On August 12, 2016, four Britons step onto the top step of the podium at the velodrome in Rio de Janeiro. One by one, they are presented with a gold medal bearing the five Olympic rings. They have just won Olympic gold in the team pursuit. Furthest to the side stands a 23-year-old Owain Doull.  

For Doull, it is the culmination of years of focused work on the track. It is the biggest moment of his career. But it is also the beginning of a full-blooded commitment to road racing, which ultimately leads him to where he is today: as part of Team Visma | Lease a Bike.  

Doull took his first pedal strokes on a velodrome in Cardiff at the age of 14, just 15 minutes from his childhood home. Inspired by local heroes such as Geraint Thomas and Nicole Cooke, he was quickly captivated by the speed on two wheels. And although he also began racing on the road, it was on the track that his talent was most evident.  

“In those early days, I made progress every year but mostly on the track. I only started to really enjoy road racing later on, when I was an U23 rider. On the track, I became a part of the Team GB junior programme, and I massively enjoyed working towards my clear goal: the Olympics,” Doull says.    

The Welshman expected the hunt for an Olympic medal to be a lifelong project, which is why winning gold at just 23 years of age came as a huge surprise. At the same time, he had begun riding very strongly on the road, and that same year he signed with what was then the world’s biggest cycling team, Team Sky.    

“Winning the Olympics was the biggest moment of my career. But I was also hit by the ‘Olympic blues’ afterwards. The first year out of the Olympic cycle was very hard, and I felt a bit lost,” Doull reflects.     

Making the jump to the WorldTour and leaving track racing behind was big step, and he struggled early on with finding the right focus again. Fortunately, it wouldn't take too long before he found his rhythm.    

Over the following years, Doull became more and more comfortable in the WorldTour, where he began to develop a particular fondness for one period of the season: the spring. The Flemish Classics found a special place in his heart.   

“My favorite race is the Tour of Flanders. There is no other race like that, especially when you do the whole classics period as a build-up to the big one. When we get to Oude Kwaremont, the vibe is so unique. I’m so nervous and so excited every time. But when it’s all done and it’s gone well, you feel so privileged.”    

Doull himself stood on the podium at Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne in 2019, finishing second, but fairly early on he developed a taste for using his abilities in the peloton to help his teammates rather than riding for himself - something he still embraces today.    

“I’m fairly well rounded, so I can help out in most types of races except the high mountains. I really get a big high out of helping my captains, and I feel that’s where I have the most value. Before a race, I always think to myself: ‘Where can I contribute the most?’”    

It therefore comes as no surprise that Doull is hugely looking forward to starting life at Team Visma | Lease a Bike. Although there were many things to keep track of in his first weeks with the team, he already feels at home and his motivation is sky-high.  

“Racing with guys like Jonas, Wout, Matteo, Matthew is really inspiring to me. It’s such an ambitious group of riders, and I’m really looking forward to getting started. I also think the mindset here fits me really well. The core of my love for the sport is trying to get better every day. That’s what gets me out of bed. That constant desire for improvement,” Doull concludes.  

Favorite meal:  

“A Sunday roast. It’s a traditional British meal with cooked meat, gravy, vegetables, and Yorkshire pudding.”  

Favorite music:  

“My daughter dominated my Spotify Wrapped with her music, but personally I like older stuff like Bruce Springsteen and Red Hot Chili Peppers.”  

Favorite holiday destination:  

“We always go to a new place, so I don’t have one favorite, but Bali was nice. Other than that, I’ve traveled a lot with my wife in America and Australia, also without a bike.”  

Hobby outside of cycling:  

“British pub culture. I don’t go for the drinking, but the community aspect of going down to the pub is amazing.”  

What do people not know about you yet?  

“I speak fluent Welsh, and I’m very proud of my Welsh heritage. The first thing I asked of the team was to get a Welsh flag on my helmet."