Top cyclist Dominique Mayho has been afforded a wonderful opportunity to enhance his skills in Europe.The reigning national road race and time trial champion heads off to France on Sunday where he will undergo an intensive training regiment and compete with top amateur team UCC Vivonne for a two-month period.The trip was arranged by former national cycling coach Philippe Mauduit who has also worked with professional triathlete Tyler Butterfield in the past.Mayho, 18, is determined to make the most of the opportunity to broaden his athletic horizons during his stay in France.“It’s a really good opportunity for me to prove myself and I am really excited to be going to France,” he said. “France is one of the best places to cycle and I can’t wait to get there.”Mayho, who claimed a maiden Sinclair Packwood Memorial Race title earlier this year, hopes to be competitive in France but is wary that his task won’t be easy.“I know the first month is going to be really hard,” he said. “But by the second month I want to be a factor in the races and possibly winning.”In the lead up to his departure for France the teenaged cyclist has logged extra miles to enhance his fitness, cycling as many 250 miles per week.“The races are longer in France than they are here so I have been riding longer getting extra miles in so I will be fit enough to last the whole race,” Mayho said.Mayho’s upcoming training stint in France could not have been more timely as it will also serve as ideal preparation for October’s Elite Caribbean Cycling Championships to be held in Antigua.“In the short term we hope Dominique comes from France super fit and ready for the Caribbean Cycling Championships,” said Bermuda Bicycle Association president Peter Dunne. “Philippe has arranged for Dominique to ride with a local amateur team (UCC Vivonne).“Dominique will be riding with guys mostly his age and I think that would be a great opportunity for him, not only to race in a place where the level can get extremely high, but also to be able to train and follow a program that Philippe has established for him which will be very structured and rigorous.”Mauduit had the opportunity to assess Mayho in Bermuda earlier this year and was impressed with the promising cyclist’s skills.“We have always been trying to find opportunities for Dominique to go a little further in cycling than just locally and after conversations with Philippe he said he can come to France for a couple of months and see hos he does,” Dunne said. “Obviously he’s impressed enough with Dominique’s abilities that he saw here to invite him to live with his family or a couple of months.“This is an amazing opportunity for a 18 year old young man to have the opportunity to live in France. And Dominque is a really great kid and a great role model for up and coming cyclist and kids in our community.”