Ian Stannard
Nationality: British
Date of birth: May 25, 1987
Height: 190cm
Weight: 80kg
Team: Team INEOS
Twitter: @IStannard
>>> Full Ian Stannard bio and list of results
Ian Stannard is a key part of Team Sky's Classic squad and plays the part of a super-domestique in stage races, having been included in Chris Froome's team for three of his four Tour de France victories (2013, 2015 and 2016).
Stannard was originally a product of the early years of British Cycling's Olympic Academy. He made his breakthrough on the road in 2007, riding the latter part of the season as a stagiaire for the T-Mobile team and winning the Milano-Brusetto race.
The young Briton then joined the Belgian Landbouwkrediet team, which although not a top-level team, was more beneficial for Stannard as it allowed him to ride some of the Classics in the early part of the season, something which would not have been possible at a bigger team. Stannard used this opportunity to his advantage, riding and completing the Tour of Flanders, Ghent-Wevelgem and Paris-Roubaix: no mean feat for a neo-pro.
Stannard then joined the new British-backed Sky team for 2010 after a year spent with the Italo-Ukranian ISD outfit.
Stannard's move to Sky worked for him in 2010, with his most eye-catching performance coming in Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne - recording a third place following a successful breakaway move. Stannard topped that in 2011 with a stage win in the Tour of Austria from an escape group.
In 2012, Stannard won the British road race title after making a solo move from an earlier escape, but his racing stepped up a notch in 2013, where he confirmed his status as a genuine Classics contender. Sixth place at Milan-San Remo was the highlight, but Stannard was a protagonist of aggressive riding throughout the early-season campaign.
After a strong 2013 classics season that nonetheless saw him come away without a victory, Stannard came good in 2014 with a win in Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, out-sprinting Greg Van Avermaet (BMC). Stannard then repeated the feat in 2015, winning from a four-man escape group containing Etixx-QuickStep team-mates Tom Boonen, Niki Terpstra and Stijn Vandenbergh.
Although 2016 was marked by just one victory - a stage of the Tour of Britain - Stannard put in an impressive performance at Paris-Roubaix, placing third for his first podium appearance in a Monument.
2017 and 2018 were both market by a single victory, with a stage win at the Herald Sun Tour and Tour of Britain respectively. He also finished 2nd at the National Championships RR.
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Team Sky unveil strong line-up for Critérium du Dauphiné
Chris Froome will lead Sky's eight-man team at the Critérium du Dauphiné, which also includes Sergio Henao and Mikel Landa
By Nigel Wynn Published
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Ian Stannard joins Trinity Racing as sports director
Stannard retired from professional racing with Ineos Grenadiers last year due to complications with his rheumatoid arthritis
By Tim Bonville-Ginn Published
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‘Going to miss you mate, but what a career’: Cycling world reacts as Ian Stannard forced to retire
The cycling world has reacted to the shock news that Ian Stannard has been forced to retire due to health problems.
By Alex Ballinger Published
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Ian Stannard: A career in pictures
British rider, Ian Stannard, has been forced to retire after developing rheumatoid arthritis after 14 years in the sport and seven wins along the way
By Tim Bonville-Ginn Published
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Why isn't Ian Stannard in the Team Sky Tour de France squad?
Ian Stannard was omitted from Sky's Tour line-up for the first time since 2014
By Gregor Brown Published
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Twitter reacts to Ian Stannard's 'brilliant' Tour of Britain stage win
Popular Team Sky rider Ian Stannard puts in long-range attack to win stage three of the 2016 Tour of Britain – to much acclaim on social media
By Nigel Wynn Published
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Introducing Team Sky's new recruits ahead of the Tour de France (video)
The British WorldTour team have got in three new recruits ahead of the Tour de France
By Jack Elton-Walters Published
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Ian Stannard aims for Spring Classics
British road race champion Ian Stannard in action in Australia for Tour Down Under, warming up for Paris-Roubaix
By Sophie Smith Published
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Team Sky announce Tour of Britain line-up
British WorldTour squad Sky reveals their six-rider line-up for the 2016 Tour of Britain (September 4-11)
By Nigel Wynn Published
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Ian Stannard: 'I don't think I deserve my hardman reputation. I just get on with my job'
Speaking exclusively to Cycling Weekly, Team Sky's Ian Stannard speaks about his love for hard races, and how to beat the strong Quick-Step team.
