Simon Richardson (English cyclist)
{{short description|British racing cyclist}}
{{for|the Welsh cyclist|Simon Richardson (Welsh cyclist)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2016}}
{{Infobox cyclist
| name = Simon Richardson
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| fullname = Simon Richardson
| nickname =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1983|6|21}}
| birth_place = {{ENG}}
{{GBR}}
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height =184 cm
| weight =75kg
| currentteam = Retired
| discipline = Road & XC MTB
| role = Rider
| ridertype = All rounder
| majorwins =
| medaltemplates =
| show-medals =
| amateurteam2 =
| proteam1 = Plowman Craven-Evans Cycles
| proteam2 = {{UCI team code|RCS|2009}}
| amateuryears2 =
| proyears1 = 2007–2008
| proyears2 = 2009
| amateuryears1 =
| amateurteam1 =
| proyears3 = 2010–2012
| proteam3 = {{UCI team code|SGS|2010}}
}}
Simon Richardson (born 21 June 1983) is a retired professional road racing cyclist from Bristol who last rode for {{UCI team code|SGS|2012}}. He moved into media work after retiring and currently works as a presenter for Global Cycling Network.
Racing career
He started as a cross-country mountain biker and won the 2005 under-23 British National Mountain Biking Championships before switching to road racing with Plowman Craven-Evans Cycles in 2007.[http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/web/site/BC/gbr/GBRiderInfo/Richardson_Simon_Bio.asp British Cycling Bio]{{dead link|date=May 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
Richardson was the general classification winner of the 2009 FBD Insurance Rás, his only overall victory in a professional stage race. Also known as Rás Tailteann, the event comprised eight stages and was part of the UCI Europe Tour. Riding for {{UCI team code|RCS|2009}}, he took the lead after stage three and held it to the end of the race, taking the overall win by two minutes and forty-nine seconds.{{cite web | url=https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/fbd-insurance-ras/2009/gc | title=FBD Insurance Ras 2009 Stage 8 results }}
His other professional win came at the same race in 2008, beating David O'Loughlin in the sprint to the line on stage five after the two riders broke clear of the field. He would finish the race in 19th place overall.
He had top-twenty overall finishes at the Tour of Britain in 2008 and 2010, and came 5th in the elite men's road race at the 2010 British National Road Race Championships.{{cite web | url=https://www.procyclingstats.com/rider/simon-richardson | title=Simon Richardson }} He also scored podium finishes in uncategorized races including Tour of the Reservoir, Sea Otter Classic and Lincoln Grand Prix.
Richardson announced his retirement from professional cycling at the end of 2012 after winning the Rouleur’s Combativity award on the final stage of the Tour Of Britain.[http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest/344919/richardson-wraps-up-the-ras.html Richardson wraps up the Ras]
Post retirement
Following his retirement, Richardson became a presenter and content creator at Global Cycling Network.{{Cite web|url=https://shop.globalcyclingnetwork.com/about-us/|title=About Us|website=shop.globalcyclingnetwork.com|access-date=2017-01-14}} He works alongside former IG-Sigma teammate Daniel Lloyd, Conor Dunne and other former professional cyclists at GCN.
In 2024, Richardson filmed a feature for GCN in which he competed in the Brompton World Championship. Competitors at the event ride Brompton folding bicycles and must wear some element of business attire - in Richardson's case a suit jacket - rather than traditional cycling gear. He finished second in his heat to qualify for the final, and was second in the championship race.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GN1OXBNgTY GCN - Can Simon Win The Brompton World Championship 2024?]
Major Results
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;2004
: 1st Round of Belgian Cup
: 2nd National Under-23 CX Championships
;2005
: 1st 20px National Under-23 XC Championships
;2006
: 1st Bikeline 2 Day
;2008
: 1st Stage 5 FBD Insurance Rás
: 2nd Sea Otter Classic{{cite web |url=http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest-news/plowman-craven-take-first-and-second-at-sea-otter-warm-up-96701 |title=Plowman Craven Take First and Second at Sea Otter Warm-Up |author= |date=19 April 2008 |website=Cycling Weekly |accessdate=17 July 2014}}
: 3rd Lincoln Grand Prix{{cite web |url=http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest-news/downing-wins-lincoln-but-which-one-96223 |title=Downing Wins Lincoln - But Which One? |author= |date=11 May 2008 |website=Cycling Weekly |accessdate=16 June 2014}}
: 3rd Richmond Grand Prix{{cite web |url=http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest-news/downing-secures-seventh-victory-92670 |title=Downing Secures Seventh Victory |author= |date=21 September 2008 |website=Cycling Weekly |accessdate=16 June 2014}}
: 3rd Overall Girvan Stage Race{{cite web |url=https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/18031/Girvan-Stage-Race#results |title=Girvan Stage Race |author= |website=British Cycling|accessdate=17 June 2014}}
: 3rd Overall Tour of the Reservoir{{cite web |url=http://www.raphacondor.cc/news/tour-of-the-reservoir |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100812082543/http://www.raphacondor.cc/news/tour-of-the-reservoir |url-status=dead |archive-date=12 August 2010 |title=Tour of the Reservoir |author= |date=31 March 2008 |website=Rapha Condor-JLT |accessdate=17 June 2014 }}
;2009
: 1st 20px Overall FBD Insurance Rás
;2010
: 1st Tour of the Reservoir
;2024
: 2nd Brompton World Championship{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GN1OXBNgTY |title= Can Simon Win The Brompton World Championship 2024? |author= |website=Global Cycling Network|date= 28 June 2024 |accessdate=28 June 2024}}
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