british cycling go-ride magazine autumn 2014

GO-RIDE MAGAZINE / 1

britishcycling.org.uk/go-rideAutumn/Winter 2014

DEVELOPING THE NEXT GENERATION OF CYCLISTS

GO-RIDE MAGAZINE

2 / GO-RIDE MAGAZINE

PEACE-OF-MIND PROTECTION FOR YOUNG CYCLISTS

Sign up for British Cycling membership to receive exclusive benefits, such as a race licence, retail discounts and liability insurance – so you’re covered any time you’re on your bike.

Under 16 members will receive an additional membership pack, including special surprises featuring some of our biggest cycling heroes from the world of track, mountain bike, road and BMX.

British Cycling membership is FREE for youth riders in Go-Ride Clubs for the first year, with discounts also available for adult members.

To sign up for membership, enter the discount code NEWCMRA for any Race membership on the payment page at britishcycling.org.uk/membership

EDITORIAL


“100,000 MEMBERS THIS AUTUMN;AN INCREDIBLE ACHIEVEMENT ...”

I t has been such an incredible summer for cycling, with the Tour de France visiting our shores,

the Commonwealth Games and the Tour of Britain. Over 3.5 million people turned out to watch the Grand Depart, which was a real opportunity to inspire more of the nation to get on their bikes. Go-Ride volunteers undoubtedly cemented the legacy of the Tour de France, with over 9,000 young people taking part in the Go-Ride Tour throughout July.

These events on the world stage encourage increased participation, contributing to British Cycling reaching the milestone of 100,000 members this autumn, which is an incredible achievement considering we had just 50,000 members at the time of London 2012.

Club volunteers have done an amazing job in supporting this growth of our sport, ensuring that the inspiration created by our athletes has translated into record numbers of members and participation at all levels.

With our members’ backing, we will continue to strive for further success at all levels, from the Great Britain team and our talent pathways, to young people’s coaching, club racing and our recreational cycling programmes.

We are also standing up for all cyclists in our efforts to persuade national and local government to invest in cycling. From lobbying for safer roads and junctions, to campaigning for all children to learn to ride a bike at school, we are working on behalf of our members to ensure that cycling’s full potential is realised, as we aim to become a cycling nation.

Thank you to everyone involved for their hard work to get us to where we are today. The sport is predominantly driven by volunteers and we couldn’t have achieved this significant milestone without you.

John MillsCoaching, Education and Development DirectorBritish Cycling

If you have any views, comments or ideas for content for the Go-Ride

magazine, we want to hear from you! Send your ideas to:

[email protected] and you might see them in a future issue.


GO-RIDE

NEWSREGULAR

Go-Ride at the Tour of Britain 2014This September, over 300 young people had the unique opportunity to emulate their cycling heroes, when they experienced the Tour of Britain.

The young riders got the chance to ride on the Tour of Britain course as the penultimate activity on the finish straight before the elite race arrived. Teams of riders from Go-Ride Clubs and local schools involved in the Go-Ride programme were invited to take part in this amazing opportunity, with the riders getting the chance to experience the thrill of racing in front of the crowds.

British Cycling’s director of coaching, education and development, John Mills, said: “Once again, this was an opportunity to inspire the next generation of cyclists and we hope the young people enjoyed playing a special part in the Tour of Britain. It was fantastic to see the crowds lining the streets and cheering on our future stars.”

Go-Ride at Sky Ride 2014Once again, Sky Ride visited major cities and towns up and down the country to provide a day of traffic free, cycling fun for all the family. Keen to be a part of the excitement, the Go-Ride team was out in force. This year saw the introduction of an awesome track system, with Go-Ride Coaches setting up a challenging circuit,

which included a banked corner and rhythm section, for young riders to test their skills on.

The Go-Ride activities were located in the brand new Tricks and Tunes area, along with a resident DJ, the Voodoo Unicycles team and even a giant air bag that those brave and able enough could try and jump onto on their bikes!

We hope that everyone who participated had a fantastic day and we look forward to seeing even more of you next year.

Welland Valley Whizz Kids: Misterton Cross Go-Ride Racing ReportOn 23 August 2014, Welland Valley CC hosted round six of the Whizz Kids Go-Ride Racing League. It was a huge success, with 27 riders all eager to test their race skills during the two opportunities they had to race.

After a quick warm-up and guided tour from seasoned cyclo-cross rider, Dean Barnett, the younger Whizz Kids kicked off the day’s racing, completing a shorter course through long grass

to challenge their bike-handling skills, before the older riders completed a longer route.

There was some action-packed racing, with standout performances from a number of young riders throughout the day. The race could not have taken place without the fantastic efforts of the young volunteers and of course the continued support of all the parents.

New Blog for Platinum AwardA new blogging site is now live for volunteers on the Cycling Award for Young Volunteers programme. It allows blogs to be uploaded quickly and directly by Young Leaders, contributing to the achievement of their Platinum Award. A number of young volunteers have already uploaded their blogs onto the site, including one young volunteer’s account of their experience as a Team Leader at the Commonwealth Games.

An introductory guide and log-in details are available on request. The blog can be viewed at: bcyoungvolunteers.wordpress.com

Lord Seb Coe joins Go-Ride Lord Seb Coe paid a special visit to a Go-Ride Session at a school in Hope Valley, Derbyshire recently. He’s not a bad leadout man ..!

Volunteer recognised by the PMAlison Grant has been presented with the Points of Light award by Sports Minister, Helen Grant, for her contribution to creating one of the biggest under-16 clubs in the country. The presentation took place on the Tour de France Stage 3 finish line in London, whilst the caravan was travelling past.

