S4 Ep36: Brother UK Cycling Podcast - Jon Dutton interview

Leader meets leader in this special edition of the Brother UK Cycling Podcast, where co-host Phil Jones MBE, the Managing Director of Brother UK, heads across town from our headquarters in Tameside to interview Jon Dutton, British Cycling’s new Chief Executive, at Manchester’s National Cycling Centre. A fascinating conversation follows.

Phil presents the questions that matter to road cyclists on topics including the diminishing presence of the National Road Series, the reduced number of British-registered UCI Continental teams and the importance of television coverage to race organisers seeking sponsors, as well as discussing wider issues of finance, governance, and reputation.

Jon describes his childhood in the Lancashire town of Leigh, forming lifelong passions for rugby league and cycling. Candidly, he admits to abandoning his dream of becoming a professional athlete while studying sports management at Northumbria University. His career has included the Ryder Cup, Champions League and Tour de France.

Phil seeks assurance on issues affecting the road cycling community, including the commercial challenges faced by grassroots teams and race organisers. He Jon him to describe his motivations for joining British Cycling and to share his perceptions, as an outsider, during the many high-profile PR challenges the federation has endured.

Jon provides open, honest and direct responses throughout the interview. He pledges to tackle some of British Cycling’s challenges “head on”, but warns that certain issues cannot be fixed overnight. He describes his purpose-led approach to leadership and assures Phil that he has joined the federation “to make a difference”.

In an episode not to be missed, two leaders of major organisations with the health of British cycle sport at heart hold a fascinating conversation, ranging from the Lincoln GP to the war in Ukraine, and from the meteoric rise of Tom Pidcock to the forthcoming World Championships in Glasgow.