GREAT Witley cyclist Janet Birkmyre followed in the footsteps of Olympians Victoria Pendleton, Laura Trott and Dani King by winning the National Derny Paced Championships.

The event, which had previously been won by the British cycling trio, was moved to the Olympic Velodrome, Lee Valley, after twice being rained off in the summer.

And consistent 49-year-old Birkmyre rose to the occasion as she capped off a strong season, which included winning the National Omnium Series as well as securing five titles and one world record at the World Masters Track Championships.

As expected, the defending derny champion Hannah Walker took the race on from the start of the 60-lap, 15-kilometre contest and quickly opened up a gap of almost half-a-lap.

Birkmyre’s pacer Graham Bristow saw the danger and bridged up to her, which put her in the red for several laps with the speed topping out at over 63 kilometres per hour.

The duo knew they would need to steel themselves for another big effort in a bid to secure the win and, with 15 laps on the board, that was exactly what they did.

Bristow and Birkmyre flew to the front and did not look back as they clinched the title in impressive fashion.

Birkmyre, who thanked her sponsors, said: “I really did not think there was another elite national title in me.

“I am racing girls less than half my age and some of them are full-time cyclists but derny paced racing is a team event and Graham and I work very well together.

“I am so incredibly grateful to him for pacing the perfect strategy, to David for setting up my bikes and to both of them for believing I could win this when I was filled to overflowing with self-doubt.”

In derny paced racing, each rider is paced by a small motorbike, the same as those used in keirin races.

They sit as close as possible to the back wheel to get the maximum slipstreaming/drafting.

Because the riders are paced, the speeds are much faster than normal bunch races.