Cycling: Swift aims to turn professional

The 20-year-old - cousin of Team Sky’s Ben Swift - has impressed in the colours of Envelopemaster Giant Sheffield Elite.

But he hopes 2016 will be the year he makes the step up from semi-pro to pro.

“I want to get some strong racing wins behind me over the next few months so that I am in the best possible position to get onto a professional team and cycle with the best in the world which would be a dream come true,” said Swift, from Moorends.

“Cycling is on the rise within Yorkshire and particularly within Doncaster.

“Having great races such as the Doncaster Crit and the Tour De Yorkshire passing through the town this year will give the sport a real boost in this area.”

Swift, a former Yorkshire junior champion, finished fourth in last year’s Tickhill GP and fifth in the Doncaster Town Centre road race.

To aid his development, he has been accepted onto Doncaster Culture and Leisure Trust’s (DCLT) Talented Athlete Support Scheme (TASS), enabling him to use DCLT’s facilities for free.

Swift said: “2015 was my first season of elite competition, which was a fantastic achievement for me. I am really proud to be from Doncaster and I really don’t think I would be where I am without the support of organisations like DCLT.

“I regularly use Thorne Leisure Centre, as it is just down the road from where I live.

“TASS is a great scheme to help local athletes with their progression.”