All hail Hollyman

The latest young Brit to move up to the World Tour tells CW about his plans

- James Shrubsall

From Everesting solo on Holme Moss to riding alongside the Sea of Galilee with his Israel Cycling Academy team, Yorkshire rider Mason Hollyman has come a long way in two short years, and right now he's preparing to step up to World Tour level with the Israel PremierTech outfit.

He describes it as every young racer's dream. "You spend so much of your young life heading towards that one direction," he said. "You always hope that one day it will come."

Currently in his second season with the Israel Cycling Academy, the 21-year-old's progression to the top level has not always been easy - he had two months off the bike at the end of last season after catching what he says was Covid or something very similar, and started late this year.

Consistency rewarded

But Hollyman quickly made up for his tardy start, with top-fives at the Trofeo Piva and Liège-Bastogne-Liège under-23 races in April, and followed those up with a solid sixth place on GC at the five-day Alpes Isère Tour last month.