, has admitted he struggled in recent years to really enjoy racing, but in a social media post Hayter said he'd found the joy of racing his bike again during the Tour of Norway.
>>> Mathieu van der Poel forced to pull out of mountain bike World Championships
In the post to his social media channels he said: "It finally clicked today in the Tour of Norway. I've had a really tough few years and I think it's clear I've struggled to adapt to racing at this level."
Hayter added that he needed to take a month off back in May, as he went from cycling being his life to "suddenly not wanting to have anything to do with it".
"I'd like to thank my team, and more specifically my coach Roy for pushing me through the darkest times when I felt helpless," he continued.
"It was a process that was far from smooth, but I finally feel happy to be riding and racing my bike"
pic.twitter.com/opj9TwjIyKAugust 21, 2021
Hayter was a key rider at the Tour of Norway for his team as he took long pulls on the front of the peloton, and also went on the attack on stage three with the likes of Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo), Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) and Thomas De Gendt (Lotto-Soudal).
This is where it finally clicked for Leo Hayter, he said, as he competed alongside his brother, 22-year-old Ethan, who won the first two stages and the overall.
Leo said that the penultimate stage of the race, in which he finished in the front group behind winner Pedersen, really reminded him why he had chosen this career, saying that it was "the first time since 2019 that he really felt like he was racing rather than being part of a race."
Hi, I'm one of Cycling Weekly's content writers for the web team responsible for writing stories on racing, tech, updating evergreen pages as well as the weekly email newsletter. Proud Yorkshireman from the UK's answer to Flanders, Calderdale, go check out the cobbled climbs!
I started watching cycling back in 2010, before all the hype around London 2012 and Bradley Wiggins at the Tour de France. In fact, it was Alberto Contador and Andy Schleck's battle in the fog up the Tourmalet on stage 17 of the Tour de France.
It took me a few more years to get into the journalism side of things, but I had a good idea I wanted to get into cycling journalism by the end of year nine at school and started doing voluntary work soon after. This got me a chance to go to the London Six Days, Tour de Yorkshire and the Tour of Britain to name a few before eventually joining Eurosport's online team while I was at uni, where I studied journalism. Eurosport gave me the opportunity to work at the world championships in Harrogate back in the awful weather.
After various bar jobs, I managed to get my way into Cycling Weekly in late February of 2020 where I mostly write about racing and everything around that as it's what I specialise in but don't be surprised to see my name on other news stories.
When not writing stories for the site, I don't really switch off my cycling side as I watch every race that is televised as well as being a rider myself and a regular user of the game Pro Cycling Manager. Maybe too regular.
My bike is a well used Specialized Tarmac SL4 when out on my local roads back in West Yorkshire as well as in northern Hampshire with the hills and mountains being my preferred terrain.
-
-
Ethan Vernon to debut Hope TT bike at World Championship U23 time trial
First international appearance for the roadgoing version of the Great Britain Hope x Lotus track bike
By Simon Smythe •
-
Wout van Aert and Remco Evenepoel looking for extra one per cent at Worlds as task of beating Filippo Ganna looms
The Belgian duo hope for home advantage in order to defeat the Italian in the men's elite individual time trial
By Jonny Long •
-
Michal Storer says he ‘knew exactly what he needed to do to win’ on stage 10 of Vuelta a España 2021
The Aussie took another huge victory in Rincón de la Victoria
By Alex Ballinger •
-
Team DSM respond to rumours of unrest inside the squad
Whispers of unhappy riders, strict protocol and some poor results have fuel the rumours
By Tim Bonville-Ginn •
-
Eight guitars, playing for five hours and a dream Tour de France band: meet cycling's guitar hero
Joris Nieuwenhuis is far more likely to be seen perusing around a guitar shop than a cycling establishment
By Chris Marshall-Bell •
-
Romain Bardet solos to first victory in three years
The Frenchman attacked away on the final climb of the Picón Blanco and held on to the finish despite crash on descent
By Tim Bonville-Ginn •
-
Jai Hindley set to join Bora-Hansgrohe, report suggests
The Australian climber would join a long list of stars to leave DSM
By Tim Bonville-Ginn •
-
Lorena Wiebes imperious in Belgium Tour stage one sprint
Second placed Jolien D’hoore takes the overall lead with two Classics-style stages to go
By Owen Rogers •
-
'The war is far from over' at the Giro d'Italia 2021, according to Romain Bardet
The French rider looks to be set for a big push towards the podium spots in the final week of the race
By Tim Bonville-Ginn •
-
Giro d'Italia 2021: Romain Bardet 'didn't realise' he finished second behind Egan Bernal
The Frenchman put in a strong performance on the final climb and descent of stage 16 to move up in the overall standings
By Tim Bonville-Ginn •
