Ribble Valley's Katie Lawson shines on Europe's biggest stage with two wins in youth Tour de France
A young cycling star who impressed crowds at this year’s Colne Grand Prix has gone on to claim two stage victories at one of Europe's most prestigious youth races.
Katie Lawson, 15, from Clayton-le-Dale, continued her outstanding season at the European Junior Cycling Tour in Assen, the Netherlands, widely regarded as the closest equivalent to the Tour de France for youth riders. Now in its 59th year, the five-day race attracts the continent's top young talent and is closely watched by professional teams, talent scouts and agents looking for the next generation of stars.
Katie, a pupil at Ribblesdale High School in Clitheroe, heads to the Netherlands on the back of another impressive display at Colne, where she lined up against some of Britain's best young cyclists.
The Ribble Valley teenager has already overcome significant adversity in her career. After battling back from a serious cycling crash that threatened to derail her progress, she returned to become a national champion once again. She first came to prominence after being selected for British Cycling's National School of Racing programme – the first step on the pathway towards Olympic development – before winning a national title at the London Velodrome as a first-year Under-14 rider.
In Assen, Katie underlined her growing reputation by winning two stages, finishing fourth on the demanding hilly stage with an uphill finish and placing fifth on the opening stage.
The first stage was won by her team-mate Carys Hughes, riding for Belgian team Avia, with Hughes going on to secure the overall title.
Katie looked set to join her on the overall podium after moving into second place in the general classification. However, disaster struck during the individual time trial when she was caught up in a crash before delays in mechanical support cost her valuable time, dropping her 43 places in the standings.
Despite the disappointment, Katie remained philosophical.
She said: “Yeah, I lost 43 places on one corner.”
Before the incident, she had been well placed to cement a top-three finish and even challenge for the overall title.
Although the overall prize slipped away, Katie's two stage victories and string of strong performances confirmed her status as one of Britain's brightest young cyclists in a race regarded as one of the most important stepping stones into professional racing.