Schoolchildren in Carmarthenshire have been getting on their bikes to take part in a series of cycling festivals ahead of the 2019 OVO Energy Women’s Tour this weekend.

Over 200 female young riders attended Carmarthenshire’s Go-Ride event to celebrate the Women’s Tour vising the county on Saturday.

The three-day event which was organised by the council’s Actif sports and leisure team introduces young riders to the world of cycle sport and provides a platform to improve bike handling skills. The event also coincides with National Bike Week.

The council’s executive board member for leisure, Cllr Peter Hughes-Griffiths said: “We decided to use this opportunity to host a female event and encourage more young females into cycling. We had planned on holding the event in the closed road circuit in Pembrey Country Park to give the female riders the opportunity to experience what’s it’s like on proper terrain but unfortunately due to the weather we had to hold it inside.”

On Saturday the county will welcome 100 of the world’s top professional cyclists, including world and Olympic champions, for the finishing leg of Britain’s leading professional cycle race. The 126km route starts in Carmarthen Park and finishes at Pembrey Country Park.

Carmarthenshire County Council leader, Cllr Emlyn Dole said: “It’s wonderful to see so many female riders taking park in this event. Hopefully it will encourage more females into the sport. Cycling is a great way to keep fit and healthy and also provides an opportunity to have fun and make friends.

Carmarthenshire has a host of first-class cycling facilities and together with activities such as Go Ride and high-profile events like the Women’s Tour, we are well on course to achieve our vision of making the county the Cycling Hub of Wales.”

According to British Cycling, Go-Ride provides the first step onto the Performance Pathway - over 60% of riders on the Great Britain Cycling Team started out at Go-Ride Clubs.