Alison joined Hillingdon Slipstreamers Go-Ride Club in 1998 when club membership stood at 20, and now, 14 years later, the club boasts over 300 members. Alison, who is Club Chair and Club Welfare Officer to name two of her many roles at the club, is the latest recipient of the Prime Minister’s Points of Light award, which recognises outstanding individual volunteers, people who are making a change in their community and inspiring others.

Greater Sport Level 3 School GamesRising BMX stars from across Greater Manchester displayed their skills at this year’s BMX Racing Competition, held at the National Cycling Centre’s BMX Track as part of the Greater Manchester School Games.

Around 30 riders from Year 8 represented six schools from across Manchester. Prior to the event, riders attended coaching sessions at Platt Fields Park, with further race-specific coaching provided by Go-Ride Coaches on the day before the competition.

Following completion of a time trial lap to seed riders, three Grand Prix Moto’s took place, with the combined results of school’s riders used to determine the final positioning. Following some fantastic racing, East Manchester Academy clinched the Gold.


Get in touch if you have any news you’d like to share with us: [email protected]

Commonwealth Games AdventureTwo of our young volunteers successfully applied to be a volunteer at this summer’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Josh Parker, from Gosforth RC, was selected for the role of event support at the Women’s, Men’s and Team Triathlon events, whilst East Bradford CC’s Caitlin Tromans was placed as team leader at the men’s and women’s cycling road race and TT event.

Caitlin said: “The vibe coming from the spectators is something I will never forget, they were all so welcoming and chatty and the support that the home nations received was fantastic.

“Without the help of the National Youth Forum last year, I wouldn’t have had the confidence to apply to become a volunteer and wouldn’t have even dreamt of becoming a team leader.

“Through my time at the Commonwealth Games, my confidence has grown even further and I am already looking into volunteering at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games through my university.”

NW Junior Team take second place in NorwayA team of 10 junior riders from the North West Region secured second place in the prestigious Arctic ‘Heroes of Tomorrow’ Race, competing against teams from Norway, Finland and Russia.

The young riders raced multiple laps on the closed roads of Tromso, sections of which the elite riders also covered

in the final stage of the Arctic Race of Norway later that day. The competition was organised by the Norwegian Cycling Federation to develop junior racing.

The competitors also attended a number of seminars covering topics such as the importance of racing clean and had the opportunity to question successful Norwegian cyclists about their time in the sport.

National Paralympic Day celebrates the Paralympic MovementThe National Paralympic Day, an annual celebration of the Paralympic movement in the UK, was hosted at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on 30 August 2014 to build on the legacy of London 2012. In the shadow of the fantastic Velopark, British Cycling’s Go-Ride team attended the event to showcase some of the grassroots opportunities available to young people across the country and search for future stars.

Go-Ride Coaches gave attendees the opportunity to try Wattbikes, handcycles and specially-adapted bikes riders in either a six second sprint or a three minute pursuit. Those inspired to try the real thing were directed to their local Go-Ride Club and British Cycling’s Para-cycling Sessions.


ANNOUNCEMENT

HERE WE GO AGAIN!Go-Ride Conferences coming to a place near you in 2015


T he dates for the 2015 Go-Ride Conferences have now been confirmed.

The conferences are free to attend for all of our Go-Ride Volunteers who are British Cycling members, so make sure you get those all important dates in the diary, as we have some fantastic content lined up.

The Go-Ride Conferences aim to support the growing Go-Ride network of club volunteers, as well as thanking everyone for their incredible efforts in providing opportunities for young people to get involved with our fantastic sport. An exciting schedule is currently being finalised for the events in 2015, with the focus this year on volunteer training. We hope you will join us to celebrate another amazing year of cycling.

A record number of volunteers attended the conferences last year, which focused on improving club management, making cycling more accessible and inspiring the next generation to get stuck into volunteering. As British Cycling’s youth development programme continues to go from strength to strength, with more clubs joining the Go-Ride network and more young people becoming members of British Cycling, there’s no better time to discuss how we can drive the sport

forward and ensure we build on the legacy of events such as the Tour De France, Tour of Britain, Women’s Tour and the Commonwealth Games.

Stephanie Allmark, British Cycling’s Development Manager for Clubs and Volunteers, said: “The Go-Ride Conferences present us with a real opportunity to directly thank club volunteers, as well as providing training that aims to support their ongoing efforts at clubs across the country. With this year’s content shaping up to be the best yet, we’re hoping to see even more volunteers join us in March.”

The Go-Ride Club and Volunteer Awards will once again be included at the Go-Ride Conferences, so keep your eye out for nominations opening towards the end of the year.

The Go-Ride conference invitations will be posted out to clubs in January, however if you have any questions regarding the conferences, suggestions for content or would like to register your interest, please contact the Go-Ride team at [email protected]

Go-Ride Conferences 2015

Saturday 21 February: TauntonSaturday 28 February: DurhamSunday 1 March: ManchesterSunday 8 March: LeicesterSaturday 14 March: Dartford Sunday 15 March: Reading


T his summer has seen a tremendous amount of volunteer action across the country, with young

volunteers getting involved with the Commonwealth Games, the Go-Ride Tour, the School Games and the National Youth Forum – and there are even more exciting opportunities to come this winter.

Young Volunteers are School Games pioneersThe Sainsbury’s 2014 School Games is a multi-sport event for the UK’s elite young athletes, which took place from 4 to 7 September at a number of iconic sporting venues in Manchester. For the first time, young people from British Cycling’s Young Volunteer programme undertook the roles of sport-specific Team Attachés and Team Managers, whilst Young Volunteers also supported the School Games Talent Inspiration Programme.

Hailed as the ‘youth Olympics’, the School Games aims to create an inspirational and motivational setting for young elite sports people, reflecting the experience of Olympic and Paralympic Games with opening and closing ceremonies, accreditation, team kit and an athletes’ lounge area.

