News: Lewis Oliva to join Team SWI Welsh Cycling in Glasgow

Following the success of Team SWI Welsh Cycling at round one of the UCI Track World Cup in Cali, Colombia, they are pleased to announce that GB Academy Programme rider Lewis Oliva will join the team for round two in Glasgow.

Lewis Oliva, 20, is based in Manchester as part of the Academy Sprint Programme, but is originally from Devauden, Monmouthshire. Being part of Team SWI Welsh Cycling will aid Oliva on his quest to be part of Team Wales in Glasgow 2014.

His recent success at the British National Track Championships bodes well for a winter with Team SWI Welsh Cycling. He finished second in the Men’s Sprint, fourth in the Keirin final and was part of the winning trio in the Team Sprint alongside Dave Daniell and Pete Mitchell.

Oliva will compete at the UCI Track World Cup in Glasgow in November in the Men’s Sprint and Keirin events. He will also compete for Great Britain at this weekend at his first European Track Championships in Panevėžys, Lithuania.

“As a sprinter we don’t race very much throughout the year. You always find the riders that get given opportunity early on tend to come back with those experiences and raise their game. They come back, work harder and make the necessary changes to get to the top.”

Lewis Oliva is looking forward to competing for Team SWI Welsh Cycling through the winter, under Head Coach Darren Tudor. “Darren Tudor has a got a great set up in Wales. Team SWI Welsh Cycling is great preparation for the 2014 Commonwealth Games, which is essentially the next big target for me and Wales.”

Welsh Cycling Performance Director Matt Cosgrove is pleased with the new addition to Team SWI Welsh Cycling, “Lewis Oliva is a great addition to Team SWI Welsh Cycling. He is a promising young Welsh rider and has had good results at the recent British National Track Championships. Selection for Great Britain for the upcoming European Track Championships is a great start to the 2012/13 track season for Lewis, and this winter will provide a good opportunity to gain more experience at the highest level.”