A TEENAGE cyclist from Brierley Hill is celebrating being crowned the national hill climb champion and scooping an award all in the same weekend.

Tomos Pattinson won the junior title in the RTTC National Hill Climb Championship in Derbyshire on Sunday (October 31).

The 16-year-old, who attends Thorns Collegiate Academy, had to take on the brutal climb of Winnats Pass in the Peak District in appalling weather coming in with a fantastic time of three hours and 26 minutes.

It was a brilliant weekend for the 16-year-old as on Saturday (October 30) he was awarded the Mapei Trophy for the most improved Halesowen Cycling Club Academy rider.

The award is in memory of Mapei company owner, the late Dr Giorgio Squinzi.

Stourbridge News:

David Viner, chairman of Halesowen Athletic and Cycling Club, said: "What a wonderful win for Tomos!

"For a 16-year-old to do this - it's an outstanding achievement.

"Following on from the Mapei Award on Saturday it has been quite a weekend.

"I know everyone at our club and Mapei are really impressed."

Tomos's mum Jane Pattinson said: "We're so proud. We can't believe how well he's done.

"The weather was absolutely awful - I was ok as I was watching it here and his dad was with him!

"They said it was incredible how many people were at the side of the road."

Jane said Tomos is very determined and trains five days a week. He learnt to ride a bike aged six and took part in his first race when he was 11.

He is making waves in his sport taking second place at a national track race in Glasgow in July and winning a national road stage in Scarborough in July.

He has also been crowned winner of this year's under 16 circuit and is trained by the Welsh Cycling Pathway.

Mapei is an Italian company with its UK HQ based in Halesowen and is a major sponsor at the annual world cycling championships.

Mr Viner said the West Midlands desperately needs a velodrome so that young cyclists like Tomos, who is also a star on the track, can train without having to travel to Wales or Derby.