Cycling: George Atkins lined up to take on the world
The 18-year-old has won national junior titles on the road and in the pursuit, and 10 days ago added the Madison crown to his collection in partnership with Cropston's Dan McLay.
However, things are about to move up another gear. Atkins, who rides for the Websters Cycles team, which is backed by Specialized and Nelsons for Cartons, is just starting work with British Cycling's Olympic Academy.
Essentially that means Atkins has been earmarked as one of the next generation of riders who will challenge for gold medals at world and Olympic level.
The county rider will be based at Manchester Velodrome until Christmas with the goal of trying to find a place at senior level in the Great Britain team pursuit squad to race at the World Cup in January.
"I was hopeful of making it into the Academy. It was something that I had been building my plans around," said Atkins.
"When I found out I had been selected it was a mixture of joy, excitement and relief."
The programme he will follow means that Atkins will live virtually the life of a professional rider.
"You have to look after yourself," he said. "There are no parents around and you are thrown into the big, wide world. I'm looking forward to it."
With major successes on both the road and track this year, Atkins could head in either direction. However, quite rightly, he says it is too early in his career to say which branch of the sport he is going to favour.
"The Academy programme is track-based in the winter and then moves on to the road in the summer. But I think I'm still too young to know what I'm best at," said Atkins.
This year's results suggest it does not really matter which choice he eventually makes because the Leicestershire prospect has the qualities to compete in a variety of races.
He has shown well in classic-type road races as well as climbing strongly in Italy.
On the boards he has an abundance of class as a pursuiter, while he also has the speed to compete in the Madison.
For any rider to take a hat-trick of titles at national level, where competition is currently very demanding, is a triumph.
"They were all pretty special," said Atkins. "I'd won the Youth Olympics as an under-16 but the road race win was my first national title.
"I'd ridden a good pursuit in the European Youth Championships in July (when he took bronze) so there was some pressure on me going into the national championships. That made winning a bit special, too.
"And we went into the Madison with no real training so I was surprised how well I went in that.
"But, if I had to have one, I would say it was the road. It is great to be able to wear the national champion's jersey in road races. I think it gives you a bit more recognition."
It would be a touch premature to suggest that Atkins has the makings of the next Bradley Wiggins or Geraint Thomas, an Academy graduate who produced a stunning individual pursuit to win World Cup gold in Manchester last week.
Cycling chiefs in this country, though, obviously see a major talent in the making with Atkins's development moving ever closer to elite level.
County riders Dave Collins and Dan Booth helped the East Midlands take the Inter-Area team championship at Leicester Leys.
Collins was third and Booth fifth behind Paul Oldham, who took the senior race for the North West. There was also a strong performance from Lucy Garner as she helped the East Midlands to second place behind Yorkshire in the Youth competition.
Garner was 24th overall but the leading girl in the field.
In the under-12 support race, Charlotte Broughton (Leicestershire Road Club) continued her winning form.
She again lead from the start and dominated the event to cross the line first.
"The event went well – especially considering the challenges with the weather, " said Gary Coltman, who organised the event for Leicestershire Road Club.
He reported positive feedback from riders for the course which produced good racing despite the wind and rain.
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