Stevie Williams is arguably Wales’ least known world class star from among the major sports. The Welsh cyclist has travelled a long and winding road to the top of his profession, as he tells Dai Sport’s Owen Morgan.
For a cyclist who enjoys spending his down time away from the bike watching movies, the past year has read like a film script for Stevie Williams.
The Aberystwyth-born cyclist’s 2024 credits make for impressive reading:
- First British winner of The Tour Down Under
- First British winner of La Flèche Wallonne
- First Welsh winner of the modern Tour of Britain
- Tour De France debut
- Olympic Games debut
- UCI World Road Championships debut
The achievements are eye-catching enough in plain black and white.
But the list doesn’t begin to tell the phenomenal success story which has played out in glorious technicolour over the past 12 months.
The feel-good storyline was particularly welcome for a rider who has experienced his fair share of injury horror stories in the past.
When Dai Sport spoke to Williams back in October 2020, the Israel–Premier Tech star spoke of the “dark days” of 2019.
Such was the nature of a long-term knee injury, Williams’ consultant told him his budding career could be at risk.
Fast forward to 2024 and Williams can now look back on what his delighted team boss has described as his “breakthrough season”.
Understandably, Williams doesn’t want to dwell on those uncertain times back in 2019. But he acknowledges they have made the successes of the past 12 months all the sweeter.
Speaking from his home in Andorra – the mountain state in the Pyrenees between Spain and France, Williams told Dai Sport: “I try not to look back too much now to those days, because I’ve been through it now.
“I feel like I’ve dealt with it,” Williams says of the 18-months his career was effectively put on hold.
“It’s the icing on the cake to roll the clocks forward to now. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, and I can say now that the hard work did pay off.
“But those were some nasty days in the first couple of years in my professional career.
What a move from Stevie Williams to take victory at La Flèche Wallonne – the first ever British man to do so! #FlecheWallonne | @stevierhys_96 | @WelshCycling
— British Cycling (@BritishCycling) April 17, 2024
“So, to bounce back now as a 28-year-old has been wonderful.
“It does make you appreciate things a lot more, especially victories and stuff. So, after everything that happened it makes it all worthwhile.
“To get some of the victories I’ve had in some of the best races has been amazing. I’m really proud of what I’ve achieved.”
Williams has every reason to be proud of a year which got off to a flying start in the heat of Australia, while those of us back home in Britain were suffering the cold of January.
The former apprentice carpenter put the hammer down to claim victory in the Santos Tour Down Under – the first race of the UCI WorldTour season.
Williams claimed victory in typical battling style, producing a storming late surge to win the sixth and final stage and claim overall victory in the general classification.
It was the beginning of a year which would see him “put his hands in the air” as he crossed the finish line several more times, including at the Tour of Britain.
The Welshman would also make his debut at the world’s biggest sporting event and its greatest bike race.
Asking Williams to pick out the highlight of such a stellar year is akin to asking a parent to choose a favourite child.
But it was a question I was keen to hear the answer to.
After some deliberation, Williams produced the answer: “I think all my victories have a special place for me this year.
“The Tour of Britain, obviously, is my home race. To win your own national tour is wonderful.
“To win a semi classic in Belgium, it doesn’t get much better than that, with La Flèche Wallonne.
“But then Australia, the way we did it with such a good team – a World Tour GC is special as well.
“It’s difficult to pick from all three. But yeah, I probably have to say La Flèche Wallonne.”
The answer may come as a surprise to those who aren’t regular cycling fans.
But for cycling purists, La Flèche Wallonne – a hugely prestigious one day race in Belgium – is a big deal.
A glance through the past winners is like flicking through a who’s who of cycling royalty.
The great Eddy Merckx, fellow Belgian star Phillippe Gilbert and French legend Bernard Hinault all feature on the star-studded roll of honour.
The 2023 race was won by the brilliant Tadej Pogačar. In the past four years the Slovenian superstar has claimed three Tours De France, the Giro d’Italia, the UCI World Road Race title and a plethora of other triumphs to rival Merckx as the sport’s greatest exponent.
But in 2024, it was the turn of Williams, who faced very different conditions to those he had experienced in Australia, taking on the fabled Mur de Huy (Wall of Huy) climb in freezing cold and wet weather.
Similar to his victory in Australia, Williams left it late, hitting the front with 300m to go in order to claim a famous victory at the 88-year-old spring classic.
