Youth track program fostering the next generation of cycling stars
During the Christmas break, the Forest City Velodrome (FCV) and the Ontario Cycling Association (OCA) hosted two events for aspiring youth racers. The Ontario Rising Star Development Academy began in December as a pilot program designed to support aspiring young racers who have both the potential and ambition to pursue Olympic competition. The program hopes to use track cycling as a means to build world-class riders as Great Britain and Australia have done.
The two Christmas events were primarily an introduction for non-track cyclists. Identifying talent on the track is not the sole motive of the program: it is also meant to promote the benefits of structured track riding as means for training for all cycling disciplines.
After the two events, organizers have selected 40 athletes to join a two-month winter training program. The primary target of the training will be the Forest City Youth championships on Feb. 22.
More information can be found at the Forest City Velodrome.
Rising Stars Camp #1 here at the @ForestCity_Velo. Great group! #tommorrowsstars #devo @ontariocycling pic.twitter.com/H19p1CrTmO
— Ontario Cycling (@ontariocycling) November 29, 2013
