Teen cyclist wins on Commonwealth track

TACKLING the tough trails, teen rider Hayley Oakes athlete leads the National Mountainbike Series.

CHAMPION RIDER: At just 13 years, Hayley Oakes took out the National MTB series U15 event at Nerang in Queensland, beating some of the times in the women's U17 event. Picture: Alison Paterson

SPEEDING around, up and down a rocky, highly technical mountain bike track in 38C takes grit, determination and nerves of steel.

Keeping your balance while you are pedalling hard and avoiding hazards in order to complete two laps of a tough 5km course against the clock means you need to keep your focus and stay calm.

Fortunately, these are just a few of the qualities teenage cycling sensation Hayley Oakes possesses.

The Goonellabah teen's mastery of the sport shows why her star is on the ascent in the tough world of mountainbike racing.

At just 13 years of age, Hayley took out the Mountainbike Australia National Series' U15 women's rounds one and two in Orange last December and rounds three and four at Nerang on the weekend.

Hayley said she really enjoyed the events which allowed competitors a taste of what the elite athletes would be riding in the Commonwealth Games in April.

"It was lots of fun” was all she said of the trails she completed, which offered everything from steep rocky climbs with difficult technical aspects to fast-flow sections.

"I did the first day's round three in about 36 minutes,” she said.

"The second day, round four, I did in just over 42 minutes on a longer course.”

Now the series leader, Hayley is hoping to do well in Western Australia next week for rounds five and six.

But the modest teenager, who is in Year 9 at Summerland Christian College in Goonellabah, said there were still plenty of rounds to go and the slightest mechanical fault could see a competitor sidelined.

While her parents simply want their daughter to enjoy herself, Hayley admits she does get a bit nervous before an event.

"Mum and dad want me just to have fun but I do put pressure on myself,” she said.

"I'm not nervous in the race or when I'm on the bike”.

After Pemberton, Hayley will concentrate on the Mountainbike Australia national championship in Armidale in April, then towards the end of the year she'll step up into the U17 division.

"I want to thank Bicycle Emporium and my coaches Jodie Willet, Craig Quinn and Rob George,” she said.

"And I look up to Anna Meares. She's pretty special and very inspirational.”