A team GB cyclist has spoken of how she is looking forward to visiting her old school in the summer when she tackles the Tour De Yorkshire.
Fresh from being crowned the best young rider in Benidorm at the 2018 Setmana Ciclista Valenciana women’s cycle stage race, Abby-Mae Parkinson said she couldn’t wait to catch up with some of her former teachers at Bradford Grammar School ahead of taking part in the popular Yorkshire race.
Abby-Mae said: “I love that everyone at BGS was, and still is, interested in what I’m up to. I always get tweets from staff supporting me and I learnt from a very young age at the school the importance of teamwork. The school is renowned for its sporting excellence and in developing world-class athletes and teamwork is a fundamental part of that.
“I’m really looking forward to the Tour De Yorkshire. I have a great calendar of races coming up including a strong classics season and I’m aiming to get stuck into some stage races later in the year. Hopefully I’ll get the chance to lead the team.”
Of her recent best young rider crown, she said: “I’m just over the moon. I’m really happy and can’t quite believe it. I would not have been able to do it without the support of the other girls because the climbs were so tough.
Abby-Mae studied for A Levels in geography, biology and PE, the latter of which they put on just for her.
Added Abby-Mae: “As I was interested in physiotherapy, Mr Wilde and Mr Galley would support me to find universities which had good physiotherapy courses, but of course my passion was always cycling.”
BGS Headmaster, Simon Hinchliffe ,said: “We’re all delighted for Abby-Mae. We cater for boys and girls of all abilities in a wide variety of sports, and the experiences gained build character, camaraderie and school spirit. Abby-Mae embodies all of these qualities. Naturally, we’re very proud of her.”
Some of Abby-Mae’s biggest achievements include riding the Giro Rosa — the biggest stage race for women — where she finished just outside the top 10 in the U23 category. She also rode in the women’s road race at the 2016 UCI Road World Championships, finishing in 79th place; completed the Worlds and the Europeans as a junior, and won national champion.
“I love that everyone at BGS was, and still is, interested in what I’m up to. I always get tweets from staff supporting me and I learnt from a very young age at the school the importance of teamwork.
The School is renowned for its sporting excellence and in developing world-class athletes and teamwork is a fundamental part of that.”
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