Day one of the Scottish national track championships in Glasgow, saw great rides from the team at Glasgow Track Racing Club and Alba Development RT as they both claimed a brace of golds – including a clean sweep of podium places a piece as the first Scottish National Track Champs since 2019 got underway.
The morning’s racing started with the qualifying for the Men’s sprint competition, with the 16 best times ending in the First Round. The Men’s Sprint continued throughout the day as the field was gradually whittled down.
The bronze medal final saw Marcel Laurez (Glasgow Track Racing Club) take a 2-0 win over teammate Jeremy Franks, while the Gold medal final went right to the wire.
Fellow GTRC riders Niall Monks and Luthias Arthur swapped race wins in the inaugural two rounds to set up a ride off with Monks coming past Arthur on the inside in the final 150m to claim victory. In keeping with the major football tournament that is ongoing, there was a brief check from our very own VAR (Video Assistant Referee) to confirm the result, ensuring that Monks would win the first Men’s Sprint national title since 2019.
While the first medals of the championships were in the Women’s 500m Time Trial with British Champion Ellie Stone (Black Line Racing) adding to her medal collection in the event, claiming gold with a time of 35.630; Sylvia Misztal (Glasgow Track Racing Club) and Natalie Hunter (Glasgow Track Racing Club) winning silver and bronze
On her victory in the 500m Stone said
“It feels really good to win, I’m really happy to be showcasing sprint in Scotland and it’s great to be leading the way in that. We had quite a few up for the 500, which is really great to see.”
The Commonwealth medallist will go again in the Women’s Sprint tomorrow.
There was over 100 years of difference between the two outfits in the Women’s Team Pursuit final, as the Alba Development Road Team quartet rode against VC Astar Anderside. The latter’s squad having their youngest rider of 49 and oldest of 58 were up against the young Alba Development RT quartet. The Alba Development RT were able to claim gold by making the catch halfway through the 16-lap pursuit, and were able to set a time of 4:49.
Alexander MacRae was able to claim the victory in the individual pursuit, after a tight battle with Danny Hedley (Royal Air Force CA). With MacRae, the Kilometre TT specialist able to pull away from the Aberdonian Hedley in the final few laps; while it was bronze for Lewis Hutchison (Vanelli-Project GO). In the Veteran pursuit, Andy Bruce (Vanelli-Project GO) won gold from Jim Barr (VC Glasgow South) and Brian McGhee (RC Cumbernauld & Kilsyth).
In the Women’s Team Sprint, Glasgow Track Racing Club continued their dominance with a victory, with their trio winning over a Glasgow Wheelers squad.
Despite not riding in Alba Development RT’s team pursuit squad, there was still time for a great performance from Kate Richardson as she won the Women’s Scratch Race in dominant fashion, winning by nearly two laps of teammates Eilidh Shaw and Sophie Lankford.
Rounding off her debut year on the track, the Great Britain Senior Academy rider, who was also presented with the Braveheart Trophy today, told Scottish Cycling:
“It’s always nice to come back up the road and win another Scottish title, it’s really nice seeing your name against a national title, as well as coming back home to see my teammates as well as my Bob and Elaine [Lyons], so it’s been a worthwhile trip so far.”
Richardson looks to add to her medal tally with the individual pursuit and points race tomorrow.
The final bunch race of the day was one of the most exciting with attacks from Andy Brown and Matti Dobbins (Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli) in an enthralling Men’s 20km Scratch Race. After a late attack by Brown, it was Callum Twelves who was able to come over the top of Brown to claim victory.
Tomorrow sees even more national champions crowned in what looks to be another exciting day of track action.
