Ride Captains

The Sigma Sports Challenge Rides began in the spring of 2015 to coincide with the start of that year's Classics season, and we have been running rides ever since, with ever-increasing popularity. We are now moving into our fourth year and will be taking a different direction, expanding into some new and exciting areas.

The Sigma Sports ride captains will be leading our monthly Challenge Rides: keeping the groups together, breaking the wind on the front and keeping the ride on route. 

The Bikes

This year's Sigma Sports ride captains have also taken on the role of Specialized ambassadors, riding the latest 2019/20 road bikes.

Aerodynamic and one of the fastest bikes Specialized has ever made, Eoin, Tom, Gethin, Ben, Jo, Matt and Ollie will be riding the Specialized Venge Pro Disc Road Bike, while with its light, stiff and fantastic handling characteristics Laetitia and Mark Griffiths will be using the Specialized Tarmac Pro Disc Road Bike.

The rough roads of Surrey can sometimes feel like riding the cobbles of Northern France, unless you are lucky enough to be astride the Specialized Roubaix Expert Ultegra Di2 Disc Road Bike. Mark Weight, James and Niall will all be enjoying the smooth ride of the Roubaix this year.

The Kit

This year the ride captains will be fully decked out in ASSOS cycle clothing. Comfortable, technical materials with a great cut and stylish designs, they will be easy to spot in the group.

Specialized has also provided us with their top of the range S-Works 7 Road Shoes and the Evade II Helmet with ANGi technology. We’d like to extend a huge thank you to both Specialized and ASSOS for all of their help.

Who Are The Sigma Sports Ride Captains?

The Sigma Sports ride captains work in all areas of the business, from sales, to marketing, to the workshop and warehouse, but all share a passion for cycling. Learn more about our 2019 ride captains below.

Sigma Sports Ride Captain Ben Higham

Ben Higham

I’ve been working at Sigma Sports for six years and run the bike production workshop at our Esher warehouse. I’ve done my fair share of Sigma rides but this is my first year as an official ride captain. When I’m off the bike, music is a big part of my life and I spend most of my free time DJ’ing or looking for new music.

Sigma Sports Ride Captain Eoin O'Donohoe

Eoin O'Donohoe

I'm from Ireland and moved to London after being offered a job here with Sigma Sports. I've been a mechanic for ten years and with Sigma for just over three and a half. I've been riding as long as I've been on the tools. I raced competitively when I was living back in Ireland, but the UK has softened me into a much more casual cafe seeking rider.

Sigma Sports Ride Captain Gethin Jones

Gethin Jones

As the name suggests I am stereotypically Welsh which is further confirmed by growing up on a sheep farm, playing rugby at a competitive level and singing in welsh-county choir for three years. This will be my fourth year as a Sigma Sports Ride Captain. My favourite part of the rides are the food stops along the way: any excuse for a quick bite and a rest!

Sigma Sports Ride Captain James Nolan

James Nolan

I'm lucky enough to work as the online sales and customer care supervisor here at Sigma Sports. I'm 26 years old and have been riding road bikes for nearly half of that time now. I've always had ambitions to move into the more competitive side of cycling, but heading out on a ride to a cafe with my mates or just going out and enjoying the outdoors on my bike is too fun to push me towards it. This is what also made the role of becoming a ride captain so appealing to me.

Sigma Sports Ride Captain Jo Billings

Jo Billings

I am a GB age group triathlete and duathlete who has more recently defected into cycling. This is also my fifth year as a ride captain for Sigma Sports. I spend most of my time chatting to everyone and being lectured by Mark Weight on the correct length of socks for cyclists. I still have yet to figure it out!

SIgma Sports Ride Captain Laetitia Heyl

Laetitia Heyl

I look after our events here at Sigma Sports, which includes off- and on-site events (such as trade shows and store appearances), as well as our ride captain programme. I haven’t been cycling for long but it’s certainly become a big part of my life. I enjoy the health benefits and social side of it - group rides with like-minded people, stopping for coffees and cake, the fact that you get to be outdoors - there’s a ton of reasons. When I’m not cycling I mainly spend time with friends or explore new places (preferably abroad).

Sigma Sports Ride Captain Mark Weight

Mark Weight

This is my fifth year as a ride captain for Sigma Sports. I work in stock control at the Esher warehouse. I am also the lesser known side-kick of Flash the Dog who has starred in recent Sigma Sports productions alongside Matt Stephens.

Sigma Sports Ride Captain Matt Nesbit

Matt Nesbit

I am originally from Cornwall and currently work in stock control at the shop in Hampton Wick. I mostly ride for the social side of it as it’s a great way to spend time with friends and to meet new people. I also love exploring new places by bike: I went to the Dolomites for the first time last year and am hoping to return this summer. When I am not on the bike or working, I’m usually trying to relax with my wife and our dog. My favourite cakes are red velvet and carrot cake by the way, in case anyone is buying!

Sigma Sports Ride Captain Niall Gaffney

Niall Gaffney

I’m a member of Sigma Sports’ content team, writing scripts for videos as well as coordinating productions. I’ve written plenty of product pages for the website and articles too. My first two bikes were hand-me-downs from my big sisters, so I’m used to riding nice bikes that don’t belong to me, with and without stabilisers. In fact, I coined the phrase “ride it like you borrowed it and have to give it back”.

Sigma Sports Ride Captain Ollie Smith

Ollie Smith

Growing up, I used to ride mountain and BMX bikes. I started riding on the road after the 2012 Olympics came to town and went right past my front door. Seeing Bradley Wiggins going like a train in the time trial made me want to ride my bike fast. I’ve raced a little bit for a few years, but now it’s mainly sprinting for town signs and cafe stops! I’m really looking forward to showing people the roads around Surrey.

Sigma Sports Ride Captain Tom Crump

Tom Crump

I have been working for Sigma Sports for three and a half years and have been a ride captain for almost as long. I am based in the shop where I look after staff training. I bought a bike about seven years ago after getting sick of driving and traffic and before I knew it I was spending half my life cycling and had started working in a bike shop. I’ve most definitely been bitten by the bug!

The Rides

One Sunday a month we will be running our ever popular challenge rides. Anyone with a road bike is welcome and if you are looking to explore some new roads, new routes and ride with a host of new people then please come along and join us. After all, isn’t that what cycling is all about?

The routes will usually be around 90-100 km and will take in some relatively challenging terrain - it’s not just a name! All abilities are welcome however and there will be different groups riding at very different speeds and the easiest group will always endeavour not to drop anyone from the ride.

Sigma Sports Ride Captain Riding

If there isn’t a Challenge Ride being run, there is a good chance that we will be running one of our social rides - shorter routes, steadier pace and with any luck a stop along the way for coffee and cake.

We will always post the details of our rides ahead of time, so check the Sigma Sports Rides Page, sign yourself up and we all look forward to seeing you out on the road!

 

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