New lead coach for GB paracycling team

Assistant national sprint coach Jon Norfolk has been appointed lead coach for the Great Britain Paracycling team, British Cycling confirmed this week. 

Norfolk was himself a former sprinter and represented Great Britain at World Cup level before joining the paracycling team as a tandem sprint pilot in 2005. He will take up his new role in June.

"I'm really pleased to welcome Jon on board," said paracycling team performance manager Gareth Sheppard. "He has a great track record of developing young athletes and these skills will transfer across to the lead coach role.

"His coaching knowledge combined with his experience as an elite athlete makes him a great asset to the team as we head into Rio."

Sarah Storey wins gold at London 2012

RIP Ken Joy

Four time BBAR winner Ken Joy passed away at the end of April, Cycling Weekly has been informed. 

Consecutive winner of the BBAR competition over 25, 50, 100 miles and 12 hours between 1949 and 1952, Joy was the first man to break the 23mph barrier. He also won the team competition as part of a Medway Wheelers team for five consecutive years between 1948 and 1952.

The records and titles don't stop there. Joy also counted multiple individual and team titles over 50 and 100 miles in his career. 

Joy's funeral will be held in Brighton on May 10. For tributes to Joy read next week's Cycling Weekly, out on May 16.

New superhighway for West Yorkshire

A brand new cycle superhighway

could soon be coming to West Yorkshire thanks to a bid for central

government funding from Leeds City Council and public transport company

West Yorkshire Metro.

The Highway to Health, a 23km superhighway

linking East Bradford with East Leeds, would link the two city centres

and would be supplemented with the introduction of surrounding 20mph

zones to encourage cycling. 

The bid would also include funding

for a new organisation aimed at working with the less affluent and more

vulnerable communities to encourage their residents to enjoy the health

benefits of cycling and walking.

"Highway to Health is an exciting

and ambitious bid and an huge opportunity to transform levels of

cycling through investment in safe, segregated, safe cycle lanes, secure

cycle parking and activities to encourage cycling and walking," said

Metro Chairman Cllr James Lewis.

Read more about cycling

initiatives in this week's Cycling Weekly, where we visit the nation's

first cycle hub, installed outside Leeds station.

RIP John Arnold

Long distance tricyclist from Middleton CC John Arnold has passed away aged 84, Cycling Weekly has learned.

Arnold on the way to John O'Groats with Albert Crimes

Arnold held six competition records during his career and in 1953 won the Bidlake Memorial Prize in recognition of his feat of riding 457 miles on a tricycle over 24 hours. He was also the first tricyclist to break 20mph on a long distance record when he rode Liverpool to London record in nine hours 50 minutes.

In 1954 he broke four RRA records in one ride with Albert Crimes, with the pair taking the 12 hour, 24 hour, Lands End to John O'Groats and 1000 mile record on a tandem trike.

Related links

GB junior success continues at the Junior Peace Race

Lucy Garner takes first professional win at the Tour of Chongming Island