OTLEY’S cycling world champion Lizzie Armitstead hopes her nomination for Sportswoman of the Year can inspire youngsters to get on their bikes.

As reported, the 26-year-old is battling with the likes of Jessica Ennis-Hill and Charlotte Dujardin for the top prize at the Sunday Times and Sky Sports Sportswomen Awards.

The winner will be announced on Friday, November 6, and our very own World and Commonwealth champ is one of six stars in the running.

Lizzy Yarnold (skeleton), Rachel Atherton (mountain biking) and Bianca Walkden (taekwondo) are the other names on the six-strong shortlist, which highlights the best in British women’s sport.

Armitstead – who claimed her first world title in Richmond, Virginia last month – hopes her nomination can help raise the profile of women’s cycling yet further.

She said: “I don’t focus on media attention or awards too much, but it's great to be recognised, especially among such a strong group of women for such an important award.

“It makes me feel very proud. I’m especially proud that women’s cycling is becoming more mainstream, and proud that myself and previous female cyclists in the UK have played a part in that.

“I’m constantly asked how we can improve women’s cycling, and it’s a really difficult question. The only thing I can do is gain more publicity for the sport through my results and performances.

“Getting recognised by a wider audience and inspiring more kids to get involved is something I can achieve while still concentrating on my career.”

It took Armitstead until she was 15 to catch the cycling bug when a talent-spotting initiative visited her school and uncovered her potential.

“I was spotted by a guy called Phil West from British Cycling," the Olympic silver medalist added. "He came to my school with a van full of bikes and got us to go around the school field.

“I was somebody who stood out because of my competitiveness, and I was taken from there on to a national talent programme, given a coach and a bike.

“Despite that, I really struggled with cycling initially and didn’t quite get it – I thought it was more of a ‘fuddy-duddy’ old man’s sport and didn’t enjoy it!

“It’s completely different now and more cool to ride a bike than it was.

“There are more people out and about, more of a social scene and more clubs, so it’s definitely improved since I started which was only ten years ago. It’s made a big leap forward.

“It’s nice to know I’ve played a very small part in that – it makes me happy when I go home to Otley and see lots of people out on their bikes and enjoying cycling.”

* Lizzie Armitstead is shortlisted for the 2015 Sunday Times and Sky Sports Sportswomen of the Year Awards in association with Vitality. Watch on Sky Sports 1 and Sky 1 on November 6.