Yanto Barker

Who is Yanto Barker?

Yanto Barker is a Welsh professional racing cyclist. He was the highest placed Briton in the 2005 Tour of Britain. Despite having started racing only when aged 15, when he joined the Mid-Devon Cycling Club, Barker was successful in the junior ranks. The president of the Mid-Devon Cycling Club happens to be Colin Lewis, another Welshman and professional.

Having won the Junior British National Road Race Championships, he was selected to ride the Junior Road Race World Championships where he finished 11th. He lived in Wales as a child but later moved to Devon. 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. 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. He represented Wales at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne but initially retired from professional cycling in 2007, returning to live in Devon. He now runs his own cycling clothing company called Le Col and has returned to cycling to ride for the Pendragon Sports / Le Col / Colnago Team. Barker signed for Team UK Youth for 2012.