Double Olympic medallist appointed Head Coach at University of Derby

Double Olympic cycling medallist Bryan Steel has joined the University of Derby’s Team Derby Performance Sport Cycling as Head Coach.

A celebrated figure in the world of cycling, Bryan Steel represented Team GB at four Olympic Games from 1992 to 2004, winning a bronze medal in the team pursuit event at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and a silver medal in the same discipline at the 2004 Athens Games. He has also picked up five World Championship and three Commonwealth Games medals.

Bryan has been actively involved in the development of cycling in the region since 2012 and founded his own cycling academy in 2015.

Team Derby’s Performance Sport Cycling programme supports student athletes in track, mountain biking and road cycling to develop as athletes and study for a degree. Cyclists on the programme attend weekly sessions at the state-of-the art velodrome at Derby Arena and are offered a comprehensive support package to help them balance their studies and training.

Among recent successes from the programme is Rhianna Parris-Smith, who has joined the GB Cycling team and won two gold medals at the U23 European Championships in Portugal earlier this year.

With the arrival of Bryan, the University has also entered a new relationship with HUUB-BCC Race Team to give track and road riders access to an elite pathway during and after higher education.

Jordan Butler, Performance Sport Manager at Team Derby, said:

“Bryan’s appointment is fantastic news for performance cycling at Derby. His wealth of experience, both as an athlete and a coach, will undoubtedly inspire and guide the next generation of cyclists. As Team Derby continues to grow under his leadership, the University’s cycling programme appears poised to scale new heights in the world of competitive cycling. The partnership with HUUB-BCC Race Team further solidifies Team Derby’s commitment to nurturing and developing the cycling talent of the future.”

Bryan Steel added:

“Over the last eight years my passion has been to support and develop young talented cyclists to achieve their full potential. Now, working with the University of Derby, I feel we have the chance to develop one of the best rider pathways while giving each rider a better career opportunity inside and outside the sport.”