Why aren’t British riders competing in the Trento 2021 European Championships?

British Cycling made the decision not to compete in the European road event, here is why

The women's peloton during the European Championships road race
The women's peloton during the European Championships road race
(Image credit: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

If you’ve been watching the European Championships, taking place in Trento over the past week, you may have noticed the absence of the British flag during the racing.

No British riders are competing in the major road event in Italy, after British Cycling announced earlier this year that it would not be taking a team to compete the European Championships. 

Thank you for reading 20 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

Alex Ballinger

Alex Ballinger is editor of BikeBiz magazine, the leading publication for the UK cycle industry, and is the former digital news editor for CyclingWeekly.com. After gaining experience in local newsrooms, national newspapers and in digital journalism, Alex found his calling in cycling, first as a reporter, then as news editor responsible for Cycling Weekly's online news output, and now as the editor of BikeBiz. Since pro cycling first captured his heart during the 2010 Tour de France (specifically the Contador-Schleck battle) Alex covered three Tours de France, multiple editions of the Tour of Britain, and the World Championships, while both writing and video presenting for Cycling Weekly. He also specialises in fitness writing, often throwing himself into the deep end to help readers improve their own power numbers.  Away from the desk, Alex can be found racing time trials, riding BMX and mountain bikes, or exploring off-road on his gravel bike. He’s also an avid gamer, and can usually be found buried in an eclectic selection of books.