Reporter ABIGAIL WOODCOCK is taking part in a variety of daring challenges over the next few months for a new feature series called Action Abi.

Her first challenge was to race Olympic cyclist Billy Whenman round a new bike track. Read on to see whether she rode away victorious.

HAVING cycled perilously down a Bolivian highway dubbed The World’s Most Dangerous Road, taking on an Olympic cyclist seemed a piece of cake in comparison.

I persuaded the kind gentleman at Queensway Auto Accessories and Spares in Petts Wood to lend me a bike and set off to Gravesend’s sporting activity centre, Cyclopark.

Billy, who will be competing in the Olympic Cycling Road Race through London, met me at the gates and together we cycled up to the track to meet our fates.

The 23-year-old started out on the path to becoming a professional mountain biker at the age of nine when he joined his local cycling club in Wilmington.

He went on to compete at regional, national and international level before being signed on to a four year contract with Whyte Bikes at the age of 18.

Since then, he has gone on to win the final stage of the Mountain Bike Tour de France and scoop second place in the British National Championships.

He is now sponsored by Rose Bikes and is training rigorously for the Olympics later this year.

Oh, and he’s also appearing in January’s issue of FHM.

In contrast, the biggest boast I have is that I learnt to ride my bike without stabilizers at the age of three.

I passed my cycling proficiency first time round at the age of 11, and I cried my way down the North Yungas Road in Bolivia because the gravel on the roadside jolted my hands.

(The road was lined sporadically with wooden crosses marking the many spots where vehicles and cyclists had ridden over the edge and fallen 2000ft to their deaths below).

But, back at the track, undeterred from my lack of expertise, I met the challenge head on, hoping my experiences would see me through to the finish line.

We positioned ourselves at the start of the one mile loop, my wheel slightly ahead as is only fair when you are racing an Olympic cyclist.

The whistle blew and we were off, tearing our way around the track.

With no shelter from the breeze, I was blown from one side to the other, and even with my gloves on, my fingers could only just muster enough feeling to change gears.

But the windier it got the harder and harder it became to keep balance.

Before I knew it, Billy was soaring ahead and reached the finish line before I could even utter the words “on your marks”.

Abigail borrowed the bike from John Charsley at Queensway Auto Accessories and Spares in 99 Queensway, Petts Wood. Call 01689 821382.

Do you have ideas for a challenge? Email awoodcock@london.newsquest.co.uk or call 01689 885702.