Beicio Cymru is delighted to announce double Olympic silver medallist Becky North as its new President, with the former world champion set to help inspire the next generation and champion opportunities for more people to cycle across Wales.
Having grown up cycling in Wales and progressed through the Welsh Cycling pathway as a teenager, North has first-hand experience of the opportunities the sport can provide for young people.
She has previously served as an Ambassador for Beicio Cymru and, as President, hopes to use her experience and profile to give back to the sport that has played such a significant role in her life.
Becky North, President of Beicio Cymru, said:
“I feel so honoured to be President of Beicio Cymru. Cycling has given me so much my whole life, from such a young age, and I feel like it’s such a nice opportunity for me to be able to give back to the sport.
“I came through the Welsh Cycling pathway and my focus was purely on performance, sport and competing. Now, for me, my focus is on helping to inspire the next generation and really encouraging women and children to get on bikes.”
Encouraging more young people to cycle will be a key priority for North, particularly women and girls, for whom she hopes to be a positive role model.
She said:
“I think it would be really special to help encourage women and girls to ride bikes. From a young age, I was surrounded by a lot of men and boys and there weren’t so many females, especially when I was racing.
“I want to show young girls and women what cycling can do for them.”
Despite her own background in elite sport, North is equally passionate about ensuring cycling is accessible to everyone, whether they want to compete, ride socially or simply make cycling part of everyday life.
She continued:
“It’s not just about achieving dreams and having the goal of competing for Wales or Great Britain; it’s about making cycling accessible for everyone.
“I’d love to see every child given the opportunity to learn to ride a bike. Not everyone has that opportunity, and I think if schools could encourage more children to ride, it would be really incredible.”
North’s appointment comes at an exciting time for cycling in Wales, with the Tour de France set to arrive in the country in 2027.
She believes the Tour represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to showcase Wales as a cycling destination on the world stage, while inspiring more people to get on bikes and creating lasting opportunities for the next generation.
For North, that could mean a young person watching the race from the roadside and being inspired to follow in the footsteps of riders such as Geraint Thomas.
Caroline Spanton, Chief Executive of Beicio Cymru, said:
“Becky is an incredible athlete, an inspirational role model and someone who has so much to offer cycling in Wales. We’re so proud to welcome her as President of Beicio Cymru.
“On the back of incredible success at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and heading into 2027, we’re at a really exciting point for cycling in Wales, with the opportunity to build real momentum in the months and years ahead.
“The Tour de France coming to Wales is a huge moment for us, but it’s about so much more than the event itself. It’s about inspiring more people to ride, creating opportunities for generations to come and turning that moment into meaningful, lasting change for cycling across Wales.
“Becky brings an incredible wealth of experience, a powerful voice and a genuine connection to our sport. Having her alongside us as we work to realise those ambitions is hugely exciting, and I’m really looking forward to what we can achieve together.“
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