TYLER Clare has moved his cycling career up a gear after signing a major deal with a team based in Spain.
Tyler Clare (right) has signed up with a team in Spain.
The Inverness athlete has agreed a contract with Natural Greatness Rali Ale which will be one of the teams competing in the Copa Espana Series during 2026.
Clare (20) is now preparing to head out to Alcoi and is looking forward to taking on top riders from across Europe as he reinforces his reputation as one of Scotland’s top cyclists.
Clare says it is a huge milestone in his career and is relishing the challenge of competing at the highest level of cycling of his life so far.
He said: “The team had a scout who is based in Britain and I was in contact with him last year. He got in touch with me and I was offered a place in the main team.
“I am about to move to Alcoi which is located between Alicante and Valencia where the team is based. They will be competing in the Copa Espana Series, where the team’s ambition is to do well into those races.
“I will be racing against continental professionals and it is great to have the chance to race against those type of cyclists. These are the kind of races that I want to compete in and I will be looking to prove myself.”
Tyler Clare in action.
Clare is no stranger to competing in Europe during his young career as he was awarded a professional scholarship in Belgium last year.
He earned a place on the Flandrien Scholarship Program which saw him compete in races throughout Belgium which he said was a huge step up in competition.
He says he has become a better cyclist for the experience as he looks to make the next step in his career.
He said: “I had a scholarship in Belgium and that started off quite tough.
“I am a light rider so Belgium’s terrain didn’t suit me as much as Spain. I struggled at first, but I learned to adapt and I left Belgium as a better rider.
“They say you go to Belgium to learn your race craft and I feel that I got that out of it. Even though the terrain didn’t suit me, I learned how to adapt and get used to the level required in Europe.
“Kermesse racing in Belgium is a high level, the courses are only around 7-8 km long. But there are narrow straights and lanes with 170 cyclists fighting for every corner. You average around 30mph during the race, if you manage with all the corners it is very tough racing to keep that sort of speed. You do around 13 laps of a seven to eight km course in each race.
“It is non stop and different level compared to British racing.
“My last year was probably the best year for progression as a cyclist physically and mentally. Taking part in international racing was an eye opener.”
Tyler Clare in action.
Clare was first inspired to take up cycling from his father Paul, who regularly competed at Etape Loch Ness. A member of Inverness Cycling Club when he was a junior, he started to compete seriously after 2020 and has progressed to competing at national level.
In 2023, he won the Scottish National 50-mile Time Trial Championship junior title in Stonehaven.
He said: “My Dad got me involved in cycling and my first goal was to be better and faster than him. From then on, my progression has not stopped and I am always wanting more.”
Tyler Clare competing in Belgium.
As well as competing in Belgium last year, Clare also achieved success in Scotland as he won the Cairngorm Hill Climb and Glendoe Hill Climb, titles which he also won last year.
Clare has received sponsorships from Dryburgh Cycles, Chapeau Cycle Coaching, Ark Estates, John Morrison Timber Preservation, Gavin MacDonald flooring, John Valentine at GQS and Raul at TTV Válvulas for 2026.
He is looking forward to testing himself in Spain over the course of this year as he looks to impress.
“I want to get a few results out there. Training in Spain and being a lighter rider, I am suited to the climbing and this is where I can prove my skill.
“The team is also a feeder team to a continental feeder team where one or two riders are pushed into. It is a good pathway to get into a continental pro team.”
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