Neah Evans and Jack Carlin lead a strong contingent of Scots to Newport for the British Track Championships.
The racing will take place between Friday and Sunday, with nearly 30 Scots making the journey down to the Geraint Thomas Velodrome in South Wales.
Men’s Sprint
Team Scotland’s Jack Carlin and Ali Fielding will be joined by several riders from Glasgow Track RC including Anthony Young, Lyall Craig and Niall Monks – the latter of whom claimed three Scottish National titles last month in Glasgow. Daniel Cutler (Black Line) will also make his debut as a senior rider in Newport.
Carlin made his return to racing last weekend in Anadia and will look to replicate his 2022 showing in Newport, where he came home with a trio of British champion jerseys.
Women’s Sprint
Off the back of a new provisional Scottish record and a great start to the season in Portugal, Lauren Bell will be aiming to add to her medal haul in the Sprint, Keirin and 500m TT. However, the Forres sprinter will face tough opposition from her fellow Highlander and reigning 500m champion Ellie Stone. After a breakout 2022 which saw her compete at Birmingham 2022, Iona Moir will also be looking to add to her bronze medal from 12 months ago.
Young talents Sarah and Kirsty Johnson (Edinburgh RC) will join them and will be looking to make an impact, with Sarah performing strongly in the Netherlands at the Junior Next Generation event earlier this month.
Para-Cycling
The three Scottish world champions will be racing in Newport, Libby Clegg will be in action on the tandem in the Para events with pilot Georgia Holt. While the pairing of Jenny Holl and Sophie Unwin will be back on the boards as well.
Strathpeffer’s own World Champion Finlay Graham (Para-T) excited the crowd in this meet a year ago, as he won an enthralling Men’s C1-C5 Scratch race in a thrilling finale, on his way to claiming three gold medals. After his excellent 2022, which saw him claim four world titles on the road and the track, Graham will be hoping to carry that form into 2023.
Women’s Endurance
World Points Race champion Neah Evans will be aiming to retain her titles in the Individual Pursuit and Points Race. However, the Aberdeenshire native will come under strong opposition from Kate Richardson (Lifeplus Wahoo), who in only her second ever track event in 2022 came home with a bronze medal. A years’ more experience, which has seen the Alba RT alumnus excel both indoor and outdoor, will hopefully pay dividends over the weekend.
Sophie Lankford will head up the strong team from Alba Development RT, who will be looking to break their own Scottish record in the Team Pursuit on Saturday. Lankford will be joined by Beth Maciver, Eilidh Shaw and Evie White. Junior Isla McCutcheon (JRC-Interflon) will take to the start for her first senior championships at either Scottish or British level.
Men’s Endurance
Aero specialist Jonny Wale (Clancy Windows and Doors) will be aiming for success in the Kilometre and Individual Pursuit, where he’ll be joined by Michael Gill (Scotland) and Tim Shoreman (Wheelbase CabTech Castelli).
Scottish national Scratch Race champion Callum Twelves (Team Ohten Aveas) will look to add a British medal to his palmares.
There will be a first voyage in Wiv-Sungod kit for Scottish national Criterium champion Ross Birrell, as the Great Britain Academy rider moves to the professional ranks in 2023. While the junior quartet of Ahron Dick (The Cycling Academy), Callum Moir (Zappi RT) Elliot Rowe and Joe Cosgrove (both Anexo Group RT) have the added benefit of already having some elite racing in the legs, from the aforementioned Next Generation Track meet in Apeldoorn.
How to follow
Our friends at British Cycling will be able to bring you live coverage from the event through the British Cycling YouTube channel of certain sessions, failing that we’ll keep you up to date of all the goings-on via our social media channels @ScottishCycling
Schedule:
- Thursday: Closed qualifying session.
- Friday session 1 – 10:00 start: Women’s sprint, para-cycling sprint final, men’s individual pursuit, men’s team sprint, women’s individual pursuit.
- Friday session 2 – 19:00 start: Women’s individual pursuit final, men’s individual pursuit final, men’s team sprint final, women’s sprint final.
- Saturday session 1 – 9:00 start: Men’s sprint, women’s scratch race, men’s points race, women’s team pursuit final, para-cycling pursuit final, men’s kilo final.
- Saturday session 2 – 19:00 start: Men’s sprint final, women’s keirin final, women’s scratch race final, men’s points race final.
- Sunday session 1 – 8:30 start: Men’s team pursuit, women’s team sprint, women’s points race, men’s scratch race, para-cycling time-trial final.
- Sunday session 2 – 13:30 start: Women’s team sprint final, men’s keirin final, women’s 500m final, para-cycling scratch race final, men’s team pursuit final, women’s points race final, men’s scratch race final.