This year, British Cycling became the first National Governing Body to select sport-specific Team Attachés and Team Managers to assist at the School Games, with 14 volunteers selected from the Cycling Award for Young Volunteers programme to support the 14 teams competing at the National Cycling Centre

across the three days.The volunteers received training

in preparation for their role, with safeguarding, event and sport-specific training delivered by British Cycling to ensure the young volunteers could fulfil their roles and be ambassadors for the sport. The young volunteers attended team meetings, training and competition sessions, as well as getting involved with everything from administrative work to sorting out competition kit and helping to distribute packed lunches.

It wasn’t all hard work though - some lucky volunteers got to meet double-Olympic Gold medallist, Laura Trott, whilst others were invited on stage to present medals at the awards ceremonies.

National Youth ForumThe National Youth Forum is now well into its second year of development work, with all the representatives being extremely busy over the past few months – discussing, debating and challenging both each other and British Cycling, as they really start to refine their roles and the ways they can make an impact.

The six National Youth Forum representatives who are part of the team for the second year have now taken on the additional responsibility of specific roles, including Marketing and Communications Officers, Vice-chair and Treasurer, to drive the group forward this year. They have been joined by six new representatives from Go-Ride Clubs across the regions. The 12 young volunteers, who meet on a quarterly basis, have already been involved with various training opportunities, such as UK Anti-Doping Advisor training, and

have been consulted on issues such as youth racing.

The National Youth Forum supported British Cycling’s membership team at the Cycle Show in September, taking the opportunity to speak to people at a large scale event about the work of the National Youth Forum, whilst highlighting the benefits of British Cycling membership.

The group also has plans to develop a regional volunteer network to encourage, support and signpost Young Volunteers and to engage with cycling clubs to give guidance on how they can better utilise young volunteers.

National Talent Camp for Young Volunteers Following an extremely successful pilot last year, we are pleased to announce the return of this fantastic opportunity for Young Volunteers, which has been expanded to include both Young Officials and Young Coaches. The Youth Sport Trust’s National Talent Camp brings together athletes, coaches and officials for a unique training opportunity, with

MAKING STRIDESYoung Volunteers

FEATURE

Double-Olymic Gold medallist Laura Trott with the volunteers at the School Games in Manchester


PLATINUM BLOG

B ritish Cycling’s Young Leaders programme helps existing Gold Volunteers to further their skills and take their volunteering to

the next level by leading on activities, to achieve their Platinum Award.

In this edition, we feature a blog from Young Leader, Rebecca, who wrote this post as part of her platinum award.

Charity roller challengeby Rebecca, Welwyn Wheelers CC

Recently, Welwyn Wheelers youth section did a charity roller challenge in the local shopping centre, to ride 1,500 miles in six hours. We were getting sponsorship and donations on the day. My job was to organise

who was riding, when they were resting or riding and also getting sponsorship from local supermarkets, coffee shops and tech centres.

With 20 riders, we managed the mileage and raised just under £1,000. I would have preferred to have had more riders as the majority were U12s and were not able to pull out big miles like older riders could have. However, each rider put in everything they had and there was a great team spirit between the different age groups and also the parents who willingly got involved, grabbing the attention of passers-by and collecting all donations.

I feel that I should’ve told the youth of the club earlier about the challenge, as we did not have as many riders as we had hoped for and some had to cancel late or leave early due to races.

I was happy that we reached our goals and overcame our space issues and number problems. It was a successful day, which allowed great promotion of the club and put my organisational and team working skills to the test.

We plan on doing the same event next year for comic relief, where I will aim to promote the challenge further in advance and also see if we can get more sponsors to raise the profile of the event.

To view all the latest blog posts from Young Leaders, please visit bcyoungvolunteers.wordpress.com

REGULAR


a number of our most promising young officials and young coaches from the Cycling Award for Young Volunteers attending the event this December.

This year’s National Youth Forum


S port England’s Small Grants scheme uses Lottery funding to make awards between

£300 and £10,000, to help more people play sport.

Boston Wheelers Go-Ride Cycling Club is just one of the clubs that has been successful in applying for Small Grants funding. The club secured £5,090 to set up the Go-Ride section of the club. We caught up with Club Coach, Ken Syrett, to find out a bit more about the process involved in applying and the impact the funding has had on the club.

How much did you apply for? We applied for £5,090 and were successful in securing all of the funding. It funded the set-up of our Go-Ride club from scratch, including paying for coaching qualifications, equipment, facility hire and promotion of the project, amongst other things.

How easy was the process of applying?It was as we expected really – it wasn’t easy, but it wasn’t that difficult either. We were well supported by Anthony Gill, British Cycling’s Regional Development Manager, and also Steve Crosland, the Go-Ride Coach for our area, who were both incredibly helpful. The process also helped us to concentrate on how to run the club most effectively.

How long did the process take from start to finish? We started the application in October 2012 and submitted it before Christmas

the same year. We were contacted around January with a request for some additional information around our application. We found out we had been successful in April 2013 and received the funding in our club bank account within six weeks.

What impact has the funding had on the club?The impact has been incredible; it has turned the club around. We went from having 30 members to over 100 members after setting up the Go-Ride section of the club. We also used the opportunity to gain Clubmark status at the same time, as we had to compile lots of evidence about the club for the funding bid anyway, it made sense to use it for completing our Clubmark accreditation as well.

Do you have any advice for other clubs thinking of applying? Have a clear plan on how the money will be used to benefit the club and think about how you will be able to measure the outcome. So, for example, how many members you wish to attract. Be sure to include everything you want money for as it is better to ask for more. You will be surprised what you can include, for example hire of facilities, coaches expenses and even buying tape!

