Tamworth 16-year-old Sam Spokes showed plenty of grit during last weekend’s State Under 19 Road Racing Championships at Murwillumbah. Spokes was second in one 70km Under 17 national road race and won the second.

He and Real Aussie Kids teammate, Lachlan Morton, quinellaed the two races as they prepare for another major overseas tour with their Real Aussie Kids team.

Real Aussie Kids (RAK) was created to harness and develop the skills of young cyclists in order to breed future world champions. Set up in 2003, RAK gives talented junior cyclists access to professional training and elite racing at a state, national and international level.

Cyclists are provided with coaching advice, training camps, assistance with bikes and equipment, team uniforms, various information and skills seminars and assistance with travel expenses. The centre point of the program calendar is the annual six-week overseas training camp, traditionally based in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, USA, about June each year.

Sarah Kent (18) started cycling at only 13 years old when her love for athletics led her to discover a real passion and talent for cycling. After only one year of cycling, Sarah won gold in the Junior U15 Road Race at the National Road Championships and has since excelled in many other events, including silver in the Junior U19 World Championships Individual Pursuit in Mexico last year.

“Hopefully we can repeat last year’s success this year,” she said.

“We are all really grateful to be given this opportunity, to be in a team with so many talented and determined athletes and to have the professional advice and access to the tools to excel at our sport. It really is just such an awesome program. It allows us to focus on becoming the best professional cyclist we can be and hopefully collect some good results along the way.”

Sam Spokes is heading to the US for a third RAK tour next month. It’s been an outstanding development tool for him and he will grow again on the up-coming seven week tour.

Before he goes though, he will race in the Goulburn Two Day Tour with Tamworth’s Lizzie and Alex Nicholls (May 24/25) and then race the Tamworth Junior Two Day Tour in early June before flying out with his RAK team on June 10.