A Cheam cyclist is eyeing gold at the London Olympics after taking top honours at European track cycling Championships in Holland last month.

Joanna Rowsell joined up with Laura Trott and Dani King to form the British team pursuit team in Apeldoorn and together they saw off a strong German team in the final to bag the gold.

It was the latest in a series of impressive medals collected by the 22-year-old full-time cyclist, which includes gold at the World Cup in Manchester earlier this year where the GB team also set a new sea-level World Record.

And come next year she is hoping to add an Olympic gold to her haul.

“I think we have a great chance," she said.

"The women’s GB team has won gold in three of the last four World Championships in the team pursuit event while the other was a sliver.

“So we’re definitely the team to beat and we are going there to win - honestly, silver would be disappointing.”

Rowsell was scouted by the British Cycling Team when she was 15, taking part in a testing day at her school despite having no previous experience of race cycling.

Her times were impressive and in 2005 she began her first full racing season, winning the junior women's national individual pursuit title and gaining a place on the British junior cycling squad the following year.

Next year will be the first time the women's team pursuit has been included in the Olympics and Rowsell is determined to be part of the team that gets there.

“The list has been cut down and it’s now five girls going for three places on the team," she added "It can feel like X-factor at times - you just have to keep getting through the rounds.

“My form is the best it’s ever been so I really feel I’m on the right track.”

Rowsell is looking for sponsorship and anyone interested should visit joannarowsell.com.