Kelso cyclist Oscar Onley riding high after wheel deal with World Tour team

The Borderer and his new team-mate Sean Flynn will become the first Scottish male World Tour riders in six years.

The pair join Milngavie’s Anna Shackley, riding in the Women’s World Tour for Team SD Worx.

The UCI World Tour is cycling’s equivalent to football’s Premier League, being contested by the top teams with the best riders in the biggest races, such as the Tour de France and Giro d’Italia.

The pair are just the third and fourth Scots in the top division in the past 20 years.

Maltese-born David Millar competed in the World Tour for over a decade before his retirement in 2014, riding 12 Tours de France and winning four stages.

Birmingham-born Andy Fenn was Scotland’s last representative until his contract at Team Sky ended in 2016.

Onley, 20, recognises that this is a big moment for Scottish cycling.

“To go from having no riders from Scotland in the World Tour to having two in the same year on the same team is quite a big thing,” he said.

“To be making that step up with Sean is really special and hopefully we can put Scotland on the map.”

Onley, having landed a contract with the team running until the end of 2027, is one of a new generation of Scottish cyclists making their mark across a number of disciplines within the ever-more-popular sport.

He gives credit to Scottish Cycling for their role in developing talent.

“Both of us came through the Scottish Cycling programme. I hope they can also feel proud of that because they’ve put a lot of time and effort in and now they’re starting to see the rewards,” he said.

Racing for Team DSM’s development squad in 2022, Onley enjoyed a standout season, showing his potential to become a world-class climber.

In October, the former Kelso Wheelers member went head to head with Jonas Vingegaard, the 2022 Tour de France champion, at CRO Race in Croatia, coming up just short, finishing second to the Dane on two stages.

He said: “At the time, I just kind of took it as it came as if it was just another rider and just another race, but then, having had time to look back on it, I think it was quite a big moment in my career.

“It got a lot of attention and I hope to now take that confidence from that race and step up next year and try and prove myself again in these higher-level races.”

The step from continental level, at which Onley has been competing for the last two seasons, to the World Tour can be challenging for any rider, so he’s looking to use this coming season to grow and develop.

“Next year is just about gaining as much experience as I can and learning from each race and from the bigger riders in the team as well,” he told us.

“I’ll be doing some lower-level races, where I can get the opportunity to be the team leader, and then also a few bigger races, where I’ll be riding for other riders in the team like Romain Bardet.”

In August this year, the inaugural Cycling World Championships will be held in Scotland, including within the Borders.

For the first time ever, the famous world champion rainbow jerseys for the track, BMX, road and mountain bike disciplines will be fought for in one event.

The terrain for the elite road race won’t suit Onley as a lightweight climber more suited to the mountains of the Alps or Pyrenees, so it’s unlikely that he’ll be on the start-line.

Nevertheless, he is excited to see the event unfold and hopes it will have a lasting effect on Scottish cycling.

“It’s a big moment in history for cycling, so for it to be happening in Scotland is really special and hopefully it can inspire some young people as well to get out on bikes.”

Onley races all over Europe during the season, but coming home to Kelso and training on Borders roads means a lot to him, especially when he had the chance to race through his home-town at the Tour of Britain in September.

“I’ve been riding these roads since I was ten or 11,” he said.

“Now that I’m putting on a World Tour jersey this year and to be riding around on these roads shows me how far I’ve come. These are the kind of the roads that made me a cyclist.

“When I did the Tour of Britain last year going through Kelso, the amount of people out in the town was really a special thing. I wasn’t expecting that many people to be out on a Monday afternoon.

“The amount of people that have supported me from when I was ten or 11 from Kelso Wheelers and everyone else in this Scottish cycling community and throughout the Borders is a big thing to me.

“It was a really special day for me to be back in the Borders in a pro race.

“I’m not at home often anymore and it was incredible to see so many people out on the roads shouting my name.

“The day was almost perfect for us. The whole team were fully committed. Unfortunately, I couldn’t help the others in the leadout after getting caught up in a small crash but it left no damage.

“It was a shame that the race finished early as we were planning on racing aggressively over the weekend with nothing to lose.

“Personally I was happy with my race as it showed I can be up there with the best guys.”