Do you want to follow in the footsteps of Sir Chris Hoy, Callum Skinner, Lusia Steele and Jack Carlin? Aged between 13 and 21? Then we have an opportunity for you, that isn’t to be missed!
With Glasgow and Scotland hosting the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships and the 2024 Olympics on the horizon, Scottish Cycling is pleased to announce the launch of the Sprint Talent ID programme, aimed at uncovering new talent to add to our Track Sprint Performance Programme.
We want applicants between the ages of 13 and 21 who are athletic, motivated, and have a will to win. Applicants do not need to come from a track cycling background, however any experience on two wheels would be helpful.
Why should you try Track Sprint?
Track Cycling is the fastest discipline in cycling, with riders often reaching upwards of 70km/h (45mph), it also involves some of the most exciting events in sport – the Keirin, which puts riders behind the motorbike before launching their sprint, and the Individual Sprint, with its cat and mouse characteristics – both requiring the perfect mix of raw speed and tactical nous.
It’s also been somewhat of a success story in Scottish sport, with Sir Chris Hoy, Craig Maclean, Callum Skinner and Jack Carlin all wining Olympic medals. Alongside Carlin, upcoming talent such as Ellie Stone, Lauren Bell and Lusia Steele are flying the Saltire at events around the world as we speak.
It’s fast, furious but also pretty fun – try it for yourself and we’re sure you’ll agree!
So, what does it entail?
On Sunday 8th May we’ll be hosting a Talent ID Day at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome in Glasgow; home of the track cycling events at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and 2023 UCI World Championships. Here we will conduct some taster sessions, where riders will take the boards, as well as partaking in some important off the bike tasks, as we look to unearth the next champion sprinter.
Speaking on the importance of track sprinting Head of Performance & Coaching at Scottish Cycling David Somerville said:
“Scotland has a proud history of producing world class sprint cyclists and we want to see that continue! A key step in that is having a thriving sprint community, so we are interested in hearing from anyone who feels they have the motivation and ability to give this high-speed event a go.”
With all that in mind, why not launch your sprint today, by filling out our application in the link below:
Applications close at 5pm on Thursday 28th April 2022.
