Evans seeks Glasgow glory after 2014 Games inspiration

Yahoo

19-03-2025

Neah Evans says it would be "incredible" to go for gold at next year's Glasgow Commonwealth Games since she is "part of the legacy" of the 2014 event in the city.
The 34-year-old two-time Olympic silver medallist has enjoyed a glittering career on the cycling track, winning a raft of major medals at World, European and Commonwealth level.
She claimed silver at Tokyo 2020 as part of the women's team pursuit and the same medal four years later alongside Elinor Barker in the women's madison.
Evans did not take the sport up full time until 2017 but says what happened in Glasgow three years earlier was pivotal to her journey.
"When we have got major championships a lot of things get bandied about like legacy and inspiring other people and I always find them a bit like buzzwords," she explained.
"But realistically I would never have got into track cycling if it hadn't been for the Commonwealth Games in 2014.
"They built the Sir Chris Hoy velodrome and that's where I first did my track accreditation - I did a taster session.
"When I went to it, I was very much not a cyclist. I had never been on a fixed-gear bike, I had never had clip-in pedals, never been inside a velodrome. So I am part of the legacy of the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
"To go back and race it 12 years later, it would be absolutely incredible to come away with a gold medal. I know it is going to be difficult, the track events are very hotly contested, but it is a major target for me next season."
This year, however, the Aberdeenshire racer will concentrate on the road to "move out of her comfort zone a little bit".
Riding for the Handsling Alba Development Team, Evans - the daughter of Ros, who represented Team GB at the 1984 Winter Olympics at cross-country skiing - hopes to scratch what she admits is a competitive itch.
Evans explains that British Cycling tends to focus on developing younger riders after an Olympic cycle, so she will not get the same number of opportunities on the track.
"So it made perfect sense to challenge myself and really focus on the road, which I have never actually done," she added.
"Although I have done a few road races over the years, it has never been a target, it has never been what I have trained for and there has always been this unknown of 'what could I do?' because I picked up one or two results along the way.
"I do believe there is potential to be successful. It is quite a big ask, but it is nice to have a different challenge, it is going to keep things fresh.
"It's a bit of a no-lose situation because I do have the spot with British Cycling. If it doesn't succeed then it has been a fun year and I go back to the track.
"If it does work wonderfully well then I will have a rethink and decide how I am going to juggle road racing and track racing."