A TALENTED teenage athlete is on the road to cycling success after being selected for an elite British cycling team.

The selection means that Ripon Grammar School student and triathlete Abi Smith is among the top eight junior cyclists in Great Britain.

The 16-year-old, from Helmsley, will now be competing in a series of prestigious international races while committing to a tough schedule of around 100-days a year training.

Abi, who joined RGS sixth form as a boarder in September, said she was thrilled to receive the call from the British Cycling Junior Academy: She said: “It’s very exciting but nerve-wracking too, knowing I’ll be training with the best in the UK.”

As part of her selection, Abi had to compete against 60 other riders in a national series of 30km races over three days in the North West Youth Tour and again in the London Youth Tour.

She came a close second overall, just ten seconds behind the winner. Although the elite team is based at the Derby Velodrome, Abi will do most of her training in North Yorkshire.