Ben Swift
Encyclopedia
Benjamin Swift (born 5 November 1987) is an English
professional track
and road racing cyclist who currently rides for Team Sky
.
, South Yorkshire
, he began cycling with Mossley CRT aged 12. In 2003, he came second to fellow Olympian Steven Burke
in the under 16 national scratch race championship. As a junior rider, Swift competed at the Junior Commonwealth Games, taking bronze in the points race, he won two national titles, the junior points race championship in 2004 followed by the junior scratch race in 2005. He also competed in the senior scratch race in 2005, demonstrating his ability by finishing third to take the bronze medal. Swift began competing internationally, winning several madison events.
.
During 2008 he raced for the British Cycling
development team and won his first UCI ranked race. He represented Great Britain in the 2008 Olympic Games road race and at the UCI Road World Championships
were he finished fourth in the under 23 race.
.
In 2009 he was selected to ride the Giro d'Italia
. Swift finished third in the stage 2 of the Giro d'Italia. He also won a stage of the Tour of Britain
. Swift spoke with CyclingNews in 2009, describing himself as "an allrounder, who can do well in the Classics and win stages. 'My weakness is in the time trial. I don't like doing them and I'm not really that good at them.'"
in January 2010. His transfer to Sky from Team Katusha part way through his contract has been instrumental in the Union Cycliste Internationale
considering new regulations for the transfer of riders between teams. During his first season with Sky Swift's most significant result came at the Tour de Picardie
, at which he won one stage, the general classification
, the points classification
and best young rider.
2011 saw Swift win his first stage of a UCI World Tour race, winning stage two of the Tour Down Under
in Adelaide. Four days later he also won stage six. Swift won Stage 2 of the Tour of California
, and took the lead of the race, after Stage 1 was abandoned due to adverse weather. Swift was selected for the Tour de France ahead of Greg Henderson, and finished 6th on Stage 15.
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
professional track
Track cycling
Track cycling is a bicycle racing sport usually held on specially built banked tracks or velodromes using track bicycles....
and road racing cyclist who currently rides for Team Sky
Team Sky
Team Sky is a British professional road bicycle racing team that competes in international road bicycle races. The creation of the team was announced on 26 February 2009 and the team began competition in January 2010....
.
Biography
Swift was born in RotherhamRotherham
Rotherham is a town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Don, at its confluence with the River Rother, between Sheffield and Doncaster. Rotherham, at from Sheffield City Centre, is surrounded by several smaller settlements, which together form the wider Metropolitan Borough of...
, South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of 1.29 million. It consists of four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and City of Sheffield...
, he began cycling with Mossley CRT aged 12. In 2003, he came second to fellow Olympian Steven Burke
Steven Burke
Steven James Burke is a British track and road cyclist who rides for the . He represented Britain at the 2008 Summer Olympics, beating his pre-Olympics personal best in the individual pursuit by 11 seconds to take the bronze medal...
in the under 16 national scratch race championship. As a junior rider, Swift competed at the Junior Commonwealth Games, taking bronze in the points race, he won two national titles, the junior points race championship in 2004 followed by the junior scratch race in 2005. He also competed in the senior scratch race in 2005, demonstrating his ability by finishing third to take the bronze medal. Swift began competing internationally, winning several madison events.
Professional career
He made his professional road debut in August 2007 joining Barloworld as a trainee during which time he won the King of the Mountains title in the Tour of BritainTour of Britain
The Tour of Britain is a cycle race, conducted over several stages, in which participants race from place to place across parts of Great Britain....
.
During 2008 he raced for the British Cycling
British Cycling
British Cycling is the national governing body for cycle racing in Great Britain. It administers most competitive cycling in Great Britain, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man...
development team and won his first UCI ranked race. He represented Great Britain in the 2008 Olympic Games road race and at the UCI Road World Championships
UCI Road World Championships
The UCI Road World Championships are the annual world championships for bicycle road racing organized by the Union Cycliste Internationale...
were he finished fourth in the under 23 race.
Katusha
After the championships he signed a two year professional contract with the new Russian Katusha teamTeam Katusha
Team Katusha is a Russian road bicycle racing team which participates in the UCI World Tour, using Focus bikes.- History :At the beginning of the 2009 season, the Tinkoff Credit Systems squad was renamed to Team Katusha. It is organised by the Russian Global Cycling Project foundation, which...
.
In 2009 he was selected to ride the Giro d'Italia
2009 Giro d'Italia
The 2009 Giro d'Italia was the 92nd running of the Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It was held from 9 to 31 May 2009, and marked the 100th year since the first edition of the race...
. Swift finished third in the stage 2 of the Giro d'Italia. He also won a stage of the Tour of Britain
2009 Tour of Britain
The 2009 Tour of Britain was a UCI 2.1 category race of eight stages from 12 September till 19 September 2009. The race was the sixth edition of the latest version of the Tour of Britain and the seventieth British tour in total. It formed part of the 2008–2009 UCI Europe Tour...
. Swift spoke with CyclingNews in 2009, describing himself as "an allrounder, who can do well in the Classics and win stages. 'My weakness is in the time trial. I don't like doing them and I'm not really that good at them.'"
Sky
Swift joined the newly formed British-based Team SkyTeam Sky
Team Sky is a British professional road bicycle racing team that competes in international road bicycle races. The creation of the team was announced on 26 February 2009 and the team began competition in January 2010....
in January 2010. His transfer to Sky from Team Katusha part way through his contract has been instrumental in the Union Cycliste Internationale
Union Cycliste Internationale
Union Cycliste Internationale is the world governing body for sports cycling and oversees international competitive cycling events. The UCI is based in Aigle, Switzerland....
considering new regulations for the transfer of riders between teams. During his first season with Sky Swift's most significant result came at the Tour de Picardie
Tour de Picardie
The Tour de Picardie is a professional multi-stage cycle road race held annually in Picardy, France. Since 2005, it has been organised as a 2.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour....
