SGB PREMIERSHIP TRIO CONFIRM RISING STARS

Three SGB Premiership sides have confirmed their Rising Stars for 2023 as Dan Gilkes heads to Sheffield, Jack Thomas joins Ipswich and Dan Thompson follows Leicester into the top flight.

Each of the seven SGB Premiership sides is required to track at least one Rising Star – taken from a list of British riders bidding to establish themselves in the country’s top division.

Tigers recruit Gilkes (pictured above) has been part of the Great Britain youth setup in recent times and comes to Owlerton highly recommended by Sheffield and joint GB boss Simon Stead, despite a season hampered by injury after he suffered broken ribs and a broken arm in 2022.

Stead said: “I was absolutely delighted that Dan’s name was still on the list of riders available to us when it came around to our Rising Star selection. That’s because he was my No.1 target anyway and I was desperate to work with him.

“I spoke in some depth with Dan towards the end of last season and told him I genuinely felt the time was right for him to step up and make the move into the Premiership – albeit on his limited bike time and Championship racing this year due to injury.

“Dan is somebody I’ve been working with for quite some time now in the GB Academy and with the GB squad. He is somebody who never fails to impress me with his level of application and dedication to the sport.

“He is the perfect fit for us and somebody I feel I work very, very well with and someone I think I can help continue to develop.”

Norwich-born Thomas raced for his local club King’s Lynn in the SGB Premiership last season and is pleased to be staying relatively nearby with Ipswich. He hopes to build on a strong 2022 season, which saw him claim a surprise heat-leader role at SGB Championship club Oxford.

He told the Witches website: “I spoke with a few clubs about spots for next year and I was told I could do another year as a Rising Star, so I thought I would put my name out there.

“I had a chat with (Ipswich team manager) Ritchie (Hawkins) and just waited for the AGM. I was hoping for the offer as it is not too far from my house. It’s only an hour, so I was really hoping to get the opportunity with Ipswich.

“This year to start with was the best season I have had yet. I trained a lot harder last winter and put a lot of time in with the bikes and prep. I started the season with Oxford thinking I would be riding at reserve and ended up as one of the heat leaders for the season. I put my average up to a six at one point nearly.

“It was the same with King’s Lynn. I started as a Rising Star, and I was grateful to have the opportunity with a local club again and was really enjoying it.

“Then halfway through the season I ended up having a crash, broke both of my wrists which knocked the season on the head for me. I am back to full fitness and have been back on the bike a couple of times since and am feeling back to myself.”

Thompson is no stranger to Leicester fans having raced for the Lions in the SGB Championship and their Lion Cubs team at National League level. Leicester promoter Stewart Dickson hopes he can continue his progress in the top tier, and he backed him to show no regard for reputations.

Dickson said: “We know the scalps Dan took last season, the likes of Josh Pickering, our own Chris Harris, and several others along the way, and we know he will get even better next season around his home track.

“I don’t need to tell him he’ll need to work on his away form, and there could be some tracks that he’s not been to for a while, but the bottom line is that he’s deserving of his place.

“This Rising Star system is for people like him, and he was the obvious choice for us. We’re delighted to offer him the position and glad that he’s accepted it.

“Obviously it would have been ideal if he’d found a Championship team, but hopefully that door will open for him as the season progresses.

“He has nothing to prove to me, but if he can show the form that I know he can then I’m sure he will be an option for any teams who don’t start as well as they are expecting.”

Photo: Taylor Lanning