Riding for Success

 Finn Coll, in Year 10 at Allerton Grange School, took part in a cycling event with his club, Valley Striders, on Friday 4 May, which saw them ride from North Leeds to Ilkley to meet the Tour De Yorkshire.

Finn, who started cycling in primary school, developed a passion for the sport through his father who is also a keen cyclist and member of the same club. This year’s Tour De Yorkshire provided an unmissable opportunity to see the professionals in action when they reached the end of the Stage 2 race at the famous landmark, the Cow and Calf. Finn was interviewed by ITV News Calendar and shared his passion for cycling, as well as capturing the atmosphere surrounding the race.

On Sunday 6 May, Finn joined the 6,000 riders who took part in the Sportive event, which preceded the final stage of the tour taking place later that day, on the same roads as the official event, around Headingley and Otley. They finished in Leeds City centre where they waited to see the closing ceremony of the final stage of this year’s race.

Finn counts Mark Cavendish, a local hero from the same region, and Chris Froome as his road cycling idols and hopes to become a semi-professional cyclist in the future.

Mr Roper, Headteacher at Allerton Grange, said “We are extremely lucky to have the opportunity to see such a high profile sporting event on our doorstep. Our students are encouraged to adopt a healthy lifestyle and cycling is a wonderful sport to use to keep fit. Well done to Finn for taking part in these long rides celebrating the tour; he is an inspiration for others and we wish him well with his racing in the future.”