Scotland Junior Team for Junior Tour of Wales Announced
Posted: 26 August 2010
Four junior athletes have been selected to represent Scotland at the Junior tour of Wales. The R.I.S. Junior Tour of Wales celebrates its 30th edition with a field of 100 of the best junior riders in the country. This year promises to be the toughest ever with two steep three mile climbs as the sting in the tail of stages 2 and 5 on the Saturday and the Monday of the August Bank Holiday (28th - 30th August) and the biggest field of riders yet.
The athletes representing Scotland are:
Jack Barret - Stirling Bike Club
Matthew Hamilton - Leslie Bike/rightmove
Taylor Johnstone - De Vris Cycles
Finlay Young - Equipe Velo Ecosse
Scottish Cycling is also supporting a second squad who will be representing Dooley's Cycles. The junior riders competing are:
13 Greg Brown J2 Dooley's R.T.
14 Charles Fletcher J3 Dooley's R.T.
15 Andrew Leith J2 Dooley's R.T.
16 James Smith J2 Dooley's R.T.
Scottish Cycling has been supporting junior athletes as part of the development pathway for new riders towards 2014. Scottish Cycling has also worked closely with Braveheart Cycling Fund to support youth and junior athletes experience international competition. Both national and international competition is seen as crucial to the development of Scottish athletes that will have the ability to compete at international level as seniors and support Scottish Cycling's goals towards Glasgow 2014.
The Junior Tour
Stage 1 starts at 10.30am on Saturday (28th) from Brynmawr near the HQ at Nantyglo Leisure Centre and is the usual 10km Time Trial over hilly terrain to the back of the Tumble climb. The 100 riders will assemble at Brynmawr Market Square in the afternoon and roll out on Stage 2 when the Mayor, Councillor Brian Thomas, drops the flag at 3.00pm. The event heads down the Heads of the Valleys road to Gilwern and the start proper along the Usk Valley via Crickhowell and Llangynidr onto Talybont to join the A470 at Brecon to climb to the first prime of the stage.
A fast 8 miles takes the riders through Bronllys to turn right at 3 Cocks and onto the next sprint at Talgarth and takes the peloton through Llangorse village alongside the lovely lake to turn right in Bwlch. Left a further mile down the A40 brings the race back to Talybont and retrace the earlier tracks to climb Llangynidr mountain a 3 mile climb with a last vicious ascent to its highest point and the Finish.
Bryn Bach Park circuit is the scene of stage 3, starting at 11.00am on Sunday, a closed road lap of 3km which after an hour plus a lap will find riders struggling up the 0 to 30 metres per lap climbing by the finish. If they have anything left, they can sample the new international standard BMX track alongside but it's not compulsory! The circuit and the BMX track are just a part of the cycling facilities Blaenau Gwent Council, sponsors of the Junior Tour since it's start, are providing at the Park.
Stage 4 sees the riders leaving the race Headquarters at Nantyglo Leisure Centre at 3.30pm that afternoon on a 47 mile loop down the A465 and A40 to Raglan and Monmouth and returning to Brynmawr around 5.30pm. Stage 5 starts at Nantyglo Leisure Centre at 10.30am on Monday and runs along the A465 to Hirwaun before turning over the Brecon Beacons to Storey Arms and down to Brecon and on to Abergavenny . A 62 mile jaunt which sees them climbing up the relentless Tumble Mountain to finish at the summit at around 1.00pm keeping the suspense of who will win overall right up to the end.
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Update: 31 August 2010
A Full race report of the event can be viewed here >>>>>>>>>
A full set of results from the event can be found at http://www.juniortourofwales.org/results/2010/index.htm