INVESTINGIN CLUBSSport England small grants – funding for your club

For more information about applying for funding via Sport England’s Small Grants scheme, please contact your Regional Development Manager or visit: sportengland.org/funding/

CASE STUDY

British Cycling’s Coaching BursariesBritish Cycling is continuing with its coaching bursary scheme, which will help club volunteers to apply for a financial contribution to attend either a Level 1 or Level 2 Coaching course.

Funding is available to Go-Ride Clubs to help keep the costs of the course to a minimum – £120 for Level 1 and £150 for Level 2 courses.

Go-Ride Clubs can gain two Level 1 bursaries and one Level 2 bursary per year.

Applications are prioritised with young people enlisted on the Cycling Award for Young Volunteers programme being given first priority and club volunteers next in line.

Andrew Pink, a Young Volunteer from Charlotteville Rascals Go-Ride Club, has recently benefitted from a coaching bursary to help him gain his Level 2 Certificate in Coaching Cycling. Andrew said: “The bursary has helped me so much; I simply wouldn’t have been able to complete the course without it.”

For more information about the coaching bursary scheme, please contact the Go-Ride team on 0161 274 2070 or email [email protected]

Many County Sports Partnerships (CSPs) also offer coaching bursaries throughout the year. Keep up-to-date by checking your local CSP website or by contacting your Regional Development Manager.


T he 2014 Go-Ride Club Survey is now available to complete online for the first time.

The information that you provide will help British Cycling to shape the support provided to Go-Ride Clubs and volunteers over the next 12 months. The survey, which is extremely simple to complete, invites clubs to tell us about their details and activities, as well as giving feedback on how British Cycling can continue to improve the Go-Ride programme.

With over 300 cycling clubs registered on the Go-Ride programme, and around

IMPROVING SUPPORTGo-Ride Club Survey 2014 –coming to an inbox near you!

4,500 volunteers supporting them, it is crucial that we identify how we can help club volunteers to deliver safe and enjoyable cycling sessions, and how we ensure that those who volunteer tirelessly receive the associated benefits.

This year’s streamlined survey will be emailed to all Go-Ride Club contacts. If you have not received the email, please contact the team on 0161 274 2070 or [email protected] Alternatively, get in touch with your Regional Development Manager.

To thank you for telling us all about your club, all completed surveys will be entered into a prize draw to win a jersey signed by the Great Britain Cycling Team.

Top tips for speedily completing your club survey:• Prepare your information in advance

– before you start the survey, gather all the information you need so you can complete it in one go.

• Use the Club Management Tool (read all about it on page 20) to help manage your club’s information, making it really easy to access vital information quickly.

• Delegate the responsibility of gathering information for the different sections of the survey to your club volunteers to make it a team effort.

FEATURE

12 / GO-RIDE MAGAZINE12 / GO-RIDE MAGAZINE

W e would like to say a massive thank you to all the clubs, volunteers and

riders that got involved and hosted their very own Tour de France themed event as part of the Go-Ride Tour this summer.

Your hard work and commitment has had a massive impact, with over 9,000 young people taking part in the Go-Ride Tour, truly cementing a lasting legacy from the Tour de France visiting our shores.

Go-Ride Clubs from across the country hosted over 240 entry-level events throughout the month of July.

Open to any young people, the come-and-try sessions provided the perfect opportunity for riders who were inspired by the Grand Depart to emulate their cycling heroes.

CEMENTS THE LEGACY OF THE TOUR DE FRANCE

FEATURE

GO-RIDE TOUR FAST FACTSA total of 241 come-and-try events

Hosted by volunteers at 129 Go-Ride Clubs

Over 9,000 young people got involved

40% experienced cycle sport for the first time

Stacks of souvenirs for young peopleYoung riders taking part in the Go-Ride Tour were also provided with souvenirs to celebrate their achievement and remind them of the Tour de France visit to the UK. Over the course of the month, participants received:

• 13,100 certificates• 7,860 Go-Ride Tour wristbands• 2,620 Go-Ride Tour t-shirts• 1,965 medals• 131 USB sticks with event

delivery support

Impact upon Go-Ride Racing programmeThe Go-Ride Tour has had a large impact on British Cycling’s Go-Ride Racing programme; a calendar of entry-level racing events for young people.

• 54 Go-Ride Clubs hosted an entry-level racing event for the first time as part of the Go-Ride Tour.

• Of those 54 clubs, 29 have continued to deliver entry-level races.

GO-RIDE MAGAZINE / 13GO-RIDE MAGAZINE / 13

“We had an excellent evening of racing, which was enjoyed by both children and their parents. British Cycling has done us proud in providing the brilliant t-shirts, special medals, wristbands and certificates. Thank you British Cycling for your initiative and enabling us to provide something special and memorable for our youngsters in the year the Tour de France came to Britain.”Pam YatesRedditch Road and Path CC

“The Go-Ride Tour not only brought new members to cycling and our club, but gave us an opportunity to widen the range of Go-Ride activities within the club and maintain interest levels with existing members, as well as attract newcomers to the club and to cycling in general.”David BrownBBM Revolution

“We have been overwhelmed by the number of young riders inspired to take part in the Go-Ride Tour and the efforts of dedicated volunteers across the country hosting so many events. They have contributed significantly to cementing the legacy of the Tour de France visiting our shores and the growth of the sport as a whole.” John MillsBritish Cycling’s director of coaching, education and development

“It’s unbelievable to hear about all the young people inspired to get into cycling after watching events on the world stage and the Go-Ride Tour was a brilliant way for clubs to harness that inspiration and get more kids involved.”Jason Kenny, a world champion who was talent-spotted whilst riding for Sportscity Velo Go-Ride Club


A group of young cyclists from across the country were given an opportunity

of a lifetime; riding the Tour de France. The 26 young riders experienced what it is like to be an elite cyclist, when they rode the first and last 30km of the first, second and third stages of the Tour de France, as ‘Les Cadets Juniors’.

