Yanto Barker

Yanto Alexander Critchlow-Barker (born 6 January 1980) is a British former professional racing cyclist from Wales, who was the highest placed Briton in the 2005 Tour of Britain, coming ninth in the general classification.

Career Born in Carmarthen and despite starting racing late at the age of 15, joining the Mid-Devon Cycling Club, Barker was successful in the junior ranks (aged 16–18). Having won the Junior British National Road Race Championships, he was selected to ride the Junior Road Race World Championships where he finished 11th.

When Barker joined the senior ranks at the age of 19, he was selected to represent Britain as part of the National U23 team, and was paid. He moved to Manchester to be closer to the track and the medical & coaching team. He competed in the Under-23 road races at the UCI Road World Championships in 1999, 2001 and 2002, taking his best finish in 2002 when he crossed the line in 12th place.

By 2000, there was less money available for cyclists such as Barker and, following the advice of a coach, he moved to France at the age of 20 to gain experience of continental racing.

In 2013, Barker won the inaugural edition of the UCS Ipswich and Coastal GP when sprinting clear on an eight-man group containing Mike Northey and Rob Partridge.

It was announced in November 2013 that Barker had signed for for 2014. After one season with Raleigh Barker was announced as the leader of the new ONE Pro Cycling team for the 2015 season. In September 2016 Barker announced that he would retire at the end of the season.

Personal life He lived in Wales as a child but later moved to Devon. He runs his own cycling clothing company called Le Col, which became a co-title sponsor of the UCI Continental team for 2019. Le Col has provided the cycling kit for UCI WorldTeam since the start of the 2022 season.

Major results

1998

2nd Road race, Welsh Road Championships 2001 6th La Côte Picarde 2002 3rd Grand Prix de la Ville de Lillers 2003 1st Overall Mavic Cup Series 2nd Course La Ville 1st Stage 1 Circuit des Mines 9th Bordeaux–Saintes 2004 1st Overall Mavic Cup Series 5th GP Rougy 1st GP Carelleur 2nd Tour De France Compte 3rd Grand Prix des Marbriers 4th Overall Tour Nord-Isère 10th Overall Tour de Serbie 10th Paris–Troyes 2005 1st Overall Surrey 5-day 2nd East Yorkshire Classic 2nd Havant GP 3rd Road race, National Road Championships 3rd Round of the Surrey League, 'Eastway Classic'/'Taunton Criterium' 4th Overall Rás Tailteann 6th Paris–Troyes 6th La Roue Tourangelle 8th Lincoln Grand Prix 9th Overall Tour of Britain 10th Hel van het Mergelland 2009 3rd East Midlands Classic 2010 3rd East Midlands Classic 4th Overall Tour of Libya 5th Dumfries Bike Fest Grand Prix 10th GP Al Fatah 2011 4th Hillingdon GP 2012 5th Rutland–Melton CiCLE Classic 7th Grand Prix de la Ville de Lillers 2013 Tour Series 1st Kirkcaldy & Stoke-on-Trent 1st UCS Ipswich and Coastal GP 3rd Perfs Pedal Race 4th Rutland–Melton CiCLE Classic 9th Wales Open Criterium 2014

4th Ipswich and Coastal Grand Prix 7th Wales Open Criterium 7th Leicester Castle Classic 1st Overall British Cycling Spring Cup 1st Lincoln Grand Prix 3rd Overall Tour of the Reservoir 5th Cycle Wiltshire Grand Prix 1st Evesham Vale Road Race 5th Jersey International Road Race 2015 1st Perfs Pedal Race 2nd Grand Prix of Wales 2nd Cycle Wiltshire Grand Prix 2nd Severn Bridge Road Race 3rd Beaumont Trophy 4th Overall Totnes-Vire Stage Race 10th Chorley Grand Prix 2016 7th Vuelta a La Rioja