PONTHIR'S James ball is aiming to deliver "something big" on the grand stage of the UCI Para-cycling World Championships in Los Angeles this week.

The 25-year-old enjoyed a stunning success in last year's championships in Italy after switching to the sport because hamstring problems were scuppering his ambitions on the athletics track.

Despite a lack of experience, Ball finished fifth in the kilo and won bronze in the tandem sprint with pilot Craig Maclean in Montichiari.

The visually-impaired cyclist then gained more big-event exposure when Russia's expulsion from the Paralympics earned a late call-up to Rio with the pair finishing fifth in the kilo.

Ball, who trains at the National Cycling Centre in Manchester, hopes to reap the rewards of his 2016 exploits when he takes to the track in America.

"Nothing can compare to Rio I don't think but having experienced the biggest stage to compete on it'll definitely have a positive impact while out in LA," said Ball, who also won bronze in the 2016 Manchester Para-cycling International.

"I am very excited to put on the Great Britain kit again and hopefully deliver something big on the world stage"

Ball is now joining forces with Matt Rotherham, who performed strongly in the British National Track Championships in January, and is aiming for a personal best in the kilo.

"I've only been with Matt since the middle of January, not long at all, but I feel we've been able to put a decent block of training in and we're quite confident about putting in a decent performance given the time restraints," he said.

"Matts great, he's so enthusiastic, which is awesome, and used to be on the British cycling academy programme himself so he knows the ropes... although this is his first time piloting."

The championships start tomorrow at 10pm and run through to Sunday.