EAST Oxford’s only cycling club has been named as one of the best in the country.

Cowley Road Condors is one of ten cycling groups shortlisted in sports retailer Decathlon’s Cycling Club of the Year contest.

And now the team, including president and co-founder Ollie Jaques, are eagerly waiting to hear if the group will be crowned the national winners.

The 33-year-old, from North Oxford, said: “It’s absolutely fantastic.

It’s a lot of hard work on top of your day job but it’s been really satisfying seeing the club grow. If we won, it would be just superb.

Just finding out we were in the top ten means everything. I can see it being a massive boost.”

Our top stories

The cycling club launched inn July 2011 after a night at Cowley Road’s The Library pub, formerly known as The Brickworks.

Mr Jaques and co-founder Jonny Revis, along with two friends, dreamt up their cycling masterplan after being amazed with the lack of cycling groups in the area.

Now the group caters for more than 110 members aged between 18 and 60, meeting each week at Rick’s Cafe, in Cowley Road, before taking to the city’s streets donning bright pink and black cycling gear.

Mr Jaques, an Oxford University IT services manager, said: “We were just so surprised that there was not a cycling club.

“We just thought why not, let’s try to pull some of these people in one group and I think we have been quite a stand-out attraction on the Cowley Road.”

Mr Jaques said he enjoys being able to offer East Oxford and Cowley residents the chance to meet like-minded cyclists in the area.

He added: “It’s such a welcoming club. It’s just nice to see people start out cycling and then see their riding improve.

“To see them come from almost beginners new to cycling and then become racers, I think that’s lovely to see. It’s really fantastic and quite an exciting time.”

The club are also committed to raising cash for their community and have already raised £250 for Magdalen Road’s Helen and Douglas Hospice.

Mr Jaques, who lived in East Oxford for ten years, said: “I think it’s just to try to put a little bit back. We are very much an East Oxford and Cowley focused club and it’s just nice to do something for the area. It’s nice to do something for that cause, which is a fantastic cause.”

Decathlon launched its search to find the country’s top cycling club last year and almost 200 entries were whittled down to just ten.

The retailer is yet to announce its winner after a public vote ended last week but the champions will be given £500 to spend at a Decathlon store.

For more information, visit cowleyroadcondors.cc