Particle physicist, barrister, waiter, engineer: many hats of the UK-based cycling team at PGT
The ISIS Neutron and Muon source is a proton particle accelerator, which is used to eventually generate intense beams of subatomic particles called neutrons and muons. The result is a giant microscope.
Members of the Schils Doltcini Racing Team. Left to right - Carl Jolly (Particle Physicist), Eugene Cross (Barrister), Matt Ellmore (Waiter), Archie Cross (Engineer)
An accelerator physicist at a particle accelerator, a barrister fighting criminal cases, a waiter at a police rehab centre, and an engineer working in flood risk management; these are the varied hats donned by cyclists of the Schils Doltcini Racing Team. Participating at the Union Cycliste Internationale 2.2 event Pune Grand Tour, the UK-based team boasts of impressive resumes.
“I think our team is probably one of the only ones where we all have jobs,” says Eugene Cross, the barrister. His teammate Carl Jolly works at the ISIS Neutron and Muon source, a government-funded particle accelerator in Oxfordshire, UK. He completed his degrees in physics from the University of Bristol and is currently pursuing a PhD at the University of Oxford along with his work and cycling.
The ISIS Neutron and Muon source is a proton particle accelerator, which is used to eventually generate intense beams of subatomic particles called neutrons and muons. The result is a giant microscope.
“So, it’s just like getting an x-ray on your leg. But instead of seeing bones with an x-ray, with neutrons, you see the positions of atoms in a solid or another material. And that’s very useful for things like designing new batteries,” Jolly explains. His workplace, like all his teammates, gives him generous leaves and flexible work deadlines for him to be able to train for his cycling career.
Pune Grand Tour Stage 4 began from Balewadi on Thursday. (Express Photo By Pavan Khengre)
Eugene himself started working as a barrister a couple of years ago after completing a degree in law, transferring from his original choice of mechanical engineering. Describing how he manages work with his demanding profession, he says, “If I’m defending someone and they decide to plead guilty on the morning of trial, well, I can be home by lunchtime and I can go and train on my bike. If it’s a very busy week, I have to accept that I’m not going to get as much training done that week. But the benefit of being self-employed is I can take as many holidays as I like.”
Although he is self-employed, he is a part of a group of barristers who cover his work when he is off to far-away tournaments like the Pune Grand Tour.
Their teammate Archie Cross works as a civil engineer at a company called Atkins. He works in the area of flood defences and flood risk management. The company has offices in Pune and Bangalore as well, and Archie works with his Bangalore-based colleagues on a daily basis. “I did civil engineering at Sheffield, bachelor’s and master’s. And then moved to Bristol to do the job. And that’s where I met GAL and Charlie. So, the team was kind of formed from people in Bristol,” Archie remarked.
Their 20-year-old teammate Matthew Ellmore works as a waiter at a police treatment center, which provides rehab services for injured police personnel. He says, “I’m really good with cycling. They quite understand this. I get favourable shifts, I can train during the day and then work at night.”
Also in the team, Stevan Kervadec holds a masters in Physical Training and Charlie Lacaille holds a masters in Chemistry. The team members say that they are proud to break the myth that athletes cannot compete at top-level cycling events unless they do the sport full time and give up their other passions.
Soham Shah is a Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in Pune. A journalism graduate with a background in fact-checking, he brings a meticulous and research-oriented approach to his current reporting.
Professional Background
Role: Correspondent coverig education and city affairs in Pune.
Specialization: His primary beat is education, but he also maintains a strong focus on civic issues, public health, human rights, and state politics.
Key Strength: Soham focuses on data-driven reporting on school and college education, government reports, and public infrastructure.
Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)
His late 2025 work highlights a transition from education-centric reporting to hard-hitting investigative and human-rights stories:
1. Investigations & Governance
"Express Impact: Mother's name now a must to download birth certificate from PMC site" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant policy change by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) following his earlier reports on gender inclusivity in administrative documents.
"44-Acre Mahar Land Controversy: In June, Pune official sought land eviction at Pawar son firm behest" (Nov 9, 2025): An investigative piece on real estate irregularities involving high-profile political families.
2. Education & Campus Life
Faculty crisis at SPPU hits research, admin work: 62% of govt-sanctioned posts vacant, over 75% in many depts (Sept 12, 2025): An investigative piece on professor vacancies at Savitribai Phule Pune University.
"Maharashtra’s controversial third language policy: Why National Curriculum Framework recommends a third language from Class 6" (July 2): This detailed piece unpacks reasons behind why the state's move to introduce a third language from class 1 was controversial.
"Decline in number of schools, teachers in Maharashtra but student enrolment up: Report" (Jan 2025): Analyzing discrepancies in the state's education data despite rising student numbers.
3. Human Rights & Social Issues
"Aanchal Mamidawar was brave after her family killed her boyfriend" (Dec 17, 2025): A deeply personal and hard-hitting opinion piece/column on the "crime of love" and honor killings in modern India.
"'People disrespect the disabled': Meet the man who has become face of racist attacks on Indians" (Nov 29, 2025): A profile of a Pune resident with severe physical deformities who became the target of global online harassment, highlighting issues of disability and cyber-bullying.
Signature Style
Soham is known for his civil-liberties lens. His reporting frequently champions the rights of the marginalized—whether it's students fighting for campus democracy, victims of regressive social practices, or residents struggling with crumbling urban infrastructure (as seen in his "Breathless Pune" contributions). He is adept at linking hyper-local Pune issues to larger national conversations about law and liberty.
X (Twitter): @SohamShah07 ... Read More
Pune Grand Tour Stage 4 began from Balewadi on Thursday. (Express Photo By Pavan Khengre)
