Sussex’s Matt Prior: From cricket to cycling

Matt Prior. Hampshire v Sussex. Ageas Bowl. Friends Life t20. Friday, July 6. Picture: Dave Vokes/LMI Photography ENGPPP00220120907100215

From publican to pundit, the post-career path for high profile sportsmen used to be a predictable business. Not so for England cricketer Matt Prior, who recently surprised everybody by announcing the formation of a brand new professional cycling team, ONE Pro Cycling.

While the game may not quite be up yet for Prior - pending the success of an Achilles reconstruction operation - he is realistic enough to admit that he may never play professional cricket again, following a career that has seen the affable Sussex wicketkeeper earn 79 England caps and contribute to three Ashes victories.

Ironically, it was cycling as part of the injury recuperation process that fuelled Prior’s love for the sport and sparked the idea of a professional team.

“We are very excited to launch ONE Pro Cycling,” says Prior.

“It’s been a lot of hard work to arrive at this point and we are thoroughly looking forward to what lies head. We feel we have an exciting opportunity to do something different in the cycling world by giving fans a better opportunity to get closer to a professional team.”

That team is headed up by race captain, Yanto Barker, the veteran leading a selection of raw young recruits culled from various parts of the UK, with even a Dane added to the mix. Performance coach Steve Benton has been enrolled, with a CV boasting work with Formula One and World Rally Drivers.

Cricket and cycling may not be natural bedfellows, but Prior is keen to stress that, “I come at this purely as a cycling fan. And looking at teams I follow, as a cycling fan, and what you get back, as a cycling fan, I believe that there is an opportunity there to give cycling fans more.”