MALVERN has a European Youth Olympic champion to celebrate after Max Hinds stormed the rest of the field to win gold in the cycling road race in Maribor, Slovenia at the weekend.
Following on from the success of Evie Richards and Hattie Harnden at the British National Championships, Malvern now has another cycling talent to add to the growing list after 16-year-old Hinds' latest success at the European Youth Olympics.
Hinds, who has recently completed his GCSE's at Dyson Perrins C of E Academy in Malvern, beat Italy's Alessio Maganotti by 32 seconds to win the gold medal with a time of 1 hour and 32 minutes (50 seconds). Austria's Heimo Jiayang Fugger took the bronze.
It was a moment enjoyed not just by Max, but his mum and dad too, who were both near the finish line where he crossed to become champion.
"Mum and dad were there. I could see they were just a big before the finish line where everyone else had gathered," he said. "You could see how happy they were when they knew I was about to win so that was a great moment."
Hinds had opened up a two-minute gap on the chasing pack at one stage in the race but that soon dropped down to just a matter of seconds before the final climb of the race.
And that is where Hinds re-established the healthy advnantage, and there was no looking back.
"The gap was quite big at one point but it came down quite a bit so i did think I had lost it," he added.
"But when I approached the final climb I got it back to about 45 seconds and at that point I knew I had done it.
"It was an incredible feeling when I crossed the line. A little bit of shock as well that I had won it, I wasn't expected to win it but it was an unbelievable feeling.
"Just to be racing for Team GB was amazing, let alone to go out and get a result for them as well.
"The whole Olympic experience was so surreal. Off and on the bike, the whole experience was amazing to be a part of and it certainly made me more hungry to be an Olympian, that's the dream."
But Hinds appreciated he couldn't have done it without the support of his famiy, his dad in particular, as it was he that got Max into riding in the first place.
"I got into cycling cause dad took me out for a ride cause as it was good for exercise," he added.
"Then I wanted to go on the roads and I just kept going and started to love it more and more so I owe a lot to my dad."
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