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Geraint Thomas on Alpe d'Huez video still.JPGUnprecedented interest since Geraint Thomas’s Tour de France success but Welsh cycling needs more investment
Geraint Thomas’s former club Maindy Flyers is the biggest it’s ever been and Welsh Cycling has reported a six per cent rise in membership from 2017 to 2018, but investment is needed to capitalise on this interest, according to the latter’s chief executive.
In the wake of his Tour de France win, Thomas is proving so popular in Wales that there’s a four to five month lead time if you want a Grogg of him.
His success seems to have increased interest in cycling too. Maindy Flyers – his former youth club in Cardiff – told the BBC that interest levels among youngsters has been "unprecedented".
Geraint Thomas made an OBE in New Year Honours
Welsh Cycling has seen a surge in membership too, including an increase of 11 per cent among under-18s and 12 per cent among women compared to last year.
The organisation’s chief executive, Anne Adams-King, said Thomas had "raised the profile of cycling politically" and called for greater investment to support the swell of interest.
"More can be done around infrastructure and facilities to provide opportunities for commuting, recreational, coaching and events," she said.
Adams-King would like to see an outdoor velodrome similar to the ones Carmarthen or Maindy in north Wales, alongside closed road circuits in south east Wales, mid Wales and north west Wales, plus BMX facilities across the country.
"We still need facilities to coach and support people to build their confidence and competence to keep them safe and to provide opportunities to excel."
What a Year! Thank you to everyone who has supported Welsh Cycling this year, our sponsors, riders, volunteers, Commissaires, Marshalls, Clubs and all the kids (and their parents!).
So many achievements in 2018 and so many plans in place! Here's to a great 2019! pic.twitter.com/4Mgq439q2w— Welsh Cycling (@WelshCycling) December 31, 2018
Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.
Latest Comments
- slc 1 sec ago
There are tens of thousands of students attending university in every major UK city. Not all of them are young, many have to balance work, family,...
- stonojnr 9 min 11 sec ago
crazy that his own brief describes it as "his long suffering partner" also how come the two blokes he collected from the snooker club to assist in...
- stonojnr 17 min 19 sec ago
but in cases where you report other cyclists close passes, you literally are the witness to it, not the victim ?...
- S.E. 20 min 37 sec ago
1. It's obviously more aerodynamic, even a small backpack or hydration pack can help, there are studies about this....
- stonojnr 25 min 27 sec ago
theres an attitude I encounter alot locally, and demonstrated in bucket loads by drivers on my commute home tonight, that cyclists shouldnt be on...
- Keesvant 1 hour 44 min ago
If the chains snap that is lack of build quality or material.....
- Hirsute 2 hours 40 min ago
"Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good."
- Jaijai 3 hours 5 min ago
His life was only worth shy of 7 years ,that's too lenient in every book .Let alone drugged up and leaving him to die
- webbierwrex 3 hours 10 min ago
I came here to basically write the same thing, the floating bus stop near me has a very narrow cycling lane between a very narrow pavement and a...
- AS52 3 hours 33 min ago
It wasn't an official consultation meeting - see my comment above.
Add new comment
3 comments
Totally agree with previous comments. In Wrexham the attitude is a slap of paint on tarmac = infrastructure. We have some cycle lanes as long as five metres and some only 150 mm wider than the drain grids, all useless and sending an incorrect message to drivers, cyclists need no space at all.
Hardly a Welsh issue though to be fair happens across most of the country.
But it's only Wales which has the Active Travel Act. The rest of the UK has the "crystal clear" guidance from the DfT, which is as clear as mud and is totally ignored anyway.
While sport cycling is good, what we really need is a modal switch from driving to utility cycling, which this article barely mentions. Wales has the Active Travel Act, which should ensure that in every decision about transport, walking and cycling come first, but I know from my Welsh contacts that this isn't happening and local authorities are not implementing this act.
We have the NICE report advocating consideration of cyclists and pedestrians in all transport schemes, but the UK government, national and local, and the DfT tells us that this already happens; quite how they keep a straight face when they say it is beyond me. Perhaps we could award Oscars for the best hypocrite actors, a certain transport minister immediately springs to mind.