Ben Swift’s year ended by injury

BEN Swift’s competitive racing season has come to an end, due to injury.

The Anston cyclist, who races for Team Sky, was hoping to finish the year with the Tour of Beijing, but a fractured vertebrae sustained in Belgium forced him out of the finale.

A disappointed Swift posted on his twitter account: “Well my season has come to an end.”

“Was hoping to make Beijing but this fracture is not allowing me to be race fit.”

“Looking forward to next year.”

The 24-year-old isn’t quite ready to put his feet up yet though, he’s back on the bike this weekend in two cycle sportives.

Saturday sees him involved in ‘Spadger’s Memorial Ride’ starting at Garforth and taking in Church Fenton, Selby, Cawood, Ryther, Ulleskelf, Tadcaster, Bramham, Thorner, Scholes and Barwick before returning to Garforth.

The ride is in memory of Lewis Barry, a talented young rider who died unexpectedly last year from Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome, and the aim is to raise funds for two charities – CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young) and The Dave Rayner Memorial Fund.

Just 24 hours later Swift will take part in the Autumn Strines Challenge ride, organised by cyclists Russ and Dean Downing, in association with their cycling club, Out Of The Saddle and Nonnas La Squadra.

The Challenge, which offers 50km and 100km options, will start and finish at Baldwins Omega off Psalter Lane in Sheffield, and take in some of the region’s countryside around the Strines reservoirs.