# 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. He represented Wales at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne
He initially retired from professional cycling in 2007, returning to live in Devon but returned to cycling in 2010 to ride for the Pendragon Sports / Le Col / Colnago Team. Barker signed for Team UK Youth for 2012.
In 2013, Barker won the inaugural edition of the 200-kilometre (120-mile) 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 Team Raleigh 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 Team Wiggins Le Col UCI Continental team for 2019. Le Col has provided the cycling kit for UCI WorldTeam Bora–Hansgrohe since the start of the 2022 season.

## Major results
### 1998

    1st Road race, National Junior Road Championships
    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

    1st Overall British Cycling Elite Road Series
       4th Ipswich and Coastal Grand Prix
       5th Circuit of the Fens
       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