In short

Hi, I'm Nathan de Vaux. I'm 16 years old and I race Downhill Mountain Bikes. I've been selected to represent Team GB at the World Championships in Switzerland in September as well as the next World Cups in Europe and North America. British Cycling does not pay for the team athletes so I'm looking to raise £3,000 to help pay for my travel and race entries. Every donation helps me get closer to my dream to race at the highest level in the world. Thank you!

More about me

I live in Machynlleth (Wales, United Kingdom) with my mum and younger brother. I've been racing Downhill since 2018 and have had some great results over the years.

Last year I became Welsh Champion, vice British Champion and Overall Champion in the National Downhill Series in Youth category (15-16). I also finished 5th in the European Championships and 6th in the International Rookies Championships.

This year I'm racing as a first year Junior (17-18). With the help of the Geraint Thomas Cycling Trust, I travelled to Portugal in April where I competed at the first round of the Continental Series. I finished 3rd which gave me a Golden Ticket to one World Cup but it also resulted in a selection for Team GB at the next few World Cups.

Unfortunately, I fractured my thumb in practice at the first World Cup in Poland but I managed to come back a few weeks later to win the next Continental Series round in Austria. I took part in the World Cups in Val di Sole and La Thuile (Italy) and in Andorra where I qualified in the top 20 each time to race finals. My best result was 15th place in La Thuile.

After these World Cups, we travelled to Fort William to race at the British Championships where I won another Silver medal. I have now been invited to represent Team GB at the World Championships and the next 4 World Cups in Europe and North America.

I work hard as a trainee garage mechanic to help pay for my racing, and I'm building my own race truck to save money on accommodation. But travelling abroad is very expensive and we need some help to get to the next block of races.

This is why we're reaching out. Every donation, however small, will make a difference and will help me get closer to my dream of becoming a professional Downhill Racer. I would love it if you could also share my fundraiser with your friends. Thank you in advance for your help!

Nathan

Full race results: https://www.rootsandrain.com/rider109252/nathan-de-vaux/results/

A film about my brother and me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1RDSv-DXeo&t=2s