Elliot K Photo

12/01/2025

LLOYDS CYCLO-CROSS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS 2025 // IN STILLS

A frosty weekend of racing down at Cyclopark in Kent ❄️

12/12/2024

2024 UCI TCL | REPÊCHAGE

A couple of extra shots from the final two rounds of this year's UCI Track Champions League in London.

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08/12/2024

29/09/2024

ZÜRICH 2024 // DAY EIGHT

Today was just Pog doing Pog things. At the end of a career-defining season for the Slovenian, Tadej Pogačar proved once again that he is the man to beat, riding solo to the line from 100km out to take this year's elite men's road world championship title.

The men rode in substantially better conditions than the women did yesterday, but the length and difficulty of the course meant that even the strongest of riders crossed the line with suffering etched on their faces. A stellar British cast included the likes of Tom Pidcock, Oscar Onley and the Yates brothers, though even their resilient attacks around the Zürich city circuit were no match for Pogačar's race-winning move.

The fans both in Winterthur and Zürich were immense. A huge, lively community of Eritrean supporters lined every metre of fencing in both locations, and made their presence known through flags and music even after their talisman Biniam Girmay eventually faded from the front of the race.

And so concludes another epic event on the sporting calendar, and my time in Zurich. The 'superworlds' in Glasgow was always going to be hard to match as an experience, but Zürich certainly delivered some iconic moments in both the para-cycling and AB fields in front of some amazing crowds.

28/09/2024

ZÜRICH 2024 // DAY SEVEN

The past few days have served as a swift reminder that sport - and cycling in particular - can be brilliant, but also incredibly cruel.

Ahead of the elite women's road race, a moment of silence was held with the Swiss squad at the head of the peloton. Regardless of the way the weekend's racing played out, the loss of a junior cyclist would likely be in the minds of all of the riders.

Conditions in the morning were fairly bleak for the para races - just the four medals from the C1-3 and C4-5 in torrid conditions - and steadily got worse for the elite women as they made their way south from Uster into the city.

The atmosphere along Zürichbergstrasse was akin to Glasgow's Montrose Street climb last year, only longer and narrower. Riders were spat out the back of the field from the first ascent, with the pace not letting up throughout. GB put in a great effort to match the pace of the Belgians and Dutch, but the likes of Kopecky and Vollering were instrumental in dragging the race into a frenetic finale.

It was the former who emerged victorious, with the latter missing out on a place on the podium after working hard to drive the action all race. There were mixed emotions in the Dutch camp, with Vollering's compatriot Puck Pieterse securing the U23 title.

Tomorrow's programme sees a number of handbike road races take on the Zürich city loop in the morning, with the grand finale of the elite men's road race due to finish late in the afternoon next to Zurichsee.

27/09/2024

ZÜRICH 2024 // DAY SIX

A video-heavy day, so not a lot of action stills to share. Today's sobering news from the Swiss camp meant celebrations at the finish of the U23 men's road race in Sechseläutenplatz were understandably muted.

Potentially two of the busiest days yet lie ahead, with the elites on the road on both days, as well as some handbike and para action across the weekend too.

26/09/2024

ZÜRICH 2024 // DAY FIVE

Possibly one of the rainiest days I've had in this job. No rainproofs could provide protection against the Swiss elements today. The only people I felt more sorry for were the riders out on the roads, especially the junior lads. It was so rainy. SO rainy.

The conditions made it a bit harder to shoot, but I've managed to pull out a couple of nice (*expressive) shots from across the four races. Two more rainbow jerseys and two silvers bring GB's total up to 17, which is pretty good going. More road races over the last three days will hopefully push that total a bit higher.

The forecast for tomorrow looks a bit drier. A bit.

25/09/2024

ZÜRICH 2024 // DAY FOUR

It turns out that Switzerland is quite hilly. Two and a half hours of racing around the capital culminated in GB's thirteenth medal of the champs thanks to Sophie Unwin and Jenny Holl, whose exertion out on the course was visible at the finish line. All four of the GB tandems in the men's and women's races put in a big shift around an undulating city course.

