Aelwen Davies is about to move onto her next chapter in her pursuit of following her dreams of becoming a professional cyclist.

The 16 year old from Builth Wells has long been recognised as one of the top emerging cycling talents in Wales.

Aelwen started cycle racing at the age of eight with The Bulls CC in Builth and has never looked back.

The sporty teenager is a former triathlete and also tried her hand at gymnastics and swimming before embracing the life of a competitive cyclist with the support of her parents.

She is currently a 4-time British, and 13-time Welsh Cycling champion across four different cycle sports - track, road, mountain bike and cyclo-cross.

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The Ysgol Calon Cymru student is currently sitting her GCSE exams and then hopes to join South Gloucestershire College in Bristol where she will study a BTEC Level 3 in Sports Coaching and Cycling Performance with Cycling Academy.

Aelwen has enjoyed another stellar season with hopes high for another clutch of medals with races looming in the UK and Europe.

Her successes include taking a third place at Gent-Wevelgem a road race in Belgium against the best cyclists in Europe, and winning rounds of the National Mountain Bike XCO, and Track Omnium series.

She said: “I am focusing mostly on the National Mountain Bike Championships in July, but before that I have also got another big MTB race in Belgium at the Three Nations Cup in June. 

County Times:

“I raced in Holland at that series back in March and finished 6th in the race, so I would like to improve on that result. Thereafter I will be switching bikes and getting ready for the Cyclo-Cross season.”

Cyclocross is a type of off-road bike racing that takes place during the wet and muddy autumn and winter months. Riders race around a lap, with obstacles and slopes to tackle.

The Cyclo-cross National Championships are a once a year event where the UK’s best riders converge for a ‘winner takes all’ race. Whoever wins on the day gets to wear the National Champions jersey for the rest of the cyclo-cross season.

Aelwen is a member of the Great Britian and Welsh Cycling academy programmes, and currently rides off-road for the Llansantffraid based, ‘Torq Performance MTB Team’, and on-road for ‘Velo Myrddin CC’ based in Carmarthenshire.

In the new year, Aelwen will join the junior female team ‘Shibdon Hope Apex RT’ based in Yorkshire for road racing.

Locally known as ‘Shibby’ they are currently ranked number one in world, so she will be joining a team who will help take her onto that next level in her cycling career as she strives for a place in history.