With the Women’s Tour bringing women’s cycling into the spotlight, youngsters across the country are being inspired to get involved with cycling.

In celebration of the inaugural tour, Go-Ride coaches have been hosting girls-only sessions in schools along the route, giving young riders the opportunity to get stuck into the world of cycle sport.

This week, a group of girls from the schools will have the unique opportunity to experience the life of an elite rider, when they cycle a 200 metre distance with the Women’s Tour peloton, from the start line in Hinckley, Leicestershire.

Other groups of young women from the schools will be taking part in entry-level races at the start lines in Oundl and Hinckley, as well as at the finish lines in Bury St Edmunds and Welwyn. The Go-Ride Racing events are part of British Cycling’s youth development programme for young people, giving novice riders the opportunity to experience their first bike race.

To encourage other women and girls across the country to get involved, a programme of rider development sessions for women and girls have been hosted by Go-Ride. Since their establishment last year, the sessions have provided over 2,300 opportunities for women and girls to get involved in cycle sport.

Laura Trott, a world champion who first started cycling at Welwyn Wheelers Go-Ride Club, is taking part in the Women’s Tour. She said: “It’s a really exciting time for racing and it’s fantastic that kids have the chance to be part of it at their local Go-Ride Clubs.

"The Go-Ride programme is doing a brilliant job of harnessing the enthusiasm of young people and encouraging more youngsters to get involved. It really is going from strength to strength and it's unbelievable to hear about the increasing numbers of young riders putting power to the pedals.”

The Go-Ride programme is already leading the way in providing opportunities for women and girls to participate in cycling, including:

• 40% of Go-Ride participants are young women and girls.
• 50% of young volunteers trained are female.
• 7 of 12 National Youth Forum representatives are young women.
• The first women-only Level One coaching course was hosted early this year.

For more information about British Cycling’s Go-Ride programme, please visit www.britishcycling.org.uk/go-ride.