Ribble Outliers: Gravel Season Recap

We caught up with the Ribble Outliers after their first season as a pro gravel team, from the heat of Traka to the barren lands of Iceland, racing The Rift. It’s been a wild and successful year for the Outliers. With plenty of podiums and memories made, here are the Outliers’ personal highlights and stats from their gravel season this year.

What was your favourite race of the season and why?

Harry - “The Rift, Iceland. Really like nothing I’d experienced before, was like riding on another planet! Really fun race though and enjoyed to post race hang out too with some Icelandic hot dogs and spa.”

Sophie - “European Championships. To come 2nd in Europe, and be so so close to the win was awesome!! Although also very annoying! Haha. But that makes me more motivated to win next year.”

Ribble cyclist with mud splattered face.

Two male Ribble cyclists, post-race with mud splattered faces and kit.

Toughest moment on the bike this year?

Ben- “Missing out on the podium at Gralloch after being out front for so long with Peter Vakoc, then being caught in final kilometres and sprinting for the win in a group of four.”

Harry- “Toughest moment on the bike this year? Probably unbound, falling off, puncturing and eventually stopping in the race mid way in. Had been a long 6 month build with no break, tank was empty. Love to return and be in good shape to race it!”

Sophie - “The final climb at Traka. It was really steep, and I'd made a move a few kilometres before to make my way into the top 10, and I really wanted to hold onto a top 10 finish so didn't want to be caught. I rode so hard up that final climb, in the heat, after 7 hours of racing, so fatigued, and I just remember it being so tough mentally and physically!! But worth it because I got a top 10 finish, which at the time (in April), I was really happy with.”

What’s your favourite memory from this season?

Sophie - “Winning Gravel Swiss... my first UCI World series win!! I didn't expect to win a UCI race in my first year as a pro gravel racer, so when I caught the girl who was leading in the final 20km, I had so much motivation and adrenaline to absolutely empty myself all the way to the finish line, and ended up taking the victory by over 7minutes!”

“My Dad was there too which made it extra special.”

Harry- “Probably from Gravel weekend, Latvia. Whole weekend was a great atmosphere, Jenson winning the prologue then I finished 4th in the race the next day.. having not had any dramas / incidents that had plagued the previous 6 weeks. Finally finishing in the top 10 of a Gravel Earth Series race, knowing I was capable of it, just had to stay on the bike.”

Meth - “The surprise of Sophie getting the team's first UCI win. She rolled around the corner at the top of a mountain at Gravel Suisse, saying "I've bloody won."

Cyclist in Ribble kit with ancient ruins downhill in the background.

What race are you already dreaming about for 2026?

Hayley- “I’m definitely dreaming of some redemption at Gralloch after a bad ride there this year! And perhaps seeing what new races are on the calendar.”

Ben- “Traka, if I could win one race this would be the dream.”

Harry- “Lithuania / Latvia (gvl weekend) double races again! Nice and peaceful countries, some really nice riding to be done between the races there.”

Funniest team moment?

Ben- “Watching Meth ride into an electric fence at Dorset Divide. I had a laugh at his expense whilst his bike buzzed from the electric current. He then got to laugh at me later in the day when I took a lie down in a gorse bush. We were both tired on day 2!”

Harry- “Walking into living room in grilling house and seeing Sophie laid on the pool table with Majo using it as a massage table realigning her back.”

If you could describe the 2025 season in three words, what would they be?

Meth- “One wild ride”

Sophie-”Unexpected, happy, victorious!!”

Harry- “gone too fast!”

Three winning cyclists with their medals, on the left a Ribble member.

Three winning female cyclists with their medals, on the left a Ribble member.

Three winning male cyclists with their medals, on the left a Ribble member.

four women on a stage eating doughnuts at Traka

End of Season stats

Countries Raced in: (16) USA, Spain, England, Scotland, Wales, Kenya, Namibia, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Mexico

The Teams Approx. Total km Raced : 2000 to 2500 km each | Meth is highest at 3056km

Podiums Earned: (16) Sophie 9, Hayley 1, Meth 1, Jenson 4, Harry 1

KOMs/QOMs: There are too many to count!

Highest Altitude Race: Mexico 2273m

Fastest Average Speed: Turnhout 37.5 km/h

Longest Race: Duration - Traka 200 km (Sophie) Distance - Traka 360 (Meth) Longest Event - Dorset Divide (Ben & Meth) 530km

The Teams Favourite Piece of Training Kit: ARC Cargo Bib Shorts and Sport Cargo Bib Tights.

Le Col’s Custom team partnered with Ribble to design a unique kit that’s truly their own, translating the Outliers’ personality and brand into apparel that performs under the demands of a pro gravel race calendar.

At Le Col, our experienced Custom Team works with clubs and professional teams of all sizes around the world to create kit that unites riders and celebrates the identity that makes each club unique.

Explore Le Col Custom