Racemakers will build on the success of the Cycling Award for Young Volunteers by helping to encourage more young leaders to get involved in cycle sport, officials claim.

This is the first step into event volunteering for 14 to18-year-olds and is aimed to lead to further officiating courses to create support opportunities at national and international events.

"This is a great step forward in educating and inspiring more young people to get involved in volunteering within cycle sport," said John Mills, British Cycling's Coaching Education and Development Director.

Racemakers has been granted the prestigious London 2012 Inspire mark, which is the badge of the London 2012 Inspire programme which recognises exceptional and innovative projects inspired by the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

"By harnessing the power of the Olympic and Paralympic Games through the Inspire Programme we are increasing the quantity and expertise of young leaders in our sport which in turn will increase the opportunities for young people to participate in cycling races," said Mills.

The programme combines a practical workshop with volunteering at a local club in preparation for planning and delivering supervised entry level bike races in school and community settings.

Young volunteers will assist tomorrow with the staging of a day's Go-Ride Racing whilst the world's best mountain bikers make the most of their opportunity to test next year's Olympic course.

"The Racemakers will be fantastic ambassadors for cycle sport and could become part of the next generation of national and international level organisers and officials," said Mills.

The Olympic mountain bike test event at Hadleigh Farm in Essex will see a men's and a women's event and a medal ceremony following both.

Construction of the course cost a total of £800,000 ($1.2 million/€913,000).

It began in July 2010 and took less than a year to complete while the five kilometre circuit is situated on an open hillside; a new concept for mountain bike events which are typically held in forested areas.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]