Joe Laverick - Not your Average Joe

Words James Ion - Photography Jody Wilson

Joe Laverick stares back at me from the screen, it is early ​morning where he is, and despite living out of a suitcase on his ​North American block he is his typically affable self. In fact, ​throughout the interview, he gives an air of someone at ease, ​despite his hectic and full-on privateer lifestyle. How then does ​he manage it, how did he get here? Just like everything it is best ​to start at the beginning.

“Until then I was lucky, I had been given many opportunities ​but I think I am best when my back is against the wall”

“A complete accident” reminisces Joe “Cycling was not a family ​sport, I was more into football”. Then in 2013 partly due to what he ​called the “Wiggins Effect” he decided to give cycling a go and ​from there, it spiraled out of control. “It doesn't make sense” ​smiles Joe “I joined the local cycling club, and was taken under ​the wing of a local rider John Moult, who was then in his 80s, he ​taught me all the basics, like when to change gear, what to take ​with me on a ride, stuff you take for granted”.

So was he a born ​natural, victories in his first races? “I was shit” replies Joe ​honestly”I was being lapped, I didn't show any promise that I could ​eventually make anything of the sport. I went from being lapped to ​being one of the best Time Trialists in the UK, no idea how that ​happened!

From these rather humble beginnings, Joe went on to ride for the ​HMT Cycling development team “Luck! I was in the right place at ​the right time, the team was sponsored by the Healthcare ​Management Trust which managed the local hospital, so being a ​local lad I got to ride with them until they folded in 2018. I then ​called practically every team in Europe until I was given a slot on ​the Madison Genesis team as a development rider” Unfortunately ​for Joe this team folded too and in 2020 he was left without a ​team.

“Until then I was lucky, I had been given many opportunities but I ​think I am best when my back is against the wall”.  This ​determination led to him finding a home at the well-renowned ​under-23 development team Hagens Berman Axeon, the starting ​point of many a World Tour rider's career.

“Here was tough, I didn't get a good start in the Juniors and at ​Axeon I didn't have much luck.” This was also when U23 races ​were just not happening due to COVID, and coincided with the rise ​of Remco Evenepoel. “Remco changed everything”.

“Remco changed U23 development by going ​straight from the Junior ranks to the World tour. I’d ​previously said I had no regrets, but that’s a lie, I just ​didn't reach my potential.”

It was a tough time for a lot of U23 riders, some ​made it, and a lot left the sport. For Joe, it was a ​time to figure things out. “Who knows what could ​have been, I would have made it at the World Tour ​level, but right then I just didn't know what I was ​going to do. Conti level did not appeal so in ​December 2022 I decided to become a Privateer, ​even though I didn't really have any idea what that ​meant!”

Joe also manages and races for the Ribble Rebellion Crit team - Photo courtesy of Ribble

What is refreshing about Joe is his honesty. If you ​visit his blog or read any of his articles he is very ​candid about the reality of being a one-man team, ​he gives you insight into how it really is. Because, ​let's be honest here, being a Privateer may sound ​exciting but it is hard work.

“I didn't want to just be ‘playing at bikes’ you can ​bum around at Conti Level, but I wanted to take it ​seriously, I was coming to the age where I wanted a ​regular salary. GRVL was not what I wanted to begin ​with, I remember chatting with Nathan Haas and ​thinking GRVL is stupid, but now it is the most fun I ​have had racing. There is money in GRVL so this is ​where I wanted to go”.

This leads us to TAG, or ‘Tarmac and Gravel’ the ​project name for Joe’s new career. “I was out riding ​and it dawned on me I was ‘tagging out of the road ​scene, it just went from there and it gave me the ​freedom to ride what I want, so TAG was born.”

“Year one was the pilot, the main goal was for it ​not to cost me anything, and to prove to myself ​that the concept worked”

“I work out how much the calendar year is going ​to cost me, how much will I need. For me each ​year I effectively put myself into 30k of debt. This ​money is what I need to cover all the foreseeable ​costs, travel, accommodation, kit etc”

“I then also need to eat so on top of this I want to ​pay myself and so I look for about 30k just for me. ​If it all works out, for a year I need to find 60k”

It is all about the hustle as a Privateer, you might ​think that it is all about the racing but in reality, its ​is a lot about your brand, about who you are, race ​results are not the only thing that potential ​sponsors are looking for.

“Each year I ​effectively ​put myself ​into 30k of ​debt”

“Sponsorship contracts are more than just racing” ​Joe tells me “You need to offer something more ​than just good results, especially if you are not the ​one winning every week. I am known as the ‘Racer ​Writer’, this gives me a unique standing and ​means that I can negotiate my contracts not just ​based on results.”

For example, Castelli expects a certain amount of ​articles as part of their sponsorship deal, so it ​pays to have more to your brand than just riding ​fast.

How did a boy from Grimsby with no love of ​English literature become the Writer Rider? “Just ​fell into it, another accident!  I was writing a diary ​series when I was at Madison, and then I lived near ​a journalist from Cycling Tips called David Everett, ​met for a coffee and that gave me a chance”. At ​19 Joe became the youngest freelancer at Rouleur ​and made money not just from racing but from his ​penmanship too.

“I have been lucky to be on teams that have a story. ​I have a certain style as I write the way I talk”. This ​style has led to articles for the Cycling Podcast, and ​Cycling Weekly and has given him the added ​support needed to keep on track.

With his extensive race calendar, he needs all the ​support he can get. He has just finished his recent ​America Block having raced at Unbound, Oregon ​Trails, UCI Blue Mountains Gravel, plus a number of ​Crit races with his Ribble Rebellion Team. So he is in ​a unique position to evaluate the differences ​between American and European GRVL.

“It is more event first in the US” he reflects “In ​Europe, it is race first there is not so much a festival ​atmosphere as in the States. Unbound is the ​Glastonbury for bikes! The events are much more ​lucrative for Privateers, despite the focus on grassroots and the community, a great example is Mid ​South Gravel, I would even take my parents there as ​it's just such an event even with no bike knowledge ​you would have fun!

European riders and teams are increasingly making ​their way to the US, introducing new team tactics ​and racing styles in hopes of impacting the ​outcomes.

“When it comes down to it, the priority is getting ​from point A to point B as fast as possible”. The ​possibility of a 'super team' emerging is real, but it ​would require substantial financial resources. While ​content as a privateer, considering the benefits – ​financial and strategic – Joe is open to joining a ​team in the future.

“The spirit of GRVL must evolve or die. As the sport ​becomes more professional and competitive, it ​needs to evolve to attract a larger audience. ​Currently, there is a lack of significant coverage.”

Honest, and affable to the end.

Joe is not your average rider. He is a writer, a ​relentless competitor, and someone who lays it all ​on the line – physically, emotionally, and truthfully.

To find out more about Joe Laverick visit his Substack