A talented competitive mountain biker from Tavistock has been selected for a national cycling training programme.

Orla White, 15, who is a Dartmoor Velo cycling club U16 female rider, has been chosen to take part in the National School of Racing (NSR) programme series.

This has the potential to be a fast track to national selection for mountain bike cross-country racing because it is run by British Cycling.

Orla said: "I'm excited to be joining the NSR and to start working with the coaches and hope I can continue to develop as a rider and maybe get the chance to race for my country."

The NSR is the next step on British Cycling's talent development pathway (after regional schools of racing and before the NSR and will begin with an induction camp at Cannock Chase next month). Orla has already completed British Cycling’s cluster sessions at the development centres to qualify for the regional schools which she has completed and will undergo one year’s training with the NSR.

Orla, who goes to school at Tavistock College, is one of only four riders to be selected this year from across the country (two girls and two boys) – recognition of her commitment and progress over the last few years. She has been racing her mountain bike since the U8s when she joined Dartmoor Velo.

Orla won the South West cross-country mountain bike series in 2024, 2023 and 2022. She has won all regional mountain bike races she has entered in the last three years (16 races in total). In the National Cross-country mountain bike series, she came third in the last race of the 2024 series, having just moved up to a new age group. In 2023 she came second in every round of the national series.

The NSR will give her, as a young rider, a taste of the discipline, skill, speed and endurance levels required of them later.

A club spokesman said: “Congratulations to Orla and a huge thanks to all the coaches and ride leaders who have helped Orla get to this point and provided so much fun and enjoyment along the way. Orla becomes the fifth Dartmoor Velo rider to reach the NSR step of the pathway, following Ewan, Ollie, Leo, for mountain bike cross-country, and Connie, for road racing.”

The schools training programme focuses on identifying, supporting and developing young bike riders on and off the bike. Orla will be supported in the pool of bike riders who can transition into the Great Britain Cycling team programmes. 

She might be able to race for Team GB during the NSR year. After 12 months coaches decide if NSR riders will graduate to the Olympic Development Squad of the GB Cycling Team, preparing riders for world cups, world championships and the Commonwealth and Olympic Games.