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Search forRobin has Ride credentials in hunt for next generation of Olympians
Thursday, July 31, 2008, 07:30
Sharman is bringing his wide experience of bike racing to bear in his new job as a Go Ride coach – a scheme which sets out to be the first step on the road to glory for talented young riders.
And he is inviting cyclists aged between 10 and 16 to take part in a coaching camp at Shipley Park from August 11-15.
Those who sign up will be shown on and off-road skills by Sharman and veteran cyclist Don Flint, from the Heanor Clarion club.
Sharman, still a fearsome competitor himself in domestic road racing at 28, says the structure established by current British Cycling performance director Dave Brailsford, from Ilkeston, gives potential champions a better chance than they have ever had to find out how good they might be.
Could they follow in the footsteps of Britain's Tour de France multi-stage winner Mark Cavendish or world champion track racer Victoria Pendleton?
“This is where it all starts,” said Sharman of his coaching course.
“Go Ride is about getting involved and testing yourself. How do you know you're not the next Mark Cavendish or Vicky Pendleton?
“There is so much focus now on British Cycling development programmes at all levels and my job is to develop youngsters' skills and give them a taste of what bike racing is all about.
“It's all about accessing talent at an early age and pointing them in the right direction.
“While our cyclists are doing the business in Beijing, it's the Olympians after 2012 in London that might feature among the kids I'm coaching.
“I'm excited by that prospect. I've been doing this for four months and it's not like work.
“I love it to bits and it feels like a natural progression for me.”
Meanwhile, Sharman, from Holbrook, is continuing to race at a good level himself and warmed up for this weekend's East Yorkshire Classic Premier Calendar race by finishing second in the Duncan Murray Wines/AA Brown road race in Naseby, Northamptonshire, on Sunday.
After a three-hour race over 84 miles, he finished 17 seconds behind winner Mark Lovatt and pipped Liam Holland, from the Derby-based Pearl Izumi team, in a close sprint for second.
“When I got the Go Ride job, I thought they might ask me to stop racing,” said Sharman.
“But they want me to carry on and to be able to tell kids what it's like to have raced 130 miles the day before.
“I've been training hard in the past two weeks for the two Premier Calendar races which are coming up.”
Robin Sharman's Go Ride coaching course at Shipley Park costs £7.50 a day, with sessions from 10am-3pm, August 11-15. There is a free cycling jersey for riders taking part on all four days and bikes and helmets can be provided if needed. Call Sharman on 07534 281264 or email robsharman@britishcycling.org.uk.
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