The gritty climber believes his upbringing in challenging Welsh weather and that almost instinctive nous to put on an extra layer of clothing to shield against the conditions, helped him triumph.
“How the race was raced, how the weather had such an impact, it was a proper dog fight out there,” says Williams, of a race which saw half the riders fail to make it to the finish line.
“To get my hands in the air there was incredible. It’s a race I’ve been watching for so many years. The riders who have won that race speaks for itself. So yeah, that was really special.”
Stevie Williams takes the stage win in Barnsley during the Tour of Britain. Credit – Tour of Britain-SWpix.com
Williams was also proud to become the first British rider to win in the Ardennes.
“I wasn’t aware of that at the time,” he admits. “It’s one of the biggest races in the world. So yeah, to have that on my palmares is incredible.”
There were plenty more entries to come on the Williams “palmares” – the French word used in cycling for a list of achievements.
High up on the list was his first appearance at cycling’s most famous and prestigious event – The Tour De France.
Williams put in a highly creditable performance in arguably the world’s toughest sporting event.
Despite finishing 73rd out of the 141 riders, who completed the Tour (35 abandoned), he was a little disappointed about how the event ended.
The Tour traditionally finishes in a spectacular sprint on the world famous Champs-Élysées in Paris. But due to the French capital hosting the Olympics a few weeks later, the final stage was a time-trial finishing on the seafront in Nice.
Williams said: “In terms of tradition it was a shame that I wasn’t able to finish on the Champs-Élysées. I think that’s every rider’s dream in their career – to finish there once.
“To finish with the time trial is fine for some guys. But for me, it’s not the way I enjoy finishing races. It’s a very flat way to finish, I feel. The last day of a grand tour, especially the Tour de France, should be a spectacle.”
However, Williams was to get his chance to experience racing on the streets of Paris at the Olympic Games.
The proud Welshman was selected as part of Great Britain’s four-man road race team, alongside rising star Josh Tarling, who hails from Aberaeron – just 16 miles along the coast from Williams’ Aberystwyth birthplace.
The selection created the notable statistic of 50 per cent of the GB men’s Olympic road race team hailing from Ceredigion.
“When you think about it, for such little place, a region in west Wales, that’s a remarkable feat,” says Williams.
“It shows that to get to the pinnacle of the sport is difficult, but it’s possible. It was really a proud moment for us both.
“Obviously, we were lucky enough to grow up in a place where the training roads are second to none in the UK. It’s not easy riding around there so just to get on your bike is quite tough.”
Stevie Williams competing at the UCI World Championships in Zurich. Credit – SWpix.com
Competing at the Olympics was particularly significant for Williams as it was Bradley Wiggins winning the 2012 Tour De France and then going on to claim gold in the individual time trial at the London Olympics, which helped spark his budding cycling ambitions.
The big Liverpool football fan had previously enjoyed football and athletics until the common childhood knee complaint Osgood-Schlatter disease meant he had to look for a lower impact sport.
Wiggins’ 2012 double caught the young cyclist’s imagination, so to compete at the Olympics shortly after the Tour De France was a huge thrill.
“The Olympics were great. It was perhaps a once in a lifetime opportunity,” he said.
“To race the Olympics with the GB flag on your back, it doesn’t get much better than that. It was a wonderful day . . . a wonderful few days.”
Williams was particular taken aback by the huge crowds which lined the cobbled climb up to the Sacre Coeur Basilica in Montmartre, a challenge the peloton had to take on three times on the 273km course – the longest in Olympic history.
“It was, for sure, the biggest atmosphere I’ve ever raced in,” said Williams. “I’ve done some big races, but, yeah, that cobble climb, it was one of the most special feelings I’ve ever had. I couldn’t hear myself think, it was incredible.”
Williams eventually finished a commendable 31st place with Tarling coming home in 47th in the race won by Belgium’s Remco Evenepoel, who completed the road race and time trial double.
Having shone on foreign roads, Williams returned to home ground for the Tour of Britain in September, with spectacular results.
Ably supported by his Israel–Premier Tech team, which featured fellow Welsh rider Ethan Vernon, Williams took control of the race, winning stages in Redcar and Barnsley.
Despite the presence of the likes of Evenepoel, there was to be no denying Williams as he sealed a first senior victory on home ground since turning professional.
Perhaps the only disappointment for the proud Welsh speaker during a brilliant week-long race was that none of the stages were hosted in Wales – unlike recent editions of the Tour of Britain.
