Ben Thomas is a name synonymous with mountain bike marathon racing in the UK. With an impressive four national titles under his belt, Thomas has proven his mettle as a formidable competitor. However, his passion for the sport goes beyond competing. Today, he channels his expertise and experience into coaching, nurturing the next generation of cyclists through his venture, Ben Thomas Coaching, while still competing at the highest level across the globe.
Let’s find out more about Ben Thomas.
Who is Ben Thomas? I am a cyclist, coach, husband, and father. For the past ten years or so, I’ve been racing elite, first doing cross-country World Cups around Europe with a UCI mountain bike team. I then swapped to racing mountain bike marathons after getting bored of traveling so far to ride round little circles. I loved the adventure of marathon racing. One of my first big events was the Cape Epic! Then in 2023 I swapped my mountain bikes for gravel bikes; I’d ridden many of the same events over and over and now fancied going to new places, new events, and meeting new people. Racing gravel has been some of the most fun years of my cycling career.
Team name: Top secret till mid-March!
Where is home? We live in southern England; my usual riding is around the Chiltern Hills or Gorrick mountain bike venues.
When did you fall in love with cycling? I’ve been cycling since I was at school, but I really got into racing around the time I went away to university. At first, I relied on my friends’ parents to take me to events, and before I knew it, I was racing a full national race schedule.
What is it that attracts you to the sport? I love the freedom and adventure it offers. Often, getting out on the bike is the hardest part, but once you’re in the countryside or focused on those power numbers, the hours pass quickly.
Career highlights/achievements. I’ve won four national mountain bike marathon titles and had various other silver and bronze medals in mountain biking and gravel. My biggest highlights, though, were UCI gravel and mountain bike podiums, plus a seventh place at UCI MTB World Champs.
What was the biggest challenge you faced during your cycling career? The biggest challenge is balancing training and racing with coaching work and being a good husband and dad.
Your goals for 2025? I am lucky enough to be racing the biggest gravel events in the UK, some of the Life Time Grand Prix, Gravel Earth Series, and UCI series events in 2025. My biggest goal is a good overall result at the Gravel Earth Series.
Will it be your first time competing in the USA this year, and what events will you be participating in? 2025 will be the first time I’ve raced in the US, and it’s my first time there since being a child visiting Florida! I’ll be racing Sea Otter in April and Unbound in June.
Favourite food? Chocolate, zero thought needed!
Lucky charm? I wouldn’t say I have a lucky charm but my big motivation is making my wife and son proud. If I’m going to travel around the world and spend time away from them, then I’m going to make sure I give every race 110%.
What do you always take on a trip? Family or friends, traveling with others is so much more fun than traveling on your own.
What would you be if you were not a racer? When I retire from racing, I hope to continue the coaching business for many years. I love passing on my knowledge to help clients achieve their goals.
Your favourite Squirt Cycling product? The chain lube is perfect for someone who is rubbish at looking after their bike; it keeps that chain cleaner, quieter, and faster than any other product for longer.
The best tip for beginners? Work on your nutrition on and off the bike to improve your performance on the bike in training and racing.
I like my coffee… I hate coffee but it became a necessity after our baby boy arrived in 2020!
The secret to happiness is…marrying my wife!
Greatest exhilaration… comes from spending all day riding my bike with my friends or seeing a coaching client do well at their target event.
I fear… the day when I’m no longer able to enjoy riding my bike.
Passion… comes from wanting to do the best I can at racing my bike, paying back my family for allowing me the time to train and race, and creating positive stories that motivate my coaching clients.
When I wake up… I quickly do some coaching work, have breakfast, get my son ready for school, drop him at school, and then go training. It’s a busy morning! In the afternoon, I recover at my desk, working before picking up my son for a fun few hours of playtime.
I wish…for a successful, fun, and luck-filled year of racing.
I rage… when I don’t get my training done perfectly or I’m dieting, meaning I don’t get to eat chocolate!
Athlete Profile
Name: Ben Thomas
Nickname: B
Age: 36, getting old!
Birthdate: 4th August 1988.
Birthplace: Swindon.
Height: 5 foot 8
Shoe size: 44.5 EU
