Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Martin never happier than when he’s riding
Cycling
Dan Martin is setting his sights on continued success on two wheels after winning the time trial event at the inaugural Tour of Cambridgeshire in Peterborough earlier this month.
It was the first time that a UCI-style time trialling event has been hosted in the United Kingdom, with 820 competitors racing through closed roads.
The Simon Langton Girls School sixth former won the 16-18 age group category by 27 seconds with his time of 41.37 around the 16.8 mile course.
And now the 16-year-old is looking to the future with hopes of continuing his cycling career.
Martin, who is hoping to study sports science at either Loughborough or Bath, said: “I have been competing since 2007, however, my racing became far more serious last season.
“I don’t really have any major aspirations, I just enjoy what I’m doing at the moment but the National University Championships will be the next step.”
Cycling is evidently a passion of Martin’s and the teenager stopped playing rugby for Canterbury at the end of last season to focus more clearly on racing.
He isn’t the first member of his family to have success on a bike, with his dad, Lawrence, also competing for Thanet Road Club.
Martin added: “I’ve been cycling for as long as I can remember as both sides of my family have been into cycling.
“My dad has been county and regional men’s champion, so they have always been keen for me to cycle.”
The Thanet RC member is evidently at ease when on the saddle, although he is also eager to immerse himself in the sport in any way possible.
The Canterbury youngster said: “The thing I enjoy most about cycling would just be riding a bike out but also the sense of victory after hacking my guts out round a course.
“I don’t do much outside of school that isn’t cycling related and when I’m not competing, I help out with the club committee and help out at events.”
Martin certainly appears driven enough to taste further success in his road racing career.
Thanet RC members Simon Henderson and Rick Perkins also competed in Peterborough, where they secured qualification for the World Amateur Men’s Time Trial Championships.
Henderson and Perkins recorded times of 40.01 and 40.51 respectively to book their places for the event that will be hosted in Denmark in September.
Fellow club member Rob Milnes suffered a puncture three miles from the finish line but still managed to finish in 42.24.