On mark Mercury readies young stars

May 30 2008 by James Maloney, Liverpool Daily Post

MONTHS of preparation came to fruition last Wednesday when Liverpool Mercury Cycling Club were presented with their Go-Ride club mark accreditation.

The Mayor of Sefton Cllr Paul Tweed was on hand to present the club with their award which came at the perfect time as officials prepare for a summer scheme aiming to train future champions.

Youngsters hoping to be the next Lance Armstrong or compete in the 2012 Olympics are signing up for the club’s Go-Ride initiative which takes place at the £5.5m Litherland Sports Park.

Children dreaming of taking part in the Tour de France or whizzing around the velodrome during the London Olympics can now take their first pedal revolutions to glory by heading to Boundary Road every Monday (6-7pm) and Wednesday (4.30-5.30pm).

For the next five months, Liverpool Mercury – in association with Sefton Cycling Academy – are holding coaching sessions headed up by former professionals and national champions, Pete Matthews and Phil Thomas.

The duo have won more national championships than anyone else and will be joined by Phil’s wife, Vicky, who is a former international champion and has taken part in the women’s version of the Tour de France.

British Cycling will also be on hand to provide a qualified coach during the sessions, so there is plenty of opportunity for budding Armstrongs to get recruited into the Olympic Development Programme, which has produced stars such as Mark Cavendish and Bradley Wiggins.

But there is also the chance for children to earn top-of-the-range kit, compete in races across the country and get a free bike if they progress through the ranks of Liverpool Mercury.

Recent youngsters to rise through the club’s youth system include Great Britain’s Mark McNally, 18, from Crosby, who is currently living the life of a professional in Tuscany, Italy.

Paul Paterson, Liverpool Mercury’s club secretary, said: “The Go-Rides are a great chance for children to learn all the skills needed for riding a bike and from there, they can progress up to racing.

“We try to place the emphasis on having fun. They start off learning all the basics handling techniques and then go onto riding around cones, picking up bottles and even riding under poles – all of which helps teach them valuable cycling skills and how to ride a bike responsibly.”

Go-Ride’s coaching activities have been designed to introduce young people to a range of disciplines, such as BMX, cycle speedway, cyclo-cross, mountain biking, road and track riding.

Children start off learning basic skills delivered in a traffic free environment before moving onto basic road skills on quiet roads and then advanced road skills on busier roads – all under the guidance of fully-qualified coaches.

Paul added: “Go-Rides act as feeders for clubs like Liverpool Mercury, but there is also the chance of being spotted and taken on by the likes of British Cycling.

“From there, they can be enrolled into the Olympic Development Programme, maybe take part in the London 2012 Olympics or become a professional and compete in the Tour de France.

“As a club, we can provide stuff like kit and expenses for any youngsters that show promise. Then there is always the possibility that one of our sponsors, Terry Dolan, will sort them out with a bike if they’re good enough and represent Liverpool Mercury across the UK.”

For further information contact Paul Patterson on 259 6083 or Nick Martin on 283 9886. Liverpool Mercury will be hosting the National Criterium Championships for juniors, adults and veterans at Litherland Sports Park from July 6.