TWELVE-year-old, Alloway schoolboy, Ollie Kelly made the long trip with his father to compete in the Icebreaker Track Meeting at Newport, Gwent at the weekend.

Up against the top British youth track riders, Ollie competed in the three races which make up the Omnium event.

In the Scratch race he took fourth and in the Points another fourth place, but in the Elimination Race Ollie finished 3rd. He missed out taking the third podium place by just one point.

Young Ollie was still delighted with his result, knowing that he can mix it with the best youth riders in the country. He has become quite a tactician on the boards and further successes are likely to follow, both in Scotland and on the UK scene. Ollie and his father Robert are both members of Ayr Roads/Harry Fairbairn Cycling Club, although Ollie competes for his main club Johnstone Jets, the youth section of Johnstone Wheelers, which has the finest youth set up in the West of Scotland. He is a regular attender at club runs during the off season.

Meanwhile, the Roads club fielded two riders in the Cyclo Cross event at the Chatelherault Country Park, Hamilton, promoted by the Royal Albert Cycling Club. In their last race of the season, Fraser Tait took sixth in his category and Alex McAllister took 10th place.

Both finished in the top 10 over the season's events.

Last week saw the midweek group head north by way of Beith and Neilston, returning homewards by the fine A77 cycle path and managing to record a nice winter run of 60 miles.