A WELLINGTON School student has beaten off stiff competition from across the UK to win a coveted cycling track competition.

Evan Richards, in Year 9, competed against 200 young riders from across the UK when he raced at the Wales National Velodrome, Newport, in the third and final round of the Icebreaker Series. After five events, Evan took the overall win in the Under 14 category.

Evan is no stranger to cycling success, having won a range of track and cyclo-cross events across the UK.

The ever popular Icebreaker Series, now in its 7th year, comprises three rounds of endurance based Omniums for young riders. Riders can enter single rounds but need to compete in all three rounds to be eligible for the overall series title. Each round includes scratch, elimination and points races for each category.

Overall leaders jerseys are awarded at the end of each round. Medals are awarded after each round with overall trophies awarded at the final round.

Icebreakers are an ideal opportunity for experienced youth riders to brush off the cobwebs and test themselves against the best in the UK. Equally it is an opportunity for those riders relatively new to track racing to test their fitness in early season.