CYCLIST Matthew Mildon remains on track to achieve his ultimate dream after moving a step closer to national selection.

The Weymouth star rode to victory at Ludgershall, near Andover, at the weekend in the first round of the Inter Regional Championships.

And with two more races to go, the 15-year-old is perfectly placed to secure a spot in this summer’s national series – the ideal platform for aspiring Olympians.

Mildon, who has not long made the switch from cycle speedway, said: “It was done on a track, because they don’t allow you to compete on the road when you’re under 16, and you do laps over one big route.

“Your gears are also restricted to try and stop people going over the handlebars but there were still quite a few crashes, including one guy who snapped his bike in half.

“There were also a lot of punctures. Being fairly new to the sport I didn’t really think about that so I didn’t have any equipment to deal with a puncture. Fortunately I got through without suffering a puncture.

“It’s one big race but you also get judged on different categories, such as your aggression in terms of attacking the group in order to get away from the rest of the riders, your bike handling skills, and obviously your finishing position.

“From there four riders are picked for the national team. We’ve got more events like this to go but they will be using different terrains and environments.

“I just need to see how I go. But it was good to win because there were some high-end national level riders, which gives you even more confidence for the future.”

Dad Martin added: “Matthew has always done cycle speedway, up until this year. In cycle speedway you have to travel quite far and on one weekend you could be in Manchester one day and Sheffield the next, which is too much.

“He has decided to move over to proper Cycling as it’s what he wants to do.

“He has done a few events already and is now hoping to be picked for the national schools team. They select the top four riders who they believe are capable of going all the way.

“Matthew has a lot of track experience through cycle speedway and he has also developed skills through mountain biking.

“At the weekend he was working with the team brilliantly. He was taking the lead and then dropping back a bit to make sure everyone stayed together.

“On the second from last lap I knew he was okay because he was looking around at everyone to see if anyone was going to make a break for it.

“You have got to position yourself just right on the last lap and he knew exactly what he was doing.”

The Wey Valley student’s achievement is all the more impressive given that he is largely self-taught.

Matthew said: “I do a bit of training down at Redlands and sometimes I train with my dad but the rest is done on my own. Motivation is the hardest part, especially in the winter, but apart from that it’s okay.

“It’s hard when you don’t have a coach but I just get on with it because in the summer there are lots of clubs that go out riding and you can go out with them and get some training in.”

The teenager though, is set to join a newly-formed club.

His father explained: “Matthew is currently unattached but Mud, Sweat n Gears have signed up to become British Cycling affiliated and they are setting up a new club, which Matthew plans to join.

“However, since he started at Wey Valley, his teachers Mark Salmon and Wayne Mortimer have been a big help.

“He’s always been good at cycling and what started him off was a previous holiday in Austria, where by coincidence the Giro d’Italia was taking place just outside our hotel. All the top riders were there and we were able to watch them – it was unbelievable.

“We then did a lot of cycling up the mountains and he really enjoyed it.

“He has to enjoy it, that’s the main thing. If success comes then great, but I just want to see him enjoy himself.”

Anyone else wishing to join Mud, Sweat n Gears’ new club, which will meet on Tuesday evenings from 6.30pm, should visit mudsweatngears.co.uk for more information.