WYRE Forest star Joshua Papworth is bidding to follow in the tyre-tracks of British cycling sensation Mark Cavendish at the European Youth Olympic Festival in Tampere, Finland.

The 16-year-old, who was crowned national road race champion in 2004 and national cyclo-cross champion two years later, will make his overseas Great Britain debut at the biennial multi-sport tournament this month.

Papworth has been in excellent form this season, picking up victory at the Isle of Man Youth Tour and cementing his place in the British Cycling Talent Team.

While Britain’s senior track cyclists sparked a prolonged gold rush at the Beijing Olympics, other than Cavendish, domestic success on the roads has been less forthcoming.

Papworth is hoping to follow in the footsteps of Cavendish, who has won three stages of the Giro d’Italia last month and is setting the pace in this year’s Tour de France with three stage wins.

Josh, who attends Haybridge High School in Hagley, said: “To get picked for the European Youth Olympic Festival is fantastic news.

“Just to get the experience of competing at such a big event and at a multi-sport event will be so important to my development.

“But that’s not to say I won’t be going there for a medal. Or at least doing everything I possibly can to win a medal.

“Obviously British track cycling is doing so well at the moment but I think the guys on the road are getting better and better.

“It’s great to see people like Cavendish and Bradley Wiggins or Ben Swift and hopefully I can compete in the Tour de France as well one day.”

British Cycling performance director Dave Brailsford has spoken of his desire to form a GB road race team to enter into the Tour de France in the coming years.

Whether Cavendish is a member of that team remains to be seen but Papworth, who also has designs on track success in the future, is convinced he can force his way into Brailsford’s plans.

He added “I think the British road team is a fantastic idea. It would generate a great deal more exposure for road cycling in the country.

“And if you stay with British Cycling through the ranks it means you would keep your funding for the most part so that would be the ideal scenario for me.”

Lloyds TSB is providing £1,000 to over 270 emerging young sportspeople identified each year across Britain, in the run up to London 2012 and beyond. Visit Lloydstsb.com/Localheroes.