Is the first time you have had support from the Dave Rayner Fund?

Yes, this is my first year of being supported by the Dave Rayner Fund, and I am very grateful that I have been chosen, as it will be a massive help as I move to the Basque Country and start my first year as a U23 rider.

What is your cycling history ?

Initially, I got my first Decathlon road bike when I was 7 years old, and they weren’t easy to buy for kids, but after a couple of years or so, I pretty much stopped cycling before getting back into it in 2013, when I was accepted by Bristol Cycling Development Squad for their academy. This was when I realised how much I wanted to become a top level rider, and since then I have taken advantage of every opportunity I have been given to develop my skills and experience riding in some amazing races, especially with my previous team HMT Cycling with JLT Condor, in England, Belgium, France, Germany, Poland and Spain.   My best results to date are finishing 5^th in the Philippe Gilbert Classic, 1^st in Stage 2 of the Junior Vuelta Pamplona, and 4^th in the Junior British National Road Championships.

What team are you joining in 2017?

The team I am joining is Eiser Hirumet

Tell us a bit about your team.

Eiser Hirumet is a pretty new team, with sixteen U23 riders. It is based in Durango, in the Basque Country, and aims to develop riders in some tough mountain races, and become a well known and well respected team of the future.

What are the details of the team Website/FaceBook/ Twitter and Instagram that we can link to?

Website: http://www.duranguesa.com

Twitter: @EiserHirumet

Facebook: eiser hirumet team

What is your race programme looking like?

I will be racing in quite a few tough local races, competing against many riders in the Basque Country, including those from the U23 Movistar and U23 Caja Rural teams. We will also be taking part in a few Vuelta stage races, as well as travelling to France and Belgium for some UCI races and England for the Tour of the Reservoir race.

Where are you going to live?

I will be living in an apartment in central Durango, with a team mate.

What bike will you be riding and who supplies the team kit?

I will be riding an Orbea Orca during the 2017 season, and will be wearing kit supplied by Bioracer, with Catlike helmets.

Do you have any other interests outside of cycling?

Not a lot, as cycling does tend to take up a huge amount of your time, both on and off the bike! However, I do enjoy fishing if I really want to relax, but as I have just moved to Spain, I am looking forward to exploring my new surroundings and no doubt enjoying lots of coffee shops and sunshine!!

Your Twitter and Instagram names and any website or blog links.

Twitter : @RedfernElliot

Instagram: elliot.redfern

Facebook: Elliot Redfern

Personal Blog: https://elliotredferncycling.wordpress.com