Cycling: Skinner faces tough bid for Scottish crown

Capital cyclists will be out in force when the season’s remaining Scottish Track titles are decided at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome in Glasgow this weekend.

In the senior men’s sprint tomorrow, Callum Skinner will start as favourite to add the Scottish title to the British crown he won last month. However, he can expect a stern test from his City of Edinburgh colleagues, John Paul, Bruce Croall and