There is something particularly special about watching a young athlete compete at the highest level on the roads where they grew up.
For 21-year-old cyclist Jacob Bush, from Stamford, that has become a reality this week as he lines up for the Great Britain Cycling Team at the 2026 Lloyds Tour of Britain Men.
The five-stage race began in Lincoln on Wednesday 2 September, with the opening two stages taking place in Lincolnshire. For Jacob, who is competing in his first Tour of Britain, pulling on the national jersey and racing through his home county represents another milestone in what has already been an impressive year.
Ahead of the race, I had the opportunity to ask Jacob about growing up in Stamford, the role his family played in his sporting journey, how he progressed from a child who simply loved being active to racing at an elite level, and what advice he has for other young people who dream of following in his footsteps.
Growing Up in a Sporty Family in Stamford
Jacob’s love of sport began long before professional cycling entered the picture.
As the eldest of five brothers, he says a competitive streak was perhaps inevitable.
“I’m the oldest of five brothers so naturally there has always been a lot of competition between us. My parents have always encouraged us all to be active through sport and find something we really enjoy, so I think the competitiveness then comes with that.”
What I particularly like about Jacob’s story as a parent is that cycling wasn’t the only activity he was encouraged to pursue.
Rather than specialising in one sport from a very young age, he was given the opportunity to experience several.
“I’ve tried a multitude of sports from a young age such as triathlon and cross country running, with skiing definitely being the main one,” Jacob explains.
He believes those experiences continue to influence him today.
“All have helped me learn to be motivated and I still apply these skills when I’m racing today.”
When Cycling Became More Than a Hobby
Interestingly, there wasn’t one dramatic moment when Jacob decided he was going to become a professional cyclist.
Instead, his career developed by taking one opportunity at a time.
A significant step came when he joined what was then the Fensham Howes Mas Design Junior Race Team, a national junior team with a strong history of developing talented British cyclists.
The move gave Jacob opportunities to race not only around the UK but across Europe.
“This consequently put me in the eyes of the scouts from the World Tour development teams,” he says.
But even then, Jacob didn’t suddenly decide that professional cycling was his inevitable destination.
“I wouldn’t say anything specifically made me think it was a career I could pursue. I just kept taking the opportunities in front of me one by one and learnt from each one.”
It’s perhaps one of the most encouraging parts of his story for young people. You don’t necessarily need to have your entire future mapped out as a teenager. Sometimes it’s about finding something you enjoy, working hard and seeing where the next opportunity leads.
The Family Behind the Cyclist
Behind many young athletes is a family doing an enormous amount of unseen supporting, travelling, encouraging and picking them up when things don’t go according to plan.
Jacob is very conscious of how important his parents and four brothers have been throughout his journey.
“My parents and brothers have always been supportive in all aspects,” he says.
“I’m really aware of how much of a luxury it is to have a big supportive family and it’s not something I take for granted. For sure, in the lesser moments they have always been there to pick me back up again and remind me of the enjoyment I get when I ride my bike.”
It’s a lovely reminder that success in sport isn’t simply about medals and results. There are inevitably difficult days too, and having people around you who remind you why you started can make all the difference.
Training on the Roads Around Stamford
Despite now racing internationally, Jacob still has plenty of affection for the roads he grew up riding.
“The roads around Stamford I actually really enjoy for training,” he says.
Being right on the edge of Lincolnshire means his training regularly takes him across county borders in search of more undulating terrain.
There is, however, one local climb that stands out.
“My favourite climb in the area would be Swallow Hill. I’ve done a lot of suffering there and it’s a great one for young riders to practice on.”
That “suffering” has certainly proved useful.
Racing the Tour of Britain on Home Roads
The 2026 Lloyds Tour of Britain Men began in Lincoln on 2 September, with riders tackling the historic streets of the city and the famous Michaelgate climb.
Stage two takes the peloton from Boston to Skegness before the race moves north to Yorkshire and eventually concludes in the Scottish Borders.
For Jacob, having two stages of his first Tour of Britain taking place in Lincolnshire makes his Great Britain selection even more meaningful.
“It’s a really nice feeling and of course super special to be racing so close to home in the national jersey. I’m really proud to be from Lincolnshire so having a professional race with two stages in my home county whilst also representing my country is a really cool opportunity to be a part of that I’m not taking for granted.”
And there should be plenty of familiar faces cheering him on.
“I think most of my support will be on Michaelgate in the centre of Lincoln during stage one,” Jacob told me before the race began.
That climb had already been occupying his thoughts during training.
“I’m really excited for the first stage. Racing on that climb has pushed me through a lot of hard training sessions in the last few weeks.”
Coming Back From a Broken Arm
Jacob’s selection is even more impressive when you consider how his 2026 season began.
Earlier this year, he suffered a broken arm.
He has since returned to produce some of the strongest performances of his career, including winning silver at the 2026 National Criterium Championships and achieving a top-five finish in the under-23 National Road Race Championships.
For Jacob, the National Championships provided an important indication that all the hard work was paying off.
“Being able to compete with the best British cyclists was confirmation things are heading in the right direction, and I can’t wait to see what I can achieve this next week.”
At the Tour of Britain, he is representing Great Britain alongside experienced riders including Commonwealth Games champion Matt Bostock and Olympic medallist Ollie Wood, as well as Ben Wiggins, Elliot Rowe and William Smith.
It means the 21-year-old from Stamford now finds himself racing in a peloton containing some of the world’s leading professional cyclists.
Jacob’s Advice for Young Lincolnshire Cyclists
Perhaps my favourite part of our conversation was asking Jacob what he would say to children and teenagers in Lincolnshire who love riding their bikes but might never have considered that cycling could take them further.
His first piece of advice is refreshingly straightforward:
“Join a local club.”
Jacob recommends looking for Go-Ride clubs, where young cyclists can receive support and encouragement as they develop their skills before potentially progressing into local circuit racing.
“For me that was at Tattershall Race Track and the Regional Development Centre at Yarborough in Lincoln,” he explains.
Parents can use the British Cycling website to find local clubs and racing opportunities for young riders.
And Jacob would particularly like to see more children from his home county getting involved.
“I would love to see more children from Lincolnshire getting into cycling and discover the joy of cycling.”
Cycling can be a brilliant activity for the whole family too, helping children build confidence, road awareness and practical skills while spending time outdoors together.
From Stamford to Representing Great Britain
What stands out to me most about Jacob’s journey isn’t simply how quickly he has progressed.
It’s that there wasn’t one carefully mapped-out plan to become a professional cyclist.
He was a sporty child, one of five brothers, whose parents encouraged their children to get outside, try different sports and discover something they loved.
Cycling eventually became that something.
One opportunity led to another: local racing, joining a junior team, competing around Europe, attracting the attention of development teams and ultimately earning the opportunity to pull on a Great Britain jersey at one of the country’s biggest cycling races.
And this week, some of the roads that helped shape him as a cyclist have become the roads on which he’s competing against some of the best riders in the world.
For families standing beside the route with bike-mad children watching the peloton fly past, Jacob Bush is proof that sometimes those sporting dreams can begin surprisingly close to home.
Many thanks to Jacob Bush for taking the time to answer my questions ahead of the Lloyds Tour of Britain Men and to British Cycling for arranging the interview.
Images: SWPix, used with permission.