Well done to Brooke Weston Academy student Jake Bird (Y10) who was selected by the British Cycling Club (central region) to compete in the recent Youth Tours of Scotland and the Isle of Man. Only four male riders from each region were selected for the Youth Tours, so it was a great achievement for Jake to be selected.

The Isle of Man Youth Tour is the most prestigious event for young cyclists in Britain, with two days of highly competitive stage racing on the Island's iconic roads - all fully closed to traffic.

Jake has been cycling since he was eight years old and is currently a member of the Beeston Cycling Academy Youth Squad where he trains for 10 hours a week. He also has access to opportunities with the British Cycling Regional School of Racing, which supports his training and development.

Jake said, ‘The Isle of Man was a two-stage event. Stage one was on a hilly course and stage two was quite flat. I came 33rd in the general classification out of 57 after the two stages. It was a great experience to ride on open roads that had been closed for the event rather than on circuits, which is more what I am used to for youth racing.’