A BUDDING cyclist from Chard has scooped a national championship title in his quest to be an Olympian.

Will Tidball, who is from Exmouth but who cycles with the 1st Chard Wheelers, finished in first place at the British Cycling Junior & Youth A National Track Championships held in Derby at the start of August.

It was an impressive result for Will, after a long and tough competition, which was held over four days.

Will and Rowan Ellis represented the Chard Wheelers against some of the top teams in the country at the championships.

The final was the last race in a full-on day, featuring a tough morning of qualification races, which saw Rowan only just miss out on the final.

By the closing stages, after a full programme of pursuits the day before, the Chard rider’s willpower kept him in contention.

He and two other riders lapped the field, and he managed to hold his closest competitor off, Theo Modell from London, to scoop first place.

Brandon Ellis, 1st Chard Wheelers’ chairman and coach, said: “We are all very proud of Will’s achievements. This latest win, cements his position as one of the brightest new stars in British cycling, having only changed disciplines from cycle speedway in the last 18 months.”

It was Brandon, who spotted Will at local races and suggested he try road and track cycling more seriously as he looked like a major talent.

Will, as British National Points Race Champion, is now entitled to wear the famous white jersey.

It is the latest in long line of successes for him, who has to make four hour round trips to Newport to train, and he is now heading off to a national squad to help him in his bid to represent Team GB at the Olympics.

Mr Ellis added: “It is now expected that Will will join the Junior National Olympics squad next year, a group which has delivered multiple past Olympic champions like Bradley Wiggins, Laura Trott and Chris Hoy.”