Cycling: Hounsell wins keirin gold at national championships

Manx rider scoops major title in Manchester

Isle of Man cyclist Cameron Hounsell has taken a gold medal at this year's National Youth & Junior Track Championships in the UK.

The Team RL360 Isle of Man rider took top spot in the open youth keirin race at the National Cycling Centre in Manchester.

In a hotly-contested event, Hounsell claimed the national title ahead of ESV Manchester rider, George Harold who secured silver and Welwyn Wheelers CC competitor, Elijah Storti who completed the podium in third.

Speaking to British Cycling after the race, Hounsell said: “It feels pretty good coming across the water, it means a lot to take the jersey home. 

"It was really hard, I was just trying to pick up the pace going into the first few laps and just adapt to what other people were doing and before I thought about anything, people came over the top and I saw a gap to get out so I knew I had to go and carry on from there. 

"It was probably one of the hardest races I have ever done."

The championships - which are running from Monday to Friday this week (28 July-1 August) - are featuring some of the best young cycling talents across Britain with competitors up to the age of 16 vying for domestic success and those up to 18 battling it out for the junior national crowns.