CYCLING mad youngster Archie Thipthorpe has a bright future ahead of him after success on the BMX track.

The five-year-old from Canvey Island helped Team Spitfire to victory in the Hersden Team Championship with three wins and a second place in his age group.

And the Northwick Park pupil also enjoyed a clean sweep early in the year at the Hersden Harriers Easter Classic, with three wins in the motos and victory in the final in the five and under class.

“Archie is doing fantastically well in the south east BMX racing scene and is in the top three in the south east for his age,” said proud dad Darren Thipthorpe.

“He is mad about anything on wheels and has been since he was a toddler. The next level for him is racing in the nationals and we are hoping he will do a few races later this year.

“We want to do it for a bit of fun but he is really good at it. He races against kids who race every weekend and train regularly, and he is quicker than them.”

Archie got a ‘balance bike’ for his first birthday and by 30 months was riding around without stabilisers.

He rode at the skatepark at Waterside Farm Sports Centre on Canvey and took up BMX after seeing a family friend ride at the Braintree Bullets’ track.

Archie started racing from his fourth birthday and now competes at Braintree and other tracks in the south east.

Darren said he hopes Archie will step up to national level this year, although he will be riding against older children as the class is seven and under at that level.

He usually races for Team RST’s cycle division and is also supported by Les’ Cycles on Canvey.

Archie (below) is looking forward to watching the road racing Tour de France in England at the weekend.

But his dad said his son also loves anything with wheels, from motorbikes to cars.

“He’s the same as I was at his age,” Darren added.