Coming from a family where his dad, uncle and grandad all ran and cycled, Oli himself then started early and competed in both cyclocross and road racing – with him stopping the former after the beginning of the 2023 season. He jokes that he hasn’t taken the skills of Van der Poel with him from his time in ‘cross though as he “can’t hop the hurdles” and “isn’t the best bike handler”.
Alongside his cycling, he also did a lot of school sports at a young age and in particular running (which he stopped when he started cycling at around 12 years old), football, cricket, and rugby. The latter of which he laughs about saying that he started as a centre in the backs, before moving to the wing as he was skinnier and “scared of the big guys.” Yet, it all still came back to cycling which Oli truly loves.
For Oli, the journey from cycling around Yorkshire to signing his first WorldTour contract still feels surreal. “It’s what you dream of when you start,” he says. “Me and Bjorn used to ride around imagining doing this race or that race… and now suddenly you’re in a WorldTour team together. It’s weird, but pretty cool.”
After two seasons with the Development program, Oli looks back on his time in Sittard with real fondness. “Living at the Keep Challenging Center was really good fun,” he says. “In the first year especially, there was always someone to ride with, always people around. And this year I got a bit more serious, a bit more locked in with the training, but I’ve still really enjoyed it.”
Racing with the Men’s squad gave him a valuable glimpse into the next level. “It’s the little things,” he says. “Positioning, how the leaders carry themselves, how they run the team. You learn a lot just watching Oscar, Romain — how they act. You can take that into Devo races and it makes a big difference.”
Oli has already had standout moments across his two U23 seasons. “Rwanda and Bretagne were probably the best weeks,” he says — though he laughs remembering a hard day at Alpes Isère, where he bridged beautifully to the front before paying for the effort. “Maybe went a bit too hot,” he admits. “And then I crashed the next day. Not ideal. But that’s racing.”
His altitude camp with the Men’s Team was another highlight — and a reminder of the atmosphere he thrives in. “It was really good,” he grins. “Me, Bjorn and Max got on really well. We’d all end up in Max’s room watching Love Island every night.”
Now stepping up to the WorldTour, Oli’s ambitions are simple and grounded. “First I just want to find my feet,” he says. “Get comfortable, finish races, be useful. After that I’ll start putting more specific goals in place.”
Further ahead, he keeps his dream honest and uncomplicated: “Just continue being a pro. Everything on top of that is a bonus.” He laughs at the idea of cycling ever feeling like work: “I don’t wake up thinking, ‘Oh no, five hours.’ Well… maybe depending on the weather. But I enjoy it.”
Asked for three words that describe him, he chooses: relaxed, hardworking, and motivated — a combination that has carried him from junior town-sign sprints to the start of a WorldTour career.