Rod Ellingworth will take over as race director of the Tour of Britain, his first role since departing the management of Ineos Grenadiers during the winter.
The appointment was announced by British Cycling on Tuesday afternoon. Ellingworth had previously spent 15 years working for the federation before focusing fully on his role at Team Sky ahead of the 2017 season.
Ellingworth takes over as race director from Mick Bennett after British Cycling terminated its agreement with previous organiser Sweetspot in November in a dispute over licence fees. Last month, British Cycling announced that it aimed to organise both the men’s and women’s Tours of Britain in 2024 and beyond.
“One of my early cycling memories is being at the UCI Road World Championships at Goodwood Circuit in 1982, and that experience lit a fire in me which has continued to burn every day since. I know how valuable and lifechanging the experience and memories of major cycling events can be, and feel incredibly privileged to now have the opportunity to play such a vital role in the future of the Tours of Britain,” Ellingworth said in a statement released by British Cycling on Tuesday, adding that the federation was “in many ways like a second family for me”.
Ellingworth oversaw the British Cycling academy programme that helped propel Mark Cavendish and Geraint Thomas to the professional ranks, and he also served as team director for the British squad when Cavendish won the World Championships in Copenhagen in 2011.
“The sport has changed so much since we launched the academy in 2004, but I’m excited by the level of ambition and energy around the events, and want to play my part in protecting and growing them for the next generation,” said Ellingworth.
Although no sporting or sponsorship details have yet been announced, British Cycling said last month that the men’s and women’s Tours of Britain remain scheduled on the 2024 calendar. “The financial position BC finds itself in is tough,” Chief Executive Jon Dutton admitted last month.
The Tour of Britain Women is slated for June 4-9, while the men’s race is pencilled in for September 1-8.
British Cycling confirmed on Tuesday that Ellingworth will work on the organisation of the events with a team that includes route director Andy Hawes, Mark Leyland, Paul Knight and Lucy Jones.
“I’m incredibly proud of the work our team has done in a short space of time to progress plans for the events, and we look forward to sharing further details of the Tour of Britain Women route over the coming weeks,” Dutton said on Tuesday. “It continues to be a real race against time, but we remain excited by the opportunity and overwhelmed by the enthusiasm and support being shown towards the events.”
Ellingworth had served as deputy team principal of Ineos Grenadiers in recent seasons after rejoining the team from Bahrain-McLaren, where he had served as general manager in 2020. The 51-year-old parted company with Ineos at the end of the 2023 amid a management restructure that has seen Dave Brailsford formally give up the title of team principal, while John Allert has been appointed as team CEO.
“This is a new role and a new set of skills for me, but I’ve been encouraged and supported by other Race Directors in the sport. I’ve spent a good portion of my life on the road at the sport’s biggest races, and will be drawing on all of that experience to make the Tours of Britain the very best they can be,” Ellingworth said.
“As the son of an event organiser and the dad of a young boy starting his own journey as a rider, I feel a real responsibility to get this right, but also huge excitement about the start of a new chapter and challenge in the sport.”
