Lancashire's crucial role in Britain's cycling success (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Lancashire's crucial role in Britain's cycling success

9:03pm Friday 3rd August 2012 in Opinion By Bob Hart, Web editor

2012 is officially the best year ever to be a British cycling fan (or cyclist for that matter).

Tour de France win, plus Olympic gold in the individual time trial, men's team sprint, men's team pursuit, and women's keirin (with hopefully more to come), as well as the promise of a good showing in the Vuelta a España later in the season - an amazing set of results for British cyclists.

That success is down to some exceptional athletes, two of whom - Bradley Wiggins and Steven Burke - are from Lancashire.

But it's also down to the brilliance of their support teams within British Cycling (whose president, Brian Cookson, is also from Lancashire).

They've made Britain the world leader in the sport by bringing a new level of care and attention to equipment and training that has taken cycling to another level.

And all this success can only mean the sport will become even more popular in the UK in the years to come.

There are bound to be some grumpy souls who won't want 'our' sport to become too popular.

But as far as I'm concerned there's room for everyone.

Let's hope that at some future Olympic games more Lancastrians, inspired by the exploits of riders like Wiggins and Burke and the ambition of people like Brian Cookson, stand on the podium to collect gold medals.