Not a whole lot else to report from a GB perspective, but the TTT mixed relay provided a decent amount of entertainment throughout the afternoon, with just a handful of seconds separating the top few teams after over 50km of racing.

It's looking a bit drizzly tomorrow, which could be interesting.

24/09/2024

ZÜRICH 2024 // DAY THREE

From three medals in total to three rainbow jerseys in one day. Today saw the final time-trials take place, with both AB and para-cycling competitors putting tyre to tarmac in a race against the clock.

Two medals from the junior women made for a good start to the day, with a comprehensive performance by Cat Ferguson helping her to secure the junior women TT title. The medals then came thick and fast from a whole host of para riders, with another six GB podiums across multiple categories.

One of the last races of the day proved to be my favourite. Felix Barrow - bronze medallist in the T2 TT last year in Glasgow - clocked the fastest time at the intermediate time-check by nearly 30 seconds, with that gap growing in the closing kilometres.

An anxious wait as the rest of the field crossed the line concluded with Felix earning his first world championship title. Felix wore his rainbow jersey and medal to dinner, and I wouldn't be surprised if he keeps them on for a few days yet.

23/09/2024

ZÜRICH 2024 // DAY TWO

How many times can you recycle the same shot along the same stretch of road? Quite a few, as it turns out.

More TTs today, with British representation in every race. A quiet one in terms of podium performances, but with six more days of action there's a good chance for more medals among the GB ranks.

The rain arrived around midday, and initially showed no signs of dispersing. Thankfully, the ever-present threat of a torrential downpour never quite materialised, though the U23 lads had to be wary as they took on the descent down to Zurichsee.

Closed roads around the route meant I was able to use an overpass as a vantage point during the closing stages of the men's U23 TT. Not quite sure I nailed the shot, but there's every chance I'll be back in the same spot tomorrow.

22/09/2024

ZÜRICH 2024 // DAY ONE

The first full day of action at , with the majority of today's races starting in the town of Gossau to the southeast of Zürich. The first few days of content will focus heavily on starts and finishes due to the courses following some pretty rural routes in places.

Rainbow bands for Sarah Storey, two tandem podiums and a bunch of top 10 finishes for the GB squad. As things go, that's a decent start to a week of World Championships action in Switzerland. Some other riders (including one Belgian chap) did some stuff as well.

The weather looks like it may take a turn for the worst for the rest of the week though - exactly how that impacts the results remains to be seen.

09/09/2024

Most of you will be more familiar with my cycling photography, such as my most recent work at last week's Tour of Britain Men. However, I'm excited to share that a non-cycling photo of mine has been shortlisted for the 2024 British Photography Awards.

I really enjoy taking photos when travelling solo as it gives me a bit of a focus while I explore new places. I spent nearly an entire day on the Stockholm Metro when I visited in March, with many of the photos I took quickly becoming some of my favourite stills to date.

One of these was taken at Solna Centrum station. Two nondescript elevators sitting at one end of a quiet island platform caught my eye, resulting in this eye-catching photo.

Symmetry and saturation are both key components in my photography, especially my off-bike work. The fact that this image - a still that comprehensively reflects my shooting style - has been shortlisted is particularly rewarding.

You can vote for this image to win the 'People's Choice - Architecture' award via the link in my story and bio - thanks in advance for submitting a vote.

09/09/2024

2024 LLOYDS BANK TOUR OF BRITAIN MEN // EXTRAS

The faces of the Tour (swipe for a surprise).

08/09/2024

2024 LLOYDS BANK TOUR OF BRITAIN MEN // STAGE SIX

Who saw that coming?