, at which he won one stage, the general classification
General Classification
The general classification in bicycle racing is the category that tracks overall times for bicycle riders in multi-stage bicycle races...
, the points classification
Points classification
The points classification is a secondary award category in road bicycle racing. Points are given for high finishes and, in some cases, for winning intermediate sprints. The points classification is the top prize for many cycling sprinters and therefore is often known as the Sprint Classification;...
and best young rider.
2011 saw Swift win his first stage of a UCI World Tour race, winning stage two of the Tour Down Under
2011 Tour Down Under
The 2011 Tour Down Under was the 13th edition of the Tour Down Under stage race. It took place from 18 January to 23 January and was the first race of the 2011 UCI World Tour...
in Adelaide. Four days later he also won stage six. Swift won Stage 2 of the Tour of California
2011 Tour of California
The 2011 Amgen Tour of California was the sixth running of the Tour of California cycling stage race. It was held from May 15–22, and was rated as a 2.HC event on the UCI America Tour. Originally scheduled for eight stages, the race was due to begin in South Lake Tahoe, but snow around the Lake...
, and took the lead of the race, after Stage 1 was abandoned due to adverse weather. Swift was selected for the Tour de France ahead of Greg Henderson, and finished 6th on Stage 15.
Palmarès
2004- 1st Points race Junior British National Track ChampionshipsBritish National Track ChampionshipsThe British National Track Championships are held annually. Organized by British Cycling, they are competitions of various track cycling disciplines in age, gender and disability categories.-Senior :-Amateur :...
2005
- 1st Scratch race Junior British National Track ChampionshipsBritish National Track ChampionshipsThe British National Track Championships are held annually. Organized by British Cycling, they are competitions of various track cycling disciplines in age, gender and disability categories.-Senior :-Amateur :...
- 1st Rotterdam Junior 2-day madison
- 1st Night 1
- 1st Night 2
- 1st Dortmund U23 3-day madison
2006
- 2nd British National Team Pursuit ChampionshipsBritish National Team Pursuit ChampionshipsThe British National Team Pursuit Championships are held annually as part of the British National Track Championships organized by British Cycling. Prior to 1996, there were two separate championship events for amateur and professional riders....
2007
- 1st Team Pursuit, U-23 European Track Championships2007 European Track ChampionshipsThe 2007 European Track Championships were the European Championships for track cycling, for junior and under 23 riders. They took place in Cottbus, Germany from 11 – 15 July 2007.-Under 23:-Juniors:...
- Giro delle Regioni
- 1st Final Stage
- 1st King of the MountainsKing of the MountainsThe King of the Mountains is the title given to the best climber in a cycling road race; usually and officially known as the Mountains classification...
- 3rd Milan-Busseto;
- 1st King of the Mountains, Tour of BritainTour of BritainThe Tour of Britain is a cycle race, conducted over several stages, in which participants race from place to place across parts of Great Britain....
2008
- 1st Coppa della Pace
- 1st GP Coppa Romita
- 1st Stage 5 Giro Ciclistico Valle d'Aosta Mont Blanc
- 2nd Stage 1 Sachsen TourSachsen TourThe Sachsen Tour is a multi-stage road bicycle race held in the region of Saxony, Germany. It was first held in 1985 and since 2005 it has been organised as a 2.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour. Between 1985 and 1995 it was an amateur race....
- 4th UCI World Road Race Championships Under 23
2009
- 1st Stage 7 Tour of Britain2009 Tour of BritainThe 2009 Tour of Britain was a UCI 2.1 category race of eight stages from 12 September till 19 September 2009. The race was the sixth edition of the latest version of the Tour of Britain and the seventieth British tour in total. It formed part of the 2008–2009 UCI Europe Tour...
- 2nd Nokere Koerse
2010
- 1st Overall Tour de PicardieTour de PicardieThe Tour de Picardie is a professional multi-stage cycle road race held annually in Picardy, France. Since 2005, it has been organised as a 2.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour....
- 1st Stage 2
- 1st
Young rider classification - 1st
Points classification
2011
- 3rd Overall Tour Down Under2011 Tour Down UnderThe 2011 Tour Down Under was the 13th edition of the Tour Down Under stage race. It took place from 18 January to 23 January and was the first race of the 2011 UCI World Tour...
- 1st Stage 2
- 1st Stage 6
- 1st Stage 5 Vuelta a Castilla y LeónVuelta a Castilla y LeónThe Vuelta Ciclista a Castilla y León is a professional road bicycle stage race held in Castile and León, Spain. Since 2005, Vuelta a Castilla y León has been a part of the UCI Europe Tour.-Past winners:-External links:*...
- 1st Stage 5 Tour de Romandie2011 Tour de RomandieThe 2011 Tour de Romandie, was the 65th running of the Tour de Romandie cycling stage race. It started on 26 April in Martigny and ended on 1 May in Geneva and consisted of six stages, including a race-commencing prologue stage and also a penultimate day individual time trial...
- 1st Stage 2 Tour of California2011 Tour of CaliforniaThe 2011 Amgen Tour of California was the sixth running of the Tour of California cycling stage race. It was held from May 15–22, and was rated as a 2.HC event on the UCI America Tour. Originally scheduled for eight stages, the race was due to begin in South Lake Tahoe, but snow around the Lake...