“It was a shame,” says Williams philosophically. “It would have been nice to roll in to somewhere like Caerphilly like last year. But it’s okay, hopefully it returns to Wales next year.”
Seeing Williams’ bid to defend his title on a home stage next year would certainly prove popular for Welsh cycling fans who always turn out in numbers when the Tour comes to town.
Especially with Welsh cycling going through something of a golden age at the moment.
Whether on the road, the track, or other disciplines, Wales is turning out top cyclists at a rate akin to the fabled rugby outside-half factory of old.
Asked why he thought Wales was currently producing a glut of world class talent, Williams said: “I think it just goes to show the support that Welsh Cycling gives young athletes. I always say how much they’ve done for me since I was 16 years old.
“I’ve just been lucky enough to be part of a project where they believe in young riders, give them everything they possibly can to make them progress and move up. I think that’s a massive thing.
“Obviously there’s the track down in Newport and stuff, having the performance staff there. I have a really good relationship with them.
“Without the support from them I don’t think I’d be here now.
“It’s definitely a good mix of talent. It’s a real hotbed in Wales. Long may it continue.”
There was one final notable milestone to celebrate before the end of the season as Williams pulled on the GB jersey once again for September’s UCI World Road Race Championships in Zurich.
Although delighted to make his debut at the championships, Williams admits to being a little disappointed with his form there, having felt unwell while competing in Canada in the run up to the Worlds.
“The World Championships were a little bit disappointing for me, I can’t lie,” he said. “Ever since Canada, I really felt like I was not at my best level, unfortunately. And I got sick in Quebec and Montreal.
“Ever since Tour of Britain, nothing really came good. And that was a shame, actually, because there were some nice races in Italy and The Worlds.
Stevie Williams Proud To Be First Welshman To Win Tour Of Britain
“It was just a shame to end the season with not such good legs. But that’s how it goes. It’s normal for your body to run out of batteries at some point after a long season.
When we speak, Williams is recharging those batteries at home in Andorra, having enjoyed a trip home to Aberystwyth to enjoy some down-time with friends and his family to whom he says he owes so much.
“It’s just switching off and just spending some time with your loved ones, like my family and stuff,” he said.
“I spent a bit of time with them in Aber and also then just spending time with my girlfriend, which is really nice.
“I got back to Aber for a few days and saw my family. I saw my little nephew as well for the first time. So that was nice to catch up with all of them.”
The enthusiastic cricketer has also been enjoying catching up with other sports away from cycling. “I’m into quite a few other sports, so I like to play a bit of cricket with my friends, golf, watch football.
While back in Wales, Williams also appeared on the excellent Aberystwyth-based Over the Falls podcast, where he spoke at length about how much he enjoys watching films while relaxing.
However, Williams is already starting to look beyond the big screen and getting back on the bike. Having enjoyed something of a blockbuster season this year, he is hoping to follow up with an equally successful sequel in 2025.
“I’ll pick things up in a few days now at the start November and begin the process again to start the winter for 2025. That’s the goal,” says Williams.
Stevie Williams Relishing Dream Tour Debut After Stunning Season
“I’ll start in Australia again and hopefully have another good year. I think it will look pretty similar to this year.
“We haven’t discussed with the performance team yet what the actual plan is after Australia, but the first main target will be the Tour Down Under.
“I’ll try and go there as defending champion. Try and do the same again and be competitive there. Another focus will be on the Ardennes.
“And then I’d love to win a stage on a Grand Tour next year. So, we’ll wait until the stages and route are announced for all three – the Giro, Tour and Vuelta, and then we’ll pick which one we decide to do, and then aim for a stage there.”
His team certainly have faith in Williams’ ability having signed him on a contract until 2028.
Israel–Premier Tech’s General Manager Kjell Carlström said: “It’s fair to say that 2024 has been a breakthrough season for Stevie Williams.
“He already had a great year with us in 2023 but this year was a career-best season for Stevie with his incredible wins at the Tour Down Under and La Flèche Wallonne. Not only were these his biggest wins to date, they were also history-making victories for Israel–Premier Tech as our first UCI WorldTour stage race and one-day wins.
“We have signed Stevie long-term and that’s both a testament to the exciting future he has ahead but also our belief that he still has a lot more to give.
“He is still developing as a bike rider and the best is yet to come.”
Watch this space.