The 15 most influential people in British road cycling today

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Who would you say are the most influential people in British road cycling today? You'll probably think of an athlete or two, maybe some of the better-known coaches, perhaps a politician. The truth is, there are many people having an influence on our sport in the UK, and any list will inevitably be debated and added to by others.

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With that in mind, Cycling Plus magazine has come up with its list of the 15 individuals who hold great sway on road cycling in the UK. Anyone missing? Have your say in the comments…

15: Stefan Barden

The June 2016 announcement of the Wiggle and Chain Reaction Cycles merger to become WiggleCRC – a single retail brand with an estimated €253 million revenue – is the latest string to the bow of Wiggle CEO Stefan Barden.

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Operating in up to 120 countries, the firm reported a 16.7 per cent jump in full-year profits in June 2016 and an 11.5 per cent lift in sales to £179m. UK sales of bikes, accessories and apparel such as dhb still account for around half of Wiggle’s revenue.

“We were in the right place at the right time and have been caught in the cycling zeitgeist” Barden tells us. “I recall back in 2001 discussing ways the internet could supply products to customers but the technology, bandwidth and payment gateways weren’t up to speed then.

“Fast-forward 15 years and the world has changed. We now have the infrastructure to offer a wide range of products at ‘never beaten’ prices.

14: Hugh Brasher

13: Isla Rowntree

12: Mick Bennett

11: Sir Gary Verity

10: Bob Howden

09: Sadiq Khan

08: Lizzie Deignan (née Armitstead)

With a high profile, and a reputation to restore, we can expect Deignan to embrace her position as an ambassador for the sport

07: Davina McCall

06: Chris Froome

05: Chris Boardman

Greater spending on cycling is something 70 per cent of people agree with, and increasingly businesses across all sectors

04: Brian Cookson

03: Sir David Brailsford

The two-time BBC sports Coach of the Year has used his high profile to lead calls for greater rider safety

02: Laura Trott

01: Sir Bradley Wiggins

More than any other cyclist before or since, Sir Bradley wiggins has led a peloton of fans and admirers that continues to grow by the day

You can read more at BikeRadar.com

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