SWIFT Ben < Back  
Sport Cycling - Road, Cycling - Track
CGA England   
Gender Men
Born 05 Nov 1987 in Rotherham, ENG
Height1.79 m
Weight 69 kg
Human Interest
Further Personal Information
Residence Isle of Man
Sport Specific Information
Club / Team Team Sky: England
General Interest
Hobbies Riding, relaxing, learning to play saxophone. (dailypeloton.com, 04 Mar 2011)
Injuries He missed the 2012 Giro d'Italia due to injury when he fractured his right shoulder during a training camp in Denmark in early May. He was able to return for the Tour of Norway between the 16th-20th May. (telegraph.co.uk, 03 May 2012, velonation.com, 02 Jun 2012, glavatour.no, 20 May 2012)

In January 2008 he suffered a broken collarbone during a crash on the way back to his hotel after training in Los Angeles. He also injured his thumb, missed 13 weeks of competition and only returned to racing in April that year. (cyclingweekly.co.uk, 17 Jan 2008)

At the start of 2006 he was out of competition for three weeks after requiring knee surgery. At the end of that same year he needed shoulder surgery and was out for a month. (NOC, 30 Jul 2008)
Memorable sporting achievement Standing on the podium after a stage of a Grand Tour. He claimed third place on the second stage of the 2009 Giro d'Italia in the colours of Katusha. (britishcycling.org.uk, cyclingweekly.co.uk, 07 Feb 2012)

Participating in all three Grand Tours, the Giro d'Italia, Tour de France and Vuelta a Espaņa. (teamsky.com, 07 Feb 2012)
Sport Specific Information
Why this sport? His dad used to be a good cyclist and got him into it. He first raced in the local park and he has been riding a bike ever since.
General Interest
Most influential person in career His parents. (NOC, 30 Jul 2008)
Hero / Idol Australia's multiple Tour de France green jersey winner Robbie McEwen and Spain's multiple world road race champion Oscar Freire. (dailypeloton.com, 28 Nov 2011; britishcycling.org.uk, 05 Jan 2012)
Ambitions To go to the 2012 London Olympic Games. (teamsky.com, 31 Aug 2010)

To win the one-day classics, Milan-San Remo and the Tour of Flanders, and become world road race champion. (velonation.com, 29 Apr 2011)
Sport Specific Information
Name of coach Dave Brailsford
Training Regime Blocks of endurance riding up to 200km per time and gym work three times per week for general conditioning, abdominal work and squats for the legs.
When and where did you begin this sport? He began cycling at the age of three.
International Debut
Year 2005
Competing for Great Britain
Tournament European Championships
Location Italy
Further Personal Information
Occupation Athlete
Sport Specific Information
Coach from which country? Great Britain
General Interest
Other information TURNING PRO
Despite appearing for Barloworld in 2007, he did not sign his first professional contract until joining Russian team Katusha in 2009. (cyclingweekly.co.uk, 07 Feb 2012)

CYCLING POTENTIAL
He was awarded a place on British Cycling's Olympic Academy Programme in 2005. (teamsky.com, 30 Sep 2011)
Further Personal Information
Languages English