The young people have all progressed from the Go-Ride programme. Aged between 16 and 19, they took centre stage on 5, 6 and 7 July, setting off along the route only a few hours before the elite riders.

A video of their experience was created and shared on the British Cycling website and also on the BBC Sport Get Inspired website.

LES CADETS JUNIORS

I nspired by the Tour de France and keen to part of all the excitement around cycling, Tiverton Go-Ride

BMX Club hosted a Go-Ride Tour event at its BMX track on Saturday 19 July.

Young people from across Somerset and Devon travelled to the come-and-try event, where ages ranged from 2 to 16 years. All riders took part in a coaching session and were then invited to race against one another. The BMX event aimed to involve young people who have not raced before, whilst supporting more experienced riders to develop their skills. Over 75% of participants were completely new to racing.

TIVERTON GO-RIDE BMX CLUB

A parent of one of the young riders, Rebecca Mills, said: “The Go-Ride Tour gave young people in the club and local community an opportunity to come together and race for the first time. It was a really successful event, showcasing the brilliance of the experienced riders, but also giving a huge boost to the younger new riders. It was a fantastic day for everyone involved!”


C ongratulations to the Go-Ride Clubs who have all won a Great Britain Cycling

Team jersey signed by elite athletes such as Jason Kenny and Joanna Rowsell – both of whom began their rider journey at Go-Ride Clubs.

The winning clubs encouraged the most under 18 members to sign up for British Cycling membership throughout the months of July and August.

British Cycling has recently achieved 100,000 members, during what has been a fantastic year of cycling. This is an incredible achievement, growing from just 50,000 members at the time of London 2012.

The Go-Ride team would like to say a massive thank you to everyone who took part in the membership competition and we look forward to seeing photos of the signed jerseys in their new home.

British Cycling offers FREE membership to all new members of Go-Ride Clubs, so young people can join the British Cycling family and be part of the team transforming cycling in the UK. To sign up for membership, enter the discount code NEWCMRA for Race membership on the payment page at britishcycling.org.uk/membership

GOING FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTHBritish Cycling membership: thank you for joining the team

Sir Chris Hoy, multiple world and Olympic champion, said:

“With your help, British Cycling is providing support to all cyclists, however they ride.

“That could mean building new cycling facilities, putting on more cycling events or looking after the day-to-day needs of members who ride to work, ride to race, or just ride for the fun of it. Being a member of British Cycling makes you one of the team!”

Winning Go-Ride ClubsBeeston RCDecoy BMXField End FlyersHolmfirth CCKingston Junior CCMid Devon CCNorth East BMXPoole CSCRibble Valley JuniorsVC MelydWest Suffolk WheelersWolverhampton Wheelers

COMPETITION


T he Go-Ride Racing Winter Offer returns for the 2014/15 season, providing clubs with

unique kit and opportunities to ride. The offer is open to clubs running Go-Ride Racing events between 1 October 2014 and 31 March 2015.

The winter months provide lots of opportunities for clubs to come together and race. Last year, there were some great Go-Ride Racing activities delivered with Halloween, Bonfire Night and Christmas themes, providing great occasions for clubs to ride, race and socialise together. This year, there are two offers that clubs can utilise to enhance their winter activities; resources and events.

Resources offerGo-Ride Racing provides bespoke prizes for clubs delivering a series of 2, 4 or 6 events. For the winter season, the prize

packages will include full fingered cycling gloves, to help riders tackle the colder conditions.

In support of clubs making Go-Ride Racing part of their winter schedule of activities, British Cycling is also offering a set of 40 red or blue bibs at a discounted price:

• £25 for clubs delivering two events• FREE for clubs delivering four events

Events offerThere is a packed calendar of major events taking place throughout the winter months, such as the UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup in Milton Keynes, UCI Track Cycling World Cup in London, UCI BMX Supercross World Cup in Manchester and cyclo-cross and cycle speedway National Championships.

The Go-Ride Racing team is hosting coaching and racing sessions at iconic facilities across the country, so young cyclists have the opportunity to ride the same tracks as the elite riders taking part in the major events.

Two race series Four race series Six race series

50x certificates 100x certificates 100x certificates

Two pairs of premium cycling mitts Four pairs of premium cycling mitts Twelve pairs of premium cycling mitts

Six gold, silver and bronze medals 12x gold, silver and bronze medals 18x gold, silver and bronze medals

50x red wrist bands 50x red wrist bands

50x white wrist bands

Three gold, silver and bronze trophies

All young riders that are British Cycling members and part of a Go-Ride Club hosting Go-Ride Racing events throughout winter are eligible to sign up for sessions at the following venues:

• Manchester Velodrome• Derby Velodrome• London Velodrome• Manchester Indoor BMX track• Lee Valley Velopark BMX track

Hosting a Go-Ride Racing event is easy, all you need is a level 2 coach and some enthusiastic volunteers. Let us know if you’d like to introduce entry-level races at your club.

Clubs that introduce Go-Ride Racing for the first time are given a free kit bag including everything you could possibly need for running a race.

To register a race as a Go-Ride Racing event, please contact the Go-Ride team on 0161 274 2070 or visit the website to download the event registration form. For more information about Go-Ride Racing, please visit: britishcycling.org.uk/go-rideracing

SEASON’S GREETINGSThe Go-Ride Racing Winter offer returns for another year

FEATURE


C yclo-cross is one of the fastest growing cycling disciplines with more and more

people appreciating the eclectic blend of skills needed to succeed and the variety of terrain encountered. With the season just beginning, it’s time to get set for cyclo-cross. Here, Go-Ride coach for Yorkshire, Chris Young, who is a former professional cyclist and cyclo-cross enthusiast, provides his top tips for both riders and coaches.

