Wales Olympic Talent Team Programme
Welsh Cycling, in partnership with British Cycling has developed a series of programmes intended to provide aspiring Olympic, Commonwealth and World level cyclists with a smooth career pathway. The starting point for many aspiring champions will be the Welsh Olympic Talent Team. From there they can progress via the Great Britain Olympic Development Programme (which caters for juniors - ages 16 - 18), the Under 23 Great Britain Olympic Academy (19 to 23 year olds) and through to the Olympic
Podium Programme, where they are expected to win medals at World Championships and Olympics.
If you are ambitious for success in any discipline in the sport of cycling, you are between 13 and 15 years of age and you think you have what it takes to make it to the Olympic podium, the Welsh Olympic Talent Team is for you!
The Wales Olympic Talent Team is regionally based for both coaches and riders.
Wales Olympic Talent Team riders are aged from 13 to 17 years old, and they all have the ambition of making it onto an Olympic podium. The Olympic Talent Team's coaches have the skill, enthusiasm, imagination and commitment to help to develop riders, making them ready for the next step of the pathway, the Olympic Development Programme.
What does the Talent Team offer?
The Talent Team has some of the most enthusiastic, inspirational coaches in the country, with the skills and experience to be able to identify where young riders most need to improve and then to tackle the challenge of motivating and drilling them in these areas.
Wales Olympic Talent Team is coached by Julian Winn, himself a former British Champion on Track and Road and former professional competing in the prestigious Giro d'Italia in 2003.
The Talent Team is able to access long periods of training time at cycling facilities for skills training. It is also able to provide suitable bikes, equipment and guidance on competition. As a member of the Welsh Talent Team, you will have access to experts in sports medicine, nutrition, equipment, and importantly the coaches who work with the senior programmes.
The Talent Team coaches know exactly what the coaches in the older age group programmes are looking for from a young rider and are well placed to assist a rider in gaining the skills & fitness required to compete for a place in the next step to the Olympic podium.
Talent Team riders are mostly found through racing, and through referral from our excellent Go-Ride clubs - visit the Club Finder section of this site, and click on the Go-Ride button for you local Go-Ride club.
What can a Wales Talent Team members expect?
At present Wales Talent Team members meet three times a week through the winter period. An average example week consists of:
Tuesdays: 3 Hours Track racing/training 6-9pm (Newport)
Thursdays: 3 Hours Track racing/training 4.30-7.30pm (Newport)
Saturdays: Between 2-5 Hours of road orientated work (Various)
Sundays: Cyclo Cross Racing or road training
In between days are individually tailored to suit the athlete, either rest or more training!!
Once into the season which will usually run from February through to the end of September racing most weekends and occasionally during the week will start to form part of a members programme.
Racing covers all disciplines with riders expected to compete in Cyclo Cross in the winter period through to road, track and Mountain bike racing in the summer months.
Wales Talent Team will also take advantage of School holidays and have regular training camps lasting anywhere between 2 and 7 days.
During the camps it's not just training on the bike that forms the days. Anything from bike maintenance, race tactics, nutrition and social activities fill the time. With an emphasis on what is expected at the next level and what it takes to become a world class athlete. During the school holidays racing trips to Holland, Belgium or Italy may also form part of the rider's development.
How do I become a Talent Team Member?
First off, becoming a Wales Olympic Talent Team member requires TALENT!
Only the best riders with a proven track record or noted ability will be taken on to the programme.
It is preferential that potential members are already active racing cyclists in any of the disciplines mentioned but not essential.
There are then quarterly windows of opportunities when new applicants are taken on or existing members taken off, starting in January; then April, July and October.
If you are lucky enough to be invited onto Wales Talent Team then that's where the hard work begins, with the primary end goal gaining selection on to the next programme which would be ODP (Olympic Development Programme), and world, Commonwealth and Olympic success!
For further information, please contact
Wales Olympic Talent Team Coach
Julian Winn by e-mail >>>>