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Stars of British Cycling set sights on Glasgow 2018
The European Championships will take place in August 2018.
The 2017 UEC Track Cycling European Championships took place in Berlin last month with 10 European countries winning gold, including three titles for Great Britain’s 18-strong team.
Scottish rider Katie Archibald proved to be star of the show after bagging two gold medals, including the defence of her European omnium title.
There was glory also for champions Elinor Barker and Ellie Dickinson, who, after a brilliant push on the final sprint, claimed gold in the madison on the final day of the event.
It was a second triumph for Barker, who also took team pursuit silver as part of a British quartet.
After a packed schedule of competition in Germany’s capital, attention now shifts to the Glasgow 2018 European Championships, when the continent’s top competitors will attempt to write their names in cycling history on Scottish soil.
The Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome will again be in the spotlight next summer, as it hosts the best in the sport when they compete for the right to call themselves champions. You can secure your tickets here.
Looking ahead to the new multi-sport spectacle, Andy Tennant, who won team pursuit gold at last year’s UCI Track Cycling World Cup in Glasgow, said: “I think it’ll be a fantastic event. The multi-sport events are always good because you can watch other events and it creates a whole festival of sport.
“I think the crowd really get behind it. When there’s big build-up, everyone brings the party atmosphere.”
Paisley cyclist Jack Carlin added: “I’m very excited. I think as a nation, to be hosting this multi-sport event – not just a single event – is a big step forward. Especially coming off the back of the Commonwealth Games which had so much success in bringing people into the sport. Hopefully the crowds will be just as loud as they were when the World Cup came to Glasgow last year.
“It will have an Olympic Games or a Commonwealth Games feel to it and it will help athletes get into the mind-set for 2020. That experience of understanding the difference with a multi-sport event will be invaluable.
“If you’ve never seen a velodrome before, the television doesn’t do it justice. I’ve known people who have come along just to see what it’s all about and have left absolutely hooked on track cycling. It’s something that I’d suggest everyone should take part in, especially to bring kids along and get them inspired.
“Cycling is an up-and-coming sport and one of the leading ones in terms of growth. The more people we can get it into it the better, especially in the West of Scotland region where football is so dominant, different sporting cultures is something we should be encouraging.”
Olympic champion Katy Marchant can’t wait to experience the atmosphere the Championships will bring, saying: “It’ll be something completely different. I think it’s fantastic and it’s a great opportunity to get with other sports to create that ‘games atmosphere’. I think it’ll be an exciting time for sport.
“Our events run solely on adrenaline and speed so it’s really nice to see people with the Great Britain flags and hear people shouting your name. That always gives us a massive boost. I know I always go faster when I get that boost.
“To be able to have breakfast with people from other sports and see share our experiences with people from different sports is something that’s important. It gives a great morale to the whole Great Britain team, not just cycling.”
Encouraging people to get their tickets for next summer – whether they’re a cycling fan or not – Welsh rider Manon Lloyd said: “Definitely do it, it’ll definitely be worth it. There’s something for everyone. For little kids, just inspiring them to get on bikes, it will motivate them to get on, or if you just want to go for the social side it’s a really good atmosphere, so just pop along.
“Just having a home event is going to be fantastic because you know the crowd is going to be amazing, wherever it is in the UK. There just seems to be really good crowds. Especially in Glasgow, after last year, I think everybody will want to come back and watch again.
“We don’t have the chance to be involved in a lot of multi-sport [events] apart from the Commonwealth Games and Olympics, which I’ve never been to, so to have that in Glasgow next year will be nice.”
Tickets for Glasgow 2018 are available now through Ticketmaster.co.uk.