Within the space of fifteen minutes, the landscape of a fairly innocuous stage changed rapidly. News filtered through as we reached the finish that Tom Pidcock had retired from the race having spent the first half of the day in the break. In fact, we'd seen him and his three peers pelt it through Framlingham barely an hour before.

Minutes later, it was announced that Paul Magnier - winner of three stages this Tour, and current Points jersey wearer - had also DNF'd, leaving the competition for the points jersey wide open. The odds were in Ethan Vernon's favour, given that the only rider above him in the classification at the stage start in Lowestoft was his teammate Stevie Williams (who had one hand on the GC).

It was Matevž Govekar - described as an 'all-rounder' on Wikipedia - who out-sprinted his rivals to secure victory along the rainy seafront in Felixstowe, earning Team Bahrain Victorious' first stage win of this year's ToBM in the process. Vernon's fourth place was enough to place him in the red jersey ahead of Williams.

In typical British fashion, the Tour of Britain Men ended on a damp note, with a blanket of rain enveloping the town minutes before the sprinters arrived. The downpour didn't let off during the podium presentations; special guest Mark Cavendish even joked during his Q&A that British weather is a unique factor that riders have to be when racing in the UK.

It's the end of a long week that's involved a convoluted journey from the Scottish Borders down to Suffolk. There have been plenty of fans, riders, staff and pets along the way that have made this race special. Here's hoping that the British public maintains its enthusiasm for this slightly mad sport for a while yet.

07/09/2024

2024 LLOYDS BANK TOUR OF BRITAIN MEN // STAGE FIVE

It appears Soudal Quick-Step went to the 'SD-Worx Protime School of British Road Race Domination'. Three from five for the French powerhouse that is Paul Magnier, with second place in the Points competition currently held by the Tour's green jersey.

A lively atmosphere in the race village at the University of Northampton welcomed riders, media and spectators alike. It looked like the weather would turn at any minute, but thankfully the rain held off for another day. Not quite as balmy as the conditions in Newark, but I can't complain.

Just the one stop out on the course in the quaint village of Abthorpe. The village stops are some of my favourites, as you often get both a nice range of content and a warm welcome from roadside spectators (some of whom are of a canine disposition).

Lowestoft welcomes the Tour caravan tomorrow for the final stage of this year's edition - just the second stage this year to involve any sort of coastal action. I'm almost certain I'll be going to the chippy for dinner.

06/09/2024

2024 LLOYDS BANK TOUR OF BRITAIN MEN // STAGE FOUR

This Magnier chap is quite good, isn't he?

His second stage win at the ToBM is more impressive when you realise he's just 20 years old - a very astute signing by Soudal Quick-Step from Trinity last season. It'll be hard to take the points jersey off his shoulders before Sunday's finish in Felixstowe.

Much better conditions on the road today both for the riders and us media types. An unremarkable T-junction to the north of Derby produced some of the best photos of the tour, and a village I'd hyped up internally as being borderline idyllic didn't end up delivering, as is often the way with these things.

The sense is that the race is likely going to end in bunch sprints over the next two days, but there's always a chance that a break might - might - just be able to stay away.

05/09/2024

2024 LLOYDS BANK TOUR OF BRITAIN MEN STAGE THREE

A real Yorkshire welcome today. Considering it's early September, we've been lucky with the weather so far, so an inconsistent downpour was about due.

A couple of wrong turns (there's more than one Wentworth near Sheffield - who knew?) meant the game plan on the road had to be amended on the fly, but it also resulted in an unintentional yet fruitful stop atop one of the early KOMs.

The race was all over the place from the first two climbs onward, meaning there was no way of predicting the finish. And yet, somehow, Stevie Williams taking a second consecutive stage win felt like the most obvious conclusion to today's chapter.

Not as much elevation over the coming days, which will make it harder for the GC contenders to work their way up the rankings unless one of the teams decides to dictate the pace from the off. It'll be interesting to see if there are any genuine attempts to knock Williams off his perch at the top of the table.