'There’s been no support from anyone': Former British Cycling coach says Team Sky Jiffy bag saga has 'tarnished' his name
Simon Cope says he has been rejected from numerous coaching jobs because of the anti-doping investigation into Team Sky

The British cycling coach who delivered the infamous Jiffy bag to Team Sky during the Critérium du Dauphiné has said that his name has been sullied and that he is unable to get a job within sport now.
Simon Cope was sent by British Cycling in June 2011 to fly a package to Team Sky from the national governing body's headquarters in Manchester to the race in France.
The contents of the package have never been confirmed, but its revelation in 2016 prompted an anti-doping investigation into Team Sky that has failed to find any evidence of wrongdoing.
A Parliamentary report, however, concluded that Sky had acquired Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs) to use banned the corticosteroid triamcinolone “to enhance the performance of riders, and not just to treat medical need,” and that the team did "cross the ethical line."
Team Sky have consistently denied any wrongdoing.
Cope worked for Bradley Wiggins’ eponymous development squad, Team Wiggins, as a sports director until it was disbanded at the end of 2019.
His subsequent quest to continue working within the sport have been fruitless, though, with the 53-year-old telling Cycling Weekly that his name has been blemished.
“My name has been tarnished, I think,” he said. “I went for an interview with Team Sunweb to become a sports director of their development team. I fit the criteria, but they said because I have been involved in a doping investigation they can’t take the chance on me.
“I applied for three jobs at British Cycling, one being elite road race manager that was given to Erick Roswell. I wasn’t given an interview and when asked why they said that they had a lot of applicants from various different sports and they wanted someone with a lot more experience than myself.
“I’m happy for Erick – I think he’s a good guy. I think British Cycling don’t want to touch the old guard. They think we are all poison.
“I also applied for some different jobs in motor sport, because the logistics are similar to moving a cycling team around. But all you have to do is Google my name and it [anti-doping case] comes up.”
Cope has tried to get work for Team Ineos and Bahrain-McLaren, hoping that his relationship with the respective team managers Dave Brailsford and Rod Ellingworth would help his cause.
“How do I clear my name?” he asked. “I really don’t know. Who turns around and says there was no wrongdoing here, and these people were not involved in everything?
“There’s been no support from anyone. I didn’t think the story would blow up as big as this. It was a non-story really and people got on the bandwagon.
“It was amazing how in the papers we were viewed as a mass-murderers.”
Team Wiggins finished at the end of 2019 because they were unable to secure enough financial backing.
Cope was sad to see the development team cease, having progressed a number of riders to the WorldTour, including Scott Davies, James Knox, Gabriel Cullaigh and Mark Donovan.
He would like to set up a replacement team in the future. “It was a shame the team finished. It was a very good stepping stone for the lads,” he continued.
“I am trying to put the feelers out myself to start something, another U23 team.
“I’ve not seen or spoken to Brad in ages, but I think he would put his name to a team again. But first of all I need to attract someone to give £300k- £400k to sponsor a team.”
Thank you for reading 10 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Chris first started writing for Cycling Weekly in 2013 on work experience and has since become a regular name in the magazine and on the website. Reporting from races, long interviews with riders from the peloton and riding features drive his love of writing about all things two wheels.
Probably a bit too obsessed with mountains, he was previously found playing and guiding in the Canadian Rockies, and now mostly lives in the Val d’Aran in the Spanish Pyrenees where he’s a ski instructor in the winter and cycling guide in the summer. He almost certainly holds the record for the most number of interviews conducted from snowy mountains.
-
-
New Canyon Grail breaks cover at Unbound
Canyon Bicycles teased out their new Grail gravel bike at Unbound Gravel in June. The racey steed was ridden to victory in two events this weekend.
By Joe Baker • Published
-
Training prioritised over racing: Why Mathieu van der Poel hasn't raced since Paris-Roubaix
Dutchman sets his sights on Tour de France and then road and MTB at Glasgow World Championships
By Adam Becket • Published
-
What happened to Johnny Hoogerland?
A career defined by a collision with a TV car at the 2011 Tour de France, we tracked down the Dutch rider to find out how the next 10 years unfolded
By Jonny Long • Published
-
From Gaza to the Giro d’Italia – the many faces of Israel Start-Up Nation
“Thank you for the question, because this is so dumb,” says Canadian billionaire Sylvan Adams, who has just touched down from Miami and is sat in the lobby of a beachfront hotel in Tel Aviv.
By Alex Ballinger • Published
-
'The domestiques on our team are unsung heroes': Owain Doull Q&A
The Olympian and Team Ineos man on his Maindy roots, staying motivated and passion for coffee
By David Bradford • Published
-
What will happen to pro cycling? Exploring the economic landscape after coronavirus
From the fate of various WorldTour teams to whether a behind-closed-doors Tour de France actually solves anything
By Jonny Long • Published
-
Forging legends: Here are the 10 best Classics of all-time
Do you agree?
By Cycling Weekly • Published
-
Five of the all-time best Classics rides by Brits
From Tom Simpson to Lizzie Deignan
By Cycling Weekly • Published
-
Can Chris Froome recover to win a fifth Tour?
After a horrific crash, Froome’s road to recovery has not been easy. James Shrubsall assesses the hurdles he’ll need to overcome to wear yellow in Paris this July
By James Shrubsall • Published
-
'The rule is bent in most races': Should Warren Barguil have been disqualified from Paris-Nice?
Diverting very briefly away from the current coronavirus crisis, something has been nagging at me over the past few days…
By Peter Cossins • Published