BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year 2017: Elinor Barker profile

Cyclist Elinor Barker became a world and European champion for the third time in 2017 as the 23-year-old continued her medal-gathering exploits.

At the World Track Championships in Hong Kong in April, Barker claimed gold in the points race, plus two silvers in the madison - riding with Emily Nelson - and the scratch race.

At October's European Track Championships in Berlin, Barker and Ellie Dickinson claimed the madison title with Barker also winning silver in a Great Britain team pursuit quartet that included fellow Welsh rider Manon Lloyd.

Barker's adaptability in track events saw her become the omnium winner in the Six Day Series final in Majorca, while at the National Track Championships she won omnium silver and scratch bronze.

In the opening round of the Track Cycling World Cup in Poland in November, partnering Nelson once more, Barker won silver in the madison.

A week later in the next round in Manchester, Barker and Katie Archibald rode to madison gold, with the pair also part of the winning women's team pursuit.

In contrast to all the success on the track, racing on the road has been frustrating for Barker, who finished fifth in the time trial at the National Road Race Championships in June after having a puncture.

She had to settle on 19th in the women's time trial at the Road World Championships in September, after a mechanical problem on the climb of the 21.1km race in Bergen, Norway.

But despite those set-backs, Barker's future on the road looks bright after she agreed to rejoin the World Tour road team Wiggle High5 from 1 January 2018 - leaving current team Matrix Pro Cycling.

Barker plans to double up on road and track for Wales at the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast in April 2018, which takes place a month after the Track World Championships.

The former Maindy Flyers Cycling Club junior served notice of her talent when Barker was crowned the Junior Time Trial world champion in 2012, an achievement that was recognised when she was voted the Carwyn James Junior Sportswoman of the Year at the 2012 BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year.

She became a senior world champion the following year at just 18, when the then A-Level student was part of the GB women's team pursuit trio that beat Australia in the final at the 2013 World Track Cycling Championships in Belarus.

Barker won her first major titles for Wales when she won silver in the women's points race and bronze in the scratch race at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

In 2015 came a European Track title in the team pursuit, although Barker and her team-mates had to settle for silver at the World Championships.

But the GB quartet made amends in style the following year by winning an Olympic gold medal in the team pursuit at Rio 2016, with Barker, Laura Kenny, Joanna Rowsell Shand and Katie Archibald setting a new world record time in the process.

A stellar year was capped when Barker was made a MBE in the New Year Honours list.

Voting for BBC Cymru Wales Sports Personality of the Year 2017 will open from 08:00 GMT on Monday, 27 November and close at 18:00 GMT on Saturday, 2 December.

Full voting terms and conditions will be available on the BBC website and will also be carried on radio and television.

The winner will be unveiled on Monday, 4 December.

This event is not connected with the UK Sports Personality of the Year and is for the Wales award only.