One of Britain's biggest hopefuls
17-year-old Brit, one of the most remarkable junior talents on both road and track, set for WorldTour leap with Telefónica-backed squad.
The Movistar Team opened its ‘mercato’ on Wednesday with the announcement of Carys Lloyd (Maidstone, Kent, GBR; 2006) joining the team as of next season. The young English rider, currently a member of junior outfit Tofauti Everyone Active at her home country, has signed a three-year contract (2025-27) with the Telefónica-sponsored squad.
Lloyd has shone bright during her two-year spell as junior, both on the road and track. On the banking, she already collected three European titles: in 2023, she became continental champion in the Madison in Anadia (Portugal), and last July, at the Cottbus (Germany) events, she took gold at the Omnium and notched up a second Madison title – together with future team-mate Cat Ferguson.
On the road, Carys’ list of results includes victories in the GP Plouay (2023) and two stages of the Dutch Omloop van Borsele in 2024, a race of the top-ranked UCI Nations Cup, both into bunch sprints and as part of one-two finishes alongside Ferguson. Lloyd also claimed bronze at the British Time Trial Championships.
REACTION:
Carys Lloyd: “I’ve been a part of this sport since I can remember. Being born in New Year’s Eve, I’ve been taught to be mature and hard-working, as everyone was older than me at school and sports. When I was six, my brother and I went on our first races, and I fell in love with competition immediately. As a family, we went all around the country for races. My first event abroad was Internationale Jeugdtour Assen, which I attended every single year until 2020, when covid hit. It’s an amazing race I can’t recommend enough to riders who want to reach the UCI stage.
“As a competitor, I’m a classics rider, one who loves to use her ‘powerhouse’ ability and quick change of speed. Bunch kicks are something I excel at, and I can’t wait to put those skills to the test in the WorldTour in the future. I also love riding as a team. The trust you build with your team-mates for a common goal – there’s no greater feeling. That’s why I can’t wait to turn pro with the Movistar Team. I believe they will help me in my development.
“I’ve known Cat personally for about four years now, and had already raced her for so much longer. Being from the opposite side of the country, it took a few years to get close to her. In 2020, when restrictions lifted, I was invited by Cat’s dad to a training camp, and I had the chance to meet her in a non-competitive environment.
“This grew to having her as my Madison partner the following year. With her, I achieved my first national title, something that will always remain important to me, because it was there that I truly realized I could fulfil my dream of becoming a pro. It all makes it special to also turn pro together with her next year. She’s not just my team-mate or my friend – she’s my family. This is why I’m not scared to turn pro, because I’ve got Cat with me.”