Team manager
Austyn Tusler
Every team needs someone in charge, because riders always don’t make the best decisions about when to race and when to take a back seat, and the like.
Team manager @austyntusler is in charge of rider selection and also acts as directeur sportif, informing tactics and keeping an eye on everyone’s form.
Paragoni Austyn has a long history in racing and will don the jersey in anger during the season, too.
Women’s Team:
Michelle Arthurs-Brennan
Brains, inspiration and driving force behind operation 1904, @ridewriterepeat is also now the owner of both a diverse cycling skill set and a sneaky impressive palmares, to which she added 3 wins last year.
Helen Bridgman
Helen Bridgman (@helebridg) joins us from Kingston Wheelers, Helen came to racing after years of netball followed by triathlon, where she enjoyed a top 10 in the British middle distance triathlon champs.
Last year was a bit stunted thanks to getting a bit friendly with the tarmac, resulting in a broken collarbone, but she’s excited to smash up 2019 in the best way. Helen gives back a lot too, as co-chair of London Women’s Racing (@ldnwomensracing).
Kat Broadbent
@ksb2322 is sticking with us into 2019 – Kat joined @norwood.paragon from Geoffrey Butlers women’s team in 2018. Not only is she an incredible climber, she’s one of those riders never content to sit in the pack. Either tiring out the peloton ready for a team mate to sprint, or breaking away for her own win, it is never a dull race if she’s there.
Gemma Hayes
Gemma Hayes (@gem.hayes) joined the @norwood.paragon women’s team last year and raced a strong season. With a background in triathlon, she loves a time trial too…
Anna Marie Hughes
Smashing the sprints for us in 2019 will be Anna Marie Hughes (@anna_mariehughes).
Anna might be young, but she’s got tons of experience having raced for Vertex-Biemme, TWC De Kempen and Bonito Squadra Corse. In 2018, she joined Norwood Paragon’s women’s team and topped the season off by becoming Central, South and South Eastern U23 champion.
All that, and Anna gives back a lot to the sport too, in her role as chair of the University of Kent cycling club. Busy busy!
Joy Lisney
Joy Lisney (@joylisney) got into bike racing in 2016, after winning ‘a few’ triathlons. Before that, she played lacrosse for England, county athletics and represented Cambridge Uni in athletics, cycling AND cricket. She podiumed at two of the three races she entered in 2018, and plans to do a lot more next year!
Off the bike, she’s studying for a PhD in music..
Mathilde Pauls
@mathildepauls has a sporting background in rowing.
In 2005 she won the lightweight women’s double at Amsterdam U23 World Championships, plus a silver at the Munich World Cup in 2007. She moved to cycling via Duathlon, scooping up age group Gold medals at the European and World Championships.
In 2018, she rode for Sigma Sport women’s race team, retaining her cat 1 license. Whilst also being a neurologist. Did we miss anything?? All that, and she’s mega chill and down to earth. Mathilde brings a huge amount of strength to the women’s squad and we’re thrilled to have her on board.
Tina Reid
Welcome Tina Reid (@tinareid2103). The former rower has previously focused on time trials, where she achieved a few National medals 🥇😊, both team and individual. More recently, she’s got into track cycling and has been buzzing every time she’s hit the boards.
For 2019, Tina will be shifting her goals towards track and road racing, though she’ll still do the TT Nationals and Sigma Sports Classics – whilst representing @1904rt!
Carolyn Swan
@carolyn.swan.77 came to bikes later in life, after finally getting sick of running. Here she is at the UCI Gran Fondo World champs. She’s progressed every year, and is busy working with @coachwatto to ensure 2019 is her best yet!
Viv Tomlin
@vivotomlin joins us from CC London. She’s a cat 2 road racer, and this year managed an impressive podium at the Masters National Championships.
Viv has raced National series events and a host of Team Series events, so she’ll be a great asset at some of our key targets. She came out on the club run on Sunday and gave some of the boys a run for their money, too….
Men’s Team:
Tim Bishop
@tim_phin is probably the team member most pleased that our 2019 kit isn’t orange, Tim is co-manager and chief post TNT (Thursday night thrash) lasagne maker at @maison_du_velo. But he’s not just about expertly layered sheets of pasta, Tim is a regular Surrey Leaguer with an engine that lends itself perfectly to punchy road races
James Bishop
Intentional jet-setter, demon descender and experienced racer, @jambish1987 will be bringing this and other equally smouldering looks to the 1904 RT kit this year….
Andy Critchlow
Andy Critchlow (@baldersdale) is the resident vet on the men’s team. On BC’s books, he’s a 1st cat racer with decades of experience, having competed for GB in the team time trial and road race as a junior in 1991 and 1992. Other claims to fame include the BUCS 4km pursuit title and victory at the Peter Buckley RR.
Alex Hunter
When not saving lives Alex Hunter (@docalexh ) is an all round sportsman, good egg and someone from whom we’re expecting big things this year.
Ralph de Kanter
Ralph de Kanter is a long term Paragoni who swears blind the Crystal Palace crits are the best race in town! He’s never happier than when keeping the pace at threshold. Kit/sock coordination level: elite
Pedro Lopes
@pedro_ec_l is our Portugease contingent. He did most of his road racing in Portugal, and since moving to the UK has been keeping himself busy with events like the Tour of Wessex. Now he wants to pin numbers on his back again in the UK, though he’s also hoping to tempt the team out to the odd Portugease stage race….
Pedro provides a huge amount of horsepower, churning away on the front of @norwood.paragon club runs, we see him being a massive asset to our squad
Ben Moores
A long term Paragoni, Ben Moores is a veteran of the best crits in town at Crystal Palace – often rocking up with brother Chris and front-of-pack marshal Ralph. Ben’s been doing a bit of running this winter, but we’re promised he’ll be on the wheels come summer.
Chris Moores
Also a big fan of Crystal Palace crits, and winner on several occasions, Chris has some stripes to his name too – as reigning National Paracycling Crit race champion!
Jamie Pullen
After 12 wins and finishing 10th in the national youth rankings in 2018, young GUN Jamie Pullen (@itzzjamiee) is central to our plans at 1904RT.
MdV shop ride regulars will be painfully familiar with his attacking riding and looking forward to seeing it unleashed on the ranks of junior and senior racers next year.
Outside of cycling Jamie enjoys… We’ve no idea, we’ve never asked, he just likes racing his bike and attacking non-stop.
