Cycling: Lucy joins British best

Nov 20 2008 by Dave Bettley, Runcorn and Widnes Weekly News

LUCY Martin has beaten the odds to become a full-time member of the British Cycling team with a place on the Olympic Academy programme.

Her determination to keep her career on track, after the setback of missing one of the key stepping stones to the top, has already begun to pay off.

Martin has just followed up the National Junior Road Race title she won earlier this year with a silver medal in a World Cup points race on the track at Manchester Velodrome.

These results mean the versatile 18-year-old isn’t yet sure which discipline she likes more.

“The points race is definitely an event on the track I would like to specialise in,” said Martin. “I am still undecided on whether I prefer the road or track yet.”

But London 2012 remains the long-term destination for the graduate of British Cycling’s Talent Team who has had to do things the hard way..

She explained: “Talent team is only up to U16 category so it’s basic with limited sponsorship and just basically teaches riders what it takes to be a bike rider.

“The next step is the Olympic development programme where fewer riders are selected.

“After testing and from results, unfortunately I didn’t make it on to this programme.

“So it has been a massive struggle and battle to improve to the standard of these riders who get full equipment, bikes, kit, casual clothing, training camps, coaching and grant money which I didn’t.

“Luckily, I had a huge amount of support from Halton Youth Bank which funded me and thankfully, this has enabled me to continue my cycling and progress to being able to regularly beat many of these riders – for example, by winning the national road race.

“I am really grateful for the youth bank funding as, without this, it would have been extremely difficult to progress to a standard of being selected for the Olympic Academy Programme.”

At the end of August this year, Martin was also one of four talented young Halton sports people who were inaugural recipients of a Sporting Excellent Grant from Halton Borough Council.

Now, she has left home in Widnes to move in with her other ‘family’ in British Cycling accommodation in Manchester.

“It is basically to bring everyone together to train and also be near the velodrome, all doing the same professional things with close access to physiotherapy etc,” explained Martin.

“So far, it’s great. The accommodation and set-up seems really good.

“Everyone is just trying to get settled in and find their feet with it being all new for some of us.”