Cycling: Capital boost for Edinburgh club

CYCLISTS at the City of Edinburgh club are celebrating a sponsorship deal that will help fund their racing programme in 2010, writes COLIN RENTON.

The backing, worth around 5000 per year for an indefinite period, will help riders compete at events south of the Border as they bid for places in the Scotland squad for the Commonwealth Games in Delhi next October.

The support has come from Dundee-based pipework and fabrication company Riverside Engineering Services Ltd, whose managing director Gary Mitchelson was a member of the club from 1983 to 1987.

"By proudly sponsoring the City of Edinburgh Racing Club, the company policy of developing talent will be spread into Scottish sport," said Mitchelson.

Members of the club, including four-time Olympic champion Sir Chris Hoy, have won 84 British track titles since 1982 and will bid to boost that tally in Manchester next month.

"This is welcome and much needed financial support for the club," said club president Brian Annable.

Meanwhile, Lothians rider Pippa Handley continued her fine end-of-season form with a podium place in Germany. The Edinburgh RC member who is currently racing for the Dutch outfit Tubanters, was third at the Indeland Radsporttag in Eschweiler, behind two German riders.