Lindley cycling star and World Champion Maddie Leech has been shortlisted for a top award.

Maddie and her racing partner, Olympic Champion Katie Archibald MBE, have both been shortlisted for the Sunday Times Sportswomen of the Year Team of the Year Award 2025.

The duo won gold in the madison relay event at the 2025 UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Chile in October.

While Katie, 31, is one of the most successful female track cyclists in the history of the sport, the gold medal was a first world championship for Maddie, who is just 22. Maddie also won bronze in the team pursuit.

Maddie, from Lindley, only took up cycle racing at the age of 13 inspired by watching the success of the British cycling team at the Rio Olympics in 2016. The cyclists she aspired to emulate included her now-teammate Katie Archibald.

Maddie started out at local cycling club Huddersfield Star Wheelers and quickly rose through the junior ranks.

She secured gold medals in the team pursuit at the European Junior Championships and the road race at the Junior World Championships in 2021.

Senior success followed and, in 2022, Maddie made her debut for Team England at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, winning a bronze medal in the Women’s Team Pursuit.

This was followed by multiple national and U23 European titles, solidifying her as one of the brightest talents in British cycling.

The Sunday Times Sportswomen of the Year Awards, now in their 37th year, celebrate outstanding contributions to women’s sport at all levels.

The Team of the Year category is decided by public vote, with the GB cycling duo facing strong competition not least from England’s footballing Lionesses who won the Euros in 2025 and England Red Roses who lifted the women’s rugby union World Cup.

Public voting is now open at www.sportswomenoftheyear.co.uk with winners to be announced in early 2026.

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