Matthew’s sights on two-wheeled glory

Matthew Walls with his cyclo-cross trophy.

CYCLING:

ROUGH terrain, track or on the road, it makes no difference to Matthew Walls.

The 11-year-old, from High Crompton, is a star in the making on two wheels.

Matthew clinched the under-12s North-West Cyclo-Cross Championship with a perfect record and is now hoping to achieve national success.

He won 11 of the 15 races in the Cyclo-Cross Championship. With the best 10 results to count in the final standings, he piled up a maximum of 1,000 points to finish clear of his nearest rival.

Races consisted of about 25 riders and were staged as far north as the Lake District down to Macclesfield.

With the winter season at an end, the Crompton House pupil is switching his attention to the track and road scene.

A member of Eastlands Velo, he is targeting a podium place in the under-12s National Track finals.

First he has to qualify, which means pitting his wits against other leading riders from the north in a series of races.

The top six will go through and pedal against the best from the midlands and south regions — 18 riders in total will take part — at the Manchester Velodrome in August.

Matthew is gearing for a busy summer as the under-12s National Road Championship is also in his sights.

Races, 10 altogether, take place all over the UK, with best eight results from each rider determining the overall champion.

It was by chance that Matthew got the cycling bug.

Dad, Larry, said: “He saw summer-holiday taster sessions advertised at the velodrome in Manchester at £1 a go and fancied it.

“I don’t cycle and no-one else does in the family. That was about three years ago and he hasn’t looked back.

“He probably prefers track and road to cyclo-cross, which he only competes in to keep fit in the winter months.”

If early career indicators are a guide, Matthew can look forward to carrying on Great Britain’s rich tradition in cycling.