A new TV show, 'The Coach Pro', due to be aired on the Bike Channel this summer, will give amateur riders the chance to turn professional with the UK continental team, Bike Channel-Canyon.
The series will follow two aspiring road cyclists as they are put through a ten-week training programme by former pros and British national champions, Rob Hayles and Brian Smith.
As well as a fitness programme, the riders will be trained in areas such as nutrition and race tactics, with the series' grand finale fought out at the Revolve 24 event, held at Brands Hatch on 16th-17th September. Here, both riders will be put in a team of four, each with three teammates from the Bike Channel-Canyon team, and compete in the 24-hour 'Relay Challenge'.
The winner of the Coach Pro series will become a Bike Channel ambassador, receive full kit sponsorship and a custom-painted Canyon Aeroad CF SLX bike. And, of course, they will have the opportunity to join the Bike Channel-Canyon team.
The idea of an amateur finding a professional contract with a team by participating in a public competition was pioneered by the Canyon-Sram women's team, which used the virtual reality training simulator Zwift to sign a rider through the 'Zwift Academy'.
'This is an incredible opportunity for aspiring cyclists to learn about what it takes to be a professional in the sport,' said team manager Tim Elverson. 'Both contestants are in for a real shock with an exhausting training programme that will push them to their absolute limits, mentally and physically.'
Meanhwile Bike Channel founder and CEO, Filippo Ubaldini, said:'The Coach Pro is a brand new, unique experience, bringing cycling enthusiasts a unique insight in the world of pro-cycling. We’ll be working with some of the best amateur cyclists in the UK to help one of them realise their dream. From the beginning, BIKE Channel has been dedicated to promoting the very essence of what it means to be a cycling fan, and with the winner of The Coach Pro being offered a place on the Bike Channel Canyon team, it is evidence that anything is possible.'
Applications are now open. For more information, visit: bikechannel.co.uk/the-coach-pro-apply