Steve Bate Calls British Cycling Hall of Fame Induction ‘Surreal’

Stephen Bate says he is still taking in the achievements of his para-cycling career, and a new honour has given him another reason to pause and reflect. The former British rider is set to enter the British Cycling Hall of Fame at the 2026 British Cycling Awards, after retiring from elite competition last October. The induction follows a career that included five Paralympic medals and nine World Championship podium finishes across road and track. Bate, who is 49, said he never imagined reaching such heights when he first took up the sport at 36. He described the recognition as difficult to comprehend and said it was remarkable to be honoured alongside riders he had once admired from afar. Bate added that the constant demands of competition had left little room to look back. During his racing years, he said, each event quickly gave way to preparation for the next. Having stepped away from elite racing, the past year has given him and his team more time to appreciate what they accomplished together. Originally from New Zealand, Bate later moved to Scotland and represented Great Britain in para-cycling. He was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative visual impairment, in 2011. After climbing El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, he joined British Cycling’s Paralympic Development Programme in 2013. Bate said the diagnosis opened a route into para-sport at a time when he thought his sporting days were behind him. He believes the maturity and life experience he brought to cycling helped him focus on what was required, and said he and his wife decided to seize the opportunity when it arose. His racing partnerships included pilots Adam Duggleby and Chris Latham.