EMERGING cycling star Tomos Owens ended 2011 in fine style by retaining two titles to help boost his confidence coming into 2012.
The Llanymynech rider, who recently turned 13, won both the Under 14s Welsh cyclo-cross and the Under 12s track championships late in the year.
And the young cyclist, who now rides for the Brooks Cycle team in Welshpool, revealed he has been training hard through the winter to continue his fine form when competition begins again later this month.
“I had a really good end to the year,” said Tomos.
“I won both events within a week of each other, but the conditions were very different.
“The cyclo-cross was held in Brecon in bad weather and it was very muddy.
“It began to rain towards the end of the race, but the track championships were held at the Newport velodrome in South Wales,” he added.
Tomos ended his association with the Mid Shropshire Wheelers to ride for Brooks Cycles last year to help him gain further recognition in Wales for his efforts, having gained Welsh titles and swept all before him at previous events.
“With Brooks Cycles being based in Wales it makes things slightly easier for me as a Welsh rider, and I am enjoying the move,” he admitted.
Tomos now has his sights set on qualifying for the Welsh team in his age group and also wants to gain enough points to qualify to race against the under 16s, which he hopes will provide him with valuable long-term experience.
He revealed he is also bidding for success in Blackpool’s North West Tour this year, but says he will put his winter training to the test when he gets back into the competitive saddle at the end of the month.
“I am definitely looking forward to getting back into competition," he added.