MALVERN mountain bike racer Liam Killeen stormed to the gold medal last weekend in the junior category of the European Championships held at Rhenen, Holland, writes Greg Edwards.

Finally winning the race by a large margin Killeen has again stamped his enormous potential on the mountain bike scene and seems set for an even more sparkling career when he moves into the senior ranks.

Killeen said: "I knew I was well prepared and was really motivated but I was not expecting to pick up the gold medal. It's a dream come true and has not quite sunk in yet."

Killeen, aged 18, won the National Cyclo Cross Championships at the start of the year, and finished a superb fifth in the World Championships in Spain in July. Earlier this month he took first place in the National Cross Country Championships junior category at Peebles, Scotland, winning the race by a clear five minutes.

Racing in Scotland on a hilly course with long climbs, Killeen had pulled away from the rest of the field by the end of the first lap and had gradually extended his lead to take the first place by an enormous margin.

Racing for the Great Britain team in Holland Killeen was hoping to finish in the medals although others in the race had previously beaten him.

Killeen said: "The course suited me as it was very hilly with no flat bits that can be used for recovery. It was a five lap race and I stayed with the leading group for three laps before attacking on a hill climb and opening up a gap of about 20 seconds.

"By the end of the race I was about three and a half minutes clear and had completed the last two laps in the same time as the Elite senior riders so I was very pleased."

Realising that he was clear and the gold medal was within his grasp Killeen said he still had to try and stay calm and not make any mistakes which he achieved.

His next big race is in the World Cup series in Lausanne, Switzerland on Sunday, September 3, when his ability will really be put to the test as he again lines up for the Great Britain team against the cream of junior mountain bikers.

"I'd really love to win it as its the last big race of the season and I will also be riding in my European jersey," he said.

The following weekend it is back to the domestic scene when he competes in the final National Points Series event in North Wales, which he leads at the present but still has to make a reasonable finish.