AMY Gornall hopes to use the Tour de Yorkshire this weekend as a springboard back into the big time.

The Barnoldswick rider rode for Podium Ambition last season at UCI Professional level but after that squad folded over the winter Gornall has had to drop down a level for 2017.

She is riding with Secret Training but will compete over the Pennines in the colours of her sister’s NCC Group-Kuota-Torelli squad.

And the 20-year-old is looking forward to mixing it with the likes of Lizzie Deignan in Saturday’s 122.5km race from Tadcaster to Harrogate.

“I am looking forward to it and it will be a real challenge as I am still building up my race speed,” Gornall told the Lancashire Telegraph.

“I had a hamstring injury last season which hampered my year quite a lot but I have got that sorted over the winter and I now feel stronger than ever but I am just missing that race sharpness which I am hoping will come with more races.

“I have only ridden three road races and a time trial this season so I am a couple of months behind where I would like to be.”

The opportunity to ride this weekend is as a result of NCC Group-Kuota-Torelli having several first year juniors in their ranks, including Amy’s younger sister Rhiannon, who are not allowed to race in UCI races, allowing Gornall senior to be drafted in.

And she hopes the chance to compete in one of the standout events of the women’s calendar can help her secure a contract at a UCI Professional squad next season.

“It might be one step back to take two steps forward this season,” admits Gornall.

“We knew that Podium Ambition might fold but they didn’t actually tell us until November which was quite late.

“But I had already started making other plans and I had a couple of interviews with UCI teams but they said that because of the injury I had last season I was too much of a risk.

“It is frustrating because I have been at that level and that is where I want to get back to but I will keep working hard this year and I definitely feel stronger and fitter. The injury has worked for me because it has meant I have been doing a lot of work in the gym and on my strength which I might not have done otherwise.”

Following the Tour de Yorkshire, Gornall is set to ride the Lincoln GP next month before competing in two races in France as she starts her summer schedule.