UK team asking athletes to pay £500 for a 'performance test review' as part of application and has insisted riders sign an NDA to join

British Continental team Saint Piran are insisting that riders looking to be part of the squad pay £500 for their data to be analysed by an external coaching provider, and, has asked riders to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) before joining.

As well as completing an online application form, new riders are being asked to purchase what is described as a "performance test review" via the Saint Piran Service Course section of the team’s website, the online arm of general manager Richard Pascoe’s Cornwall-based bike shop.

The initial listing said that the service was provided by Holohan Coaching. However, the company told Cycling Weekly that, whilst it had previously carried out data analysis work for Saint Piran, it was no longer involved with the team and did not wish to be associated in this capacity. Saint Piran are currently under UCI investigation after Cycling Weekly revealed that the team had attached fake UCI compliance labels to bikes purchased from China using nail polish and hairspray.

The listing, which is also open to amateur cyclists, was adjusted late on Monday evening, with details of the coaching provider removed.

"Complete the Performance Review process on our website to be considered for rider applications," a description of the service read. "Holohon [sic] Coaching provides an in-depth review signposting strengths and weaknesses. On completion, riders receive the Performance Test Review and Senior Management Team decision."

Sources told Cycling Weekly that Pascoe - who manages the team - is said to have boasted that he made £15,000 in rider applications last year alone when speaking at an industry event.

A spokesperson from Holohan Coaching told Cycling Weekly that the company had recently provided "an objective performance review for the Saint Piran cycling team," but that this was "created strictly for the team’s internal use", and not "intended for direct distribution to individual riders, nor as a substitute for personalised athlete coaching."

They added: "Saint Piran has repurposed this objective analysis and offered it to riders as part of a mandatory performance review process, charging a £500 fee," noting that this was done "without our knowledge or approval" and did not "align with the intended purpose or the spirit of our professional services."

The spokesperson continued: "When our work is repackaged or presented out of context, there is a significant risk of misinterpretation, which undermines its value and the trust we strive to build."

A representative from Saint Piran said the process was "standard practice" for teams, and that the requirement had been motivated by "significant experience of data sources provided directly by riders as being inaccurate."

"Since the team achieved UCI Continental status, we have been approached by many riders wishing to race for the men’s team. As a team, we are not able to pay a third party to undertake assessments for every rider that might apply," they said, adding that "this review can be a very useful tool for riders who are not ready for the Conti level yet and signpost areas for them and their coaches to work on."

Saint Piran said that riders completing the review are "provided with their comprehensive industry-standard analysis which can be used for other team applications, should they not be successful with Saint Piran."

Regarding references to Holohan coaching, they said: "In the past, we have been purchasing services from Holohan coaching to assist our in-house team in compiling these reviews," adding, "due to the potential conflict in teams not being able to work together and staff not being allowed to work for more than one UCI team this has changed and our website had not been updated to reflect that until very recently."

Non-disclosure agreement

Cycling Weekly has also seen an email in which the team has asked riders looking to join the 2025 roster to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). However, when asked for comment, a spokesperson said this practice had been discontinued after a “strategic review of the 2024 season”.

The email stated that the NDA request was part of Saint Piran’s "reshaping" process for the new year.

Written by the team’s commercial director Luke Humphreys - whose firm Pacenti Cycle Design also provides equipment to the team - the email says the new agreement comes after external partners have "insisted" that their confidentiality and privacy is protected.

"Anyone joining the team next year will be asked to sign an ethical principals document from the UCI, along with our own NDA and code of conduct,” Humphreys wrote. “This will help us to protect our riders, staff and intellectual property. While helping us manage the relationships with our external partners who rightly insist that we protect their confidentiality and privacy, at the same time as we represent them well."

The email continued to state that in order "to facilitate and manage the change, our structure, governance, professionalism and behaviours must also change to keep pace."

When asked about the NDA by Cycling Weekly, a representative said: "We have already contracted some riders for 2025 and can confirm that no rider has been asked or will be asked to sign a specific NDA to ride for Saint Piran Pro Cycling.

"The email referred to was sent prior to the conclusion of our strategic review of the 2024 season and the use of an NDA was deemed unnecessary."

It is also understood that Saint Piran boss Richard Pascoe and Humphreys have previously encouraged former staff members to sign non-disclosure agreements after moving on from the team to new roles elsewhere in cycling.