Olympic heroine Katy leads from front as home city gets on its bike
AN OLYMPIC medal-winning cyclist from West Yorkshire put pedal power into action in her home city in a bid to encourage people of all ages to get involved with the sport.
Katy Marchant was at the Let’s Ride event, held by British Cycling and sponsors HSBC, yesterday which saw thousands of cycling enthusiasts from preschoolers to pensioners take on a six kilometre route around Leeds city centre.
The 2016 bronze medal winner in the sprint, a heptathlete before she took to cycling, also did a lap of the course herself.
She said: “It is a family day out but a couple of people here might be on the British team in 20 years time.
“I knew nothing about cycling until I was 20 but it is so much better now. There are so many more people that know about it and better facilities, and the Brownlees have played a massive part in that. Cycling has gone mad and hopefully we can get even two or three people from here to think ‘I want that to be me’.”
The 25-year-old, from Barwick-in-Elmet, said that even for non-competitive cyclists the city’s infrastructure was being improved to encourage a healthier lifestyle and greener commute.
She added: “There are cycle lanes being built across the city trying to turn it into a more bikefriendly place to be.”
And just for yesterday, parts of the city were made friendlier as roads were closed to vehicles to allow cyclists to navigate the route from Millennium Square, to the Headrow and past the First Direct Arena, Woodhouse Moor and back to the city centre via the university and Willow Terrace Road.
The event was well supported by the city’s cycling fans including David and Ali Hornsby, from Cookridge, who were joined by 17-month-old daughter Eleanor in a specially adapted bike seat.
“We’re keen cyclists and wanted to introduce her early. We are really into the health benefits but also wanted to support this event,” said Mr Hornsby.