Young cycle star Harry celebrates brilliant bronze medal at Youth Olympics in Argentina

Harry Birchill says that his victory in the final ‘Criterium’ circuit race ‘topped everything’ as he and Great Britain teammate Sean Flynn snatched the bronze medal in the Combined Cycling event at the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires.

With Birchill and Flynn, from Scotland, in fifth place going into the last of five events, the 17-year-old from Newton Abbot, knew he had to produce something special to haul the pair up onto the podium.

The closed-circuit finale was over 15 laps and Birchill of Kingsteignton’s Mid-Devon Cycling Club picked up important bonus points in an early intermediate sprint before launching a decisive late attack to forge clear.

His solo win lifted GB into third place, behind winners Kazakhstan and runners-up Luxembourg, and Birchill (second from right) said: “I knew I had to give it everything I had. My teammate Sean did his best to mess up any chase, and I went as hard and as long as I could. It worked, and the win topped everything.”

If the cycling had been an individual competition, Birchill would have won the gold medal. Over the five road and cross-country events, Birchill – he won the mountain bike section as well as the Criterium – finished with more points than any other rider, but he said: “Al- though it would have been nice to see what it was like individually, you did feel more part of a team.

“It brought me and Sean pretty close together working for each other. The whole Games was an awesome experience, especially being in the village with all the other athletes.

“I shared an apartment with boxers and rowers, and I made loads of new friends.

“It was something I’ll never forget.”

Birchill, last year’s national junior cross-country champion, has improved his road racing through 2018, and he said: “I knew it would give me a better chance of getting in the team.

“The Games was a tough programme over five days and everyone was starting to feel it by the end, but I think I got better as it went on.”

Birchill, whose younger brother Freddy is also a talented rider, was cheered on by parents Steve and Becci, who made the trip to Argentina.

Mum Becci said: “We’re definitely so glad that we went – it was the sort of thing you never want to miss, and we’re so proud of him.

And when we got back home, all our family had put out flags and ‘Well Done’ messages – it was great.”

Harry now plans to have a short rest before throwing himself into the UK cycle-cross season and, possibly, tackling some Junior World Cup races in Europe.