NEW SPONSORS HELP KEY CYCLING EVENT

One of the country’s most important youth track cycling competitions is going ahead after it secured sponsorship from a national brand.

The British Cycling National Tandem Sprint Championship and Newcastle-under-Lyme round of the Northern Area Youth Omnium series, will be sponsored by 3-IN-ONE, the longest established brand in the UK’s lubricants market.

In previous years this meeting has seen the likes of gold medal winning Olympians Victoria Pendleton and Jason Kenny compete, and this year future British Olympians race could be in action.

The 2011 event, on Sunday 22nd May at the Lyme Valley stadium, will form part of the British Paralympian cyclists’ training programme for next year, with Beijing gold medallists, Barney Storey and Anthony Kappes racing.

It offers a great chance of local riders to follow in the tyre tracks of Newcastle-under-Lyme rider, Kian Emadi (18), who has been talent spotted in previous youth omnium races and is hoping to make the Olympic squad for the 2016 games in Brazil.

Event co-ordinator, Paul Barber, said: “3-IN-ONE’s sponsorship of this event means everything, as it allows us to put on a more professional meeting, including the hiring of photo finish timing equipment for race winners.

“It also enables us to divert funds into promoting and sustaining cycling to young people in Staffordshire and beyond.

“This is a key event for British Cycling staff to identify emerging talent for inclusion in the Olympics Talent Team programme and I’m sure we’ll see some fantastic races.”

3-IN-ONE is forging links with British youth cycling, having recently agreed to sponsor a team containing some of the sport’s brightest young talent, Velocity 3-IN-ONE CNP.

Amy Long, brand manager for lubricant specialists 3-IN-ONE, said: “We’re delighted to sponsor this event and look forward to seeing cycling stars of the future in action.

“We have a complete range of 3-IN-ONE solutions, so will be providing expert advice on keeping the cyclists’ equipment in tip-top condition throughout the day, with specific focus on our newly launched Bike Maintenance Spray.

“The company’s commitment to cycling is long-term as it represents an area where the brand has product expertise that cyclists can rely on.”

The meeting will include youth omnium races at under 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16 levels, with the two higher age groups split into girls and boys.

Paul concluded: “Cycling in this country is more popular than ever before and this is reflected in the number of youngsters attending the Newcastle track every week.”