By Henry Robertshaw Published
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Ben Swift, Ian Stannard and Luke Rowe all pull out of British National Road Race Championships
Alex Peters and Andy Fenn will be Team Sky's only representatives in the 2016 British National Road Race Championships
By Chris Marshall-Bell Published
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Ian Stannard wins Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
Ian Stannard becomes first British winner of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad after out-sprinting Greg Van Avermaet
By Stephen Puddicombe Published
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Ian Stannard returns to top form after fracturing spine last year
A strong performance in the Tour of Qatar has helped Ian Stannard to move on from last year's crash-filled season
By Gregor Brown Published
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Ian Stannard 'gutted' for Classics rival Boonen
Sky rider using Tirreno-Adriatico to build strength ahead of Spring Classics
By Gregor Brown Published
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Chris Froome: 'Ian Stannard is an absolute beast!'
Tour de France champion Chris Froome describes British team-mate Ian Stannard as an 'absolute beast' after his Herald Sun Tour stage win
By Nigel Wynn Published
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Ian Stannard dominates Tour of Britain stage three to win from the breakaway
Ian Stannard solos the final 40km of stage three of the Tour of Britain to take his first stage win in his home tour
By Stuart Clarke Published
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The three Brits of the Eneco Tour
Only a trio of Brits will take to this month's WorldTour event in Belgium and the Netherlands
By Richard Windsor Published
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Ian Stannard may forgo Het Nieuwsblad hat-trick in favour of Paris-Roubaix success
Ian Stannard is targeting success at Paris-Roubaix and Tour of Flanders in 2016, instead of making it three successive wins at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
By Chris Marshall-Bell Published
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Ian Stannard aims to capitalise on Tour of Qatar time trial
Team Sky's Ian Stannard looks to move up the Tour of Qatar standings at the stage three road bike time trial
By Richard Abraham Published
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Just how close was Ian Stannard to losing his Sun Tour stage win? (video)
Video footage shows how Ian Stannard nearly got caught on the line as he celebrated on the final stage of the Herald Sun Tour
By Nigel Wynn Published
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Ian Stannard takes solo win on Tour of Britain 2018 stage seven
Alaphilippe finishes in bunch to retain GC lead
By Owen Rogers Published
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Strade Bianche 'too hard' for Ian Stannard, says Team Sky sports director
Het Nieuwsblad winner Ian Stannard continues build-up to spring classics in Italy, but without pressure to win
By Gregor Brown Published
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Ian Stannard suffers fractured scaphoid in Tour of Britain fall
Sky rider injured again less than a month after he returned to action following a fractured vertebra.
By Nick Bull Published
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Ian Stannard's Omloop Het Nieuwsblad win in pictures
Graham Watson was on hand to record Ian Stannard's mighty win in the 2015 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
By Nigel Wynn Published
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Ian Stannard: 'A wet and messy Paris-Roubaix suits me'
Some riders may be fearful of bad weather during Sunday's Paris-Roubaix, but Briton Ian Stannard isn't one of them
By Gregor Brown Published
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Team Sky suffers in Ghent-Wevelgem
Ian Stannard and Chris Sutton taken to hospital with injuries after four of Team Sky's riders crash in Ghent-Wevelgem
By Gregor Brown Published
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Ian Stannard: Etixx-QuickStep's Het Nieuwsblad tactics played into my hands
Ian Stannard talks about his against-the-odds Omloop Het Nieuwsblad victory
By Richard Moore Published
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Rod Ellingworth: 'I knew that descent was going to be a deciding factor'
Team GB men's road cycling coach talks about the Rio 2016 Olympic men's road race, after a strong but ultimately unsuccessful from the British riders
By Jack Elton-Walters Published
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Watch: Ian Stannard stars in Team Sky's 2017 Christmas video
As a cycling equivalent of the John Lewis advert, Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without Sky's annual festive video
By Nigel Wynn Published