BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
Two thirds of the Team GB cycling squad at the 2016 Rio Olympics started their cycling careers through British Cycling’s youth development programme: Go-Ride. The Bicycle Association’s Bike Hub levy fund is one of the sponsors of Go-Ride. Other sponsors include adidas, Fiat and Evans Cycles.
Go-Ride programme’s graduates include Laura Trott (Welwyn Wheelers Cycling Club), Joanna Rowsell Shand (Sutton CC), Jason Kenny (Sportcity Velo) and Lizzie Armitstead (Otley CC).
British Cycling is currently staging a "Go-Ride Summer of Cycling", a series of nationwide coaching sessions designed to inspire a new generation of cyclists.
Go-Ride delivers over 500,000 opportunities a year for young people to get involved in cycling. The Summer of Cycling will see Go-Ride Clubs from across the country stage events or coaching sessions to encourage youngsters to take inspiration from Go-Ride graduates.
John Mills, director of coaching, education and development at British Cycling, said:
“It’s fantastic to see such a high number of Go-Ride graduates in the squad for the Rio Olympics. One of our key aims at British Cycling is to turn elite inspiration into grassroots participation.
“While our Go-Ride graduates are competing for medals out in Rio, the events staged by our clubs will help introduce a new generation of youngsters to the world of cycle sport, giving them a fun and safe environment in which to build their confidence and improve bike handling skills.”
95 percent of the riders at the British Cycling National Youth and Junior Track Championships staged in Derby last week progressed from Go-Ride.
Here’s the full list of Go-Ride graduates at the Rio Olympics: Laura Trott (Welwyn Wheelers Cycling Club), Joanna Rowsell Shand (Sutton CC), Jason Kenny (Sportcity Velo) and Lizzie Armitstead (Otley CC), Kyle Evans (Preston Pirates), Grant Ferguson (Peebles CC), Callum Skinner (The Racers), Ryan Owens (Welwyn Wheelers), Becky James (Abergavenny Road Club), Steven Burke (Sportcity Velo), Ed Clancy (Holme Valley Wheelers), Owain Doull , Geraint Thomas and Elinor Barker (Maindy Flyers), Katie Archibald (Edinburgh RC), Ciara Horne (Zappi’s), Steve Cummings (Birkenhead North End), Ian Stannard (Milton Keynes CC) and Adam Yates (Eastlands Velo).
