Le Col founder leaves clothing brand after years of losses

Le Col Thermal Bib Shorts feature cargo side pockets for extra storage — (Image credit: Le Col)

Yanto Barker, the founder of the British cycling clothing brand Le Col, has left the company, Cycling Weekly understands.

The circumstances of his departure have not been disclosed; however, Companies House filings show Barker resigned from his role as director on 7 October 2025. He appears to have been replaced by Richard Mills, who is listed on LinkedIn as working for tour operator Neilson Active Holidays.

Contacted by Cycling Weekly, a Le Col spokesperson said: "Yanto remains an important part of the brand's story. Yanto is exploring new opportunities and we're grateful for his vision and contribution to what we have achieved at Le Col."

Barker founded Le Col in 2009, following a career as a professional cyclist.

In recent years, the business has struggled for profitability amid industry challenges. In 2022, it posted a more than £6 million loss for the year, which it followed up with a £3.4 million loss in 2023, and £2.6 million loss in 2024.

Since 2018, Le Col has received support from private equity firm Puma Investments, which, to date, has put more than £15 million into the business.

Writing in the Le Col's latest accounts for 2024, published last month, new director Mills said the period “continued to be a challenging year for the cycling industry, following the COVID boom in cycling”.

He added that the company finalised a “restructuring review” in October 2024 that it started in late 2022.

“The key restructuring action for the company in 2024 was the rationalisation of the overhead and headcount at the UK head office,” Mills wrote. “This restructuring was finalised by October 2024 and has allowed the business to improve its working capital, mitigate its operating losses, achieve a more flexible and responsive supply chain, and provide a clear pathway to profitability in the coming years.”

Team UK Youth's Yanto Barker at the UCS Ipswich and Coastal Grand Prix — Yanto Barker in 2013.

Barker’s name has been synonymous with Le Col since its inception in 2009. A former junior British road champion, the 46-year-old was part of the GB set-up as a teenager, and returned to racing in 2012 alongside his work with Le Col. He competed in the Tour of Britain six times.

Le Col first introduced its products to the market in 2011, and has since become one of Britain's most influential cycling brands; the company has supplied to WorldTour teams in Bora-Hansgrohe and Mark Cavendish’s former Bahrain-McLaren, sponsored women's team Drops-Le Col, and partnered with Bradley Wiggins for its Le Col by Wiggins collection.

Writing last month in the company’s accounts, new director Mills said he intends to “grow the brand and aim to achieve profitability of the business in the future”.

Tom joined Cycling Weekly as a news and features writer in the summer of 2022, having previously contributed as a freelancer and been host of the TT Podcast. He is fluent in French and Spanish, and holds a master's degree in International Journalism.

An enthusiastic cyclist himself, Tom likes it most when the road goes uphill, and actively seeks out double-figure gradients on his rides. His best result is 28th in a hill-climb competition, albeit out of 40 entrants.