“I always say get fit for purpose, so if you want to get better at cyclo-cross, train for cyclo-cross. This means practicing over and over all the little skills that you perform during the race, making marginal gains in lots of areas. When you put all the little things together, it adds up to a better performance in a race.”

Get a Quick Start“In order to get a quick start, make sure you are in the right gear, with one foot on the ground, and then hit the pedal and clip in quick, before accelerating and moving through the gears.

“Coaches can assist riders with developing this important skill, by timing the riders to go across a set distance, or challenging them by matching them with

other riders of similar ability. During Rider Development Sessions, I set the riders off in waves of advanced, intermediate and novice riders.”

Mounting and Dismounting“Obstacles on the cyclo-cross course force riders to dismount, remount and sometimes carry their bike. Successful mounting and dismounting of the bike is all about conserving momentum, so avoid grinding to a halt and make sure you can dismount at good running speed and get back on at the same pace. This is a skill that needs to be practiced; there are many techniques such as the step-back or step-through, but it is about finding what works for you, then learning to do it quickly.

“Coaches should look out for a smooth transition, in dismounting from saddle to feet on the floor, but also from running to being back in the saddle, getting their feet on the pedals then back up to speed. You might need to show by example.

“When carrying your bike, practice picking the bike up, moving with it comfortably, and sometimes putting it on the shoulder. However, some bikes have a smaller inner triangle and, with the addition of bottle cages, mean shouldering may not be appropriate. Additionally, coaches should look out for the riders looking comfortable and balanced, making sure they can put the bike down and get back on it quickly.”

British Cycling delivers discipline-specific Level 2 awards for coaches who would like to develop an in-depth understanding of cyclo-cross. For more information, visit britishcycling.org.uk/coaching

Mastering hills: Ascending and Descending“Practice going up and down hills on a variety of surfaces. Get comfy with shifting your weight around the bike to keep your weight centred, depending on whether you are going up or downhill. Learn to relax on the bike and be relaxed in your braking by practicing feathering (lighter, more frequent touches of the brakes).

“Coaches can look out for the riders being relaxed, not grabbing brakes too hard, and look out for them using their gears correctly. Do they look like they are in the right gears for going up or down hill?”

Cornering“Cyclo-cross takes place on a variety of surfaces, which means cornering technique can vary. Pick a line that has the most traction and that allows you to keep your speed, which can be applied to any surface. Additionally, coaches should educate riders on what to expect should the surface change from mud to grass, or gravel to concrete and how to handle the bike on these surfaces.”

WINTER WARMERSGo-Ride Coach, Chris Young, shares top tips on cyclo-cross

British CyclingGo-RideGears 1 & 2 Coaching Workbook

British CyclingGo-RideGears 3 & 4 Coaching Workbook


B ritish Cycling Go-Ride coach, Nathaniel Martin, in partnership with Access Sport,

is leading the development of Go-Ride BMX clubs in London. BMX in the capital has never been in better shape and Nathaniel shares with us why the future is very bright for London’s BMX cyclists.

When Nathaniel started out on his BMX bike as a young child, there were just four BMX clubs from London to Bournemouth. Years later, when construction of the multi-million pound BMX facility began at the Olympic Park in Stratford, there was still not a single BMX club or track in any of the five host boroughs. This has all changed, however, since Access Sport’s award-winning BMX Legacy programme kicked off in the capital and expanded BMX throughout the London boroughs. Now, there are fifteen clubs in London alone, with more in the surrounding counties. Nathaniel said: “It’s so different from when I was growing up; it’s improved so much over the past five to 10 years. The Olympics has really helped.

We have more Go-Ride BMX clubs and tracks than ever before, which gives more opportunities for new and existing riders to try out the sport in a safe environment.”

Since February 2011, Access Sport’s unique model for community club development, drawing on the many

benefits of sport to unite communities and improve health, has engaged over 5,000 young people in London with BMX and

encouraged them to become members of clubs. Nathaniel predicts a positive future for BMX in London, with continuous growth due to the unique appeal of the sport to younger and more diverse communities.

As part of his role as Go-Ride Coach working in partnership with Access

CAPITAL GAINSBMX makes incredible rise in London

FEATURE

“It’s just crazy how popular BMX has become”


To find a club near you, visit britishcycling.org.uk/clubfinder

Who is Access Sport?Access Sport (AS) has a mission to give more children, especially those in disadvantaged areas, access to a range of quality sport opportunities. AS believes sport can be a vehicle to tackle social exclusion, obesity and inactivity. To support this, they fund volunteers, offer expert advice and are constantly networking in order to create thriving clubs that have long-term engagement from their members.

Access Sport has pledged to have BMX present in 15 London Boroughs by 2016, delivering 16,000 opportunities to get involved.

Sport, Nathaniel has started four new BMX clubs in West London and been instrumental in the opening of two new BMX Tracks. The clubs – Tottenham Bike Club, Brent BMX, Hammersmith and Fulham BMX and Ealing BMX – have gone from strength to strength and despite only being open for a few months, collective membership is now approaching 100.

Nathaniel said: “It’s just crazy how popular BMX has become. More and more people are coming to BMX Go-Ride Clubs and now we need to recruit and train more volunteers to keep up with the demand.”

London is fast becoming a hotbed for the sport of BMX and the London

BMX Series is giving riders the chance to impress, meaning champions of the future may emerge. The capital has already started to develop extremely talented riders. Go-Ride ambassador and recent bronze medallist at the UCI World Championships in Rotterdam, Tre Whyte, and 2012 junior world champion, Quillan Isidore, both hail from Peckham BMX Go-Ride Club. Nathaniel is busy supporting clubs entering into the London series, showing them the benefits of regular competition and taking riders through competition-specific skills, so they can emulate Tre and Quillan.

Nathaniel said: “The standard is getting pushed up all the time. More

BMXers are riding more often and they’re pushing each other, which drives up the standard. The competition is good! I’ve seen riders who could be European, World or Olympic champions. In the near future, I’ve no doubt that I’ll be sending some riders up to Manchester to become part of the Great Britain Cycling Team programme.”

Despite the success of his new role with British Cycling, Nathaniel hasn’t forgotten his roots, and still finds time to volunteer at his Go-Ride Club, Brixton BMX.

The future is certainly a bright one for the BMX cyclists of London. With people like Nathaniel leading the charge, the sport is in great hands and there will be many more gains for the capital soon.

If you would like to support the growth of BMX in London through volunteering, or would like to find out more about volunteering elsewhere, please get in touch with the Go-Ride team.


FEATURE

4. Club subscriptionsInvite your members to pay their club subscriptions using British Cycling’s secure web payment system. There is no charge to the club and the money will be paid directly into your club’s chosen bank account. No more hassle of having to pay in cheques, manage spreadsheets or chase members for their money.

5. Advertise your coaching sessionsCreate and list all your club activities on a British Cycling powered club calendar. Activities will display on the British Cycling website, opening your club up to potential new members. Activities can include coaching sessions, as well as social and promotional events.

6. Create a British Cycling powered websiteUse this free and easy tool to create and manage your club website or to complement your existing site. You can create a great looking website with professionally designed HTML templates and easily insert content, including exclusive news and results feeds.

SMOOTH RUNNINGClub management made easy

B ritish Cycling’s Club Management Tool (CMT) is available free of charge to all

affiliated clubs and is designed to help you run your club more easily. Follow the tips below to get started:

1. Manage administratorsClub secretaries have automatic access to the CMT by logging in to their dashboard on the British Cycling website and clicking on the Club Manager tab. Club secretaries can assign access rights to other club officials as appropriate.

2. Update your club profileYour club profile will automatically appear on the British Cycling Club Finder, when potential members search for a club in your area. Attract new members by adding a club picture, logo, kit design and some text about the club. You can easily edit who you are open to, what activities you do and when you train.

3. Manage your club member listManage all your club members in one place, see their British Cycling membership status and add your own database of club members. You can also report on your club membership either with our pre-defined snapshot report or our powerful custom report builder.

Club secretaries can now renew online through the club management tool, making it easier than ever to affiliate to British Cycling.Click on Annual Affiliation to open a pre-populated affiliation form. All you need to do is update any details that have changed, upload your kit and enter your payment details. For help and advice using the CMT, please email [email protected]

2015 Club Affiliation is now open!

“The club management tool is critical to our development as a club and an important benefit to Go-Ride Clubs. It is safe, it works and it provides us with the tools to enable us to run our club.”Alistair HowieMalvern Cycle Sport

“The ability to collect payments online and have them deposited directly to the bank has completely eliminated the risk of handling cash, and the inconvenience of banking cheques.” Steve CrapperBolsover and District Cycling Club


MembershipBilly joined British Cycling as a member, which gave him the license he needed to begin racing properly.

Regional and National CompetitionBilly competes regularly in regional and national races, winning the Junior (U14) National Mountain Bike Championship in 2012 and the Junior National Cyclo-cross Championship in 2013.

Performance PathwayFollowing his competitive success, Billy Harding was accepted on to the Great Britain Cycling Team Olympic Development Programme for Mountain Bike.

Exclusive OpportunitiesIn 2014, Billy was one of only 26 riders in the UK selected to be part of Les Cadets Juniors – a team of young riders who rode the first and last 30km of the Tour de France in Britain ahead of the elite riders.

BILLY HARDING’S CYCLING JOURNEYThe young British Cycling member shares his story

Go-RideWhilst out cycling with his family, they came across a Go-Ride Club, East Bradford CC, which Billy joined and trained with for a number of years.

CampaigningAt 4 years old, Billy began his cycling journey when cycling on a local cycle path with his family.

FEATURE

A British Cycling membership is a must for all riders, offering liability insurance, giving peace of mind whenever you’re on your bike, a racing license, access to training articles written by experts and numerous retail discounts.

British Cycling is tireless in its campaigning to turn Britain into a safer, more accessible and enjoyable place to cycle. Our #ChooseCycling campaign is lobbying government to increase spend on the cycling infrastructure from £2 to £10 per head.

The Great Britain Cycling Team Performance Pathway is the most successful Olympic programme in the world, winning 79 medals in the last three Olympic and Paralympic cycles.

British Cycling organises, supports and encourages racing, offering a packed events calendar for racers of all abilities and across all six cycling disciplines. A full list of nationwide events can be found at britishcycling.org.uk/events

This kind of unique opportunity is exclusively available to British Cycling members and those affiliated to Go-Ride Clubs.

Go-Ride is British Cycling’s youth development programme, providing over 400,000 opportunities every year for young cyclists to get involved with the sport. Over 60% of the current Great Britain Cycling Team progressed from Go-Ride Clubs.

2014

2012

H ere at British Cycling, we are passionate about riding bikes. We want to spread this passion throughout the country and get as many people involved in cycling as possible. We are always

working hard to develop opportunities for even more people to get on two wheels. With more members, we can do more to support all cyclists.

Billy Harding is a young member who talked to us about his cycling journey and how British Cycling has helped him along the way. Im

age:

from

thep

its.c

o.uk

2006

2013

2002

1999


T his image can be viewed in a variety of ways. For instance, if you see the above image as a velodrome then you will

think of associated skills and events such as gate starts, pursuit, madison, keirin. These have very different skill requirements than if you see the course as a speedway track. What if you see it as a criterium course with 40 riders on it? How does the space and skills required to operate in the space change?

It can be the same space, however what is worked on in that space is dependent on the characteristics of the event (discipline specific) and the demands associated (event specific).

Here are some ideas for how you can change the demands of the session to make it more beneficial for the riders in the discipline you coach.

British Cycling delivers Level 2 discipline specific awards for coaching

34Key ride direction marker cone

TOP TIPHOW TO MAKE SPACE ADAPT TO YOUR SESSION

REGULAR

looking to develop their ideas and coaching practices.

Road-Racing• Start riders in a bunch• Give certain riders specific tasks to

complete: lead a breakaway, chase the breakaway, sprint finish

Track Cycling• Team pursuit: start riders in lines of 4• Teams must change the front rider

after each lap• Madison: get riders holding hands,

practicing the fast rider moving past the slow rider and transfer momentum

Mountain Bike and BMX• Look at using the cones to mark out

the track as tighter corners to weave in and out of

• Have riders standing on the pedals, out the saddle, with a relaxed body position

Cyclo-cross• Have riders cycle on odd-

numbered laps• On even laps, have them off the

bike, perhaps for the whole lap depending on the course size or for just a short period: lap 2 – run with bike alongside, lap 4 – run carrying the bike in hands, lap 6 – run with bike on shoulder

Cycle Speedway• Individual 4-lap race with

contact allowed• Encourage good cornering and

fast accelerations.

For information on how to purchase the latest versions of Go-Ride Gears books, please contact the Coach Education team: [email protected]


John MillsCoaching, Educationand Development Director

Melanie KnowlesPA to Coaching, Educationand Development [email protected] 274 2072

Colin HumphreysNational Development [email protected] 274 2077

Rob MaceDevelopment Manager:Coaching and [email protected] 274 2078

Jenny NicholsonDevelopment Officer:Coaching and [email protected] 274 2019

Robert GeorgeDevelopment Officer:Coaching and [email protected] 274 2071

Stephanie AllmarkDevelopment Manager:Clubs and [email protected] 274 2069

Kelly BurdettDevelopment Officer:Clubs and [email protected] 274 2126

Rowan ArdillDevelopment Officer:Clubs and [email protected] 274 2069

Julia Klinger-MooreSenior Development [email protected] 274 2070

Elizabeth MatherSenior Marketing & Communications [email protected] 274 2013

New Go-Ride Clubmark ClubsZappi’s Cycling ClubI-Team Cyclist’s Club

Renewed Go-Ride Clubmark ClubsTeam Tor 2000

New Go-Ride Registered ClubsDoncaster Wheelers Cycling ClubVictoria Park Community Cycling ClubFarnborough & Camberley Cycle ClubAlbarosa CCSulis Scorpions YCA Little FoddersSkipton Cycling ClubWalkern Revolution Cycling Club

Cycling Award for Young Volunteers

BronzeIsabella Stone Preston Park Youth CCGeorge Holland Elmbridge EaglesMegan Kendall Spalding Cycling ClubElspeth Grace Welwyn Wheelers CCSamuel Armstrong Taw VeloRobbie Sturdy LincsquadHannah Bates Welwyn Wheelers CCTyler Johnson-Stenning Team DarenthJoshua Scott Bikebuzz MTBOlivia Chadwick Pres Park Youth CCOlivia Fawcett Hetton Hawks CCCharlie Currie Carrick RidersDaniel Walker Derby BMXLogan de Monchaux-Irons Cycling Club HackneyMarie Lynn Hetton Hawks CC

ROLL OF HONOUR

GO-RIDE CONTACTS

Silver Joshua Scott Summit MTBElizabeth Shirley Team Milton KeynesHarry Morris Nottingham Outlaws BMX ClubHugh Smith Hillingdon SlipstreamersBen Tucker Taw VeloJoseph Lister Wolverhampton WheelersDavid Redmond Thanet RCElspeth Grace Welwyn Wheelers

GoldDaniel Taylor Bury Cycle Speedway ClubDaniel Commons - Lomax Cornwall BMX Racing TeamMatthew Worton Blackhawk BikesCeri Jones Port Talbort WheelersLewis Locker Nottingham Outlaws BMX ClubReece Hesler Hetton Hawks CC Connie Hudson Wolverhampton WheelersJosh Scott Summit MTBDeclan Penberthy Tiverton BMX ClubJames Fawcett Hetton HawksGeorge Holland Elmbridge EaglesDaniel Maynard Welwyn Wheelers

PlatinumMatthew Cook Essex Road CCHannah Gunn Hillingdon Slipstreamers CCJacob Burge Kent Velo Kids CC

The amazing performances of the Great Britain Cycling Team rely on the support of British Cycling members.

If your club members wish to join British Cycling, Silver membership for their first year is free, so there is no excuse for missing out on joining the team.

Under 16s receive a bonus joining pack, which includes some awesome surprises featuring some of the biggest cycling stars from the worlds of track, MTB, BMX and road in action!

In addition, membership includes a race licence (if requested) and all the benefits enjoyed by adults such as insurance, discounts and top tips from the experts at British Cycling.

So whether you race, ride or just want to become a part of the team that supports Great Britain’s line-up of elite stars, join British Cycling and get closer to the action!

facebook.com/[email protected]/go-ride

british cycling go-ride magazine autumn 2014

Documents

ride tour

ride volunteers

ride magazine2

ride magazinepeace

ride clubs

british cycling membership

cycling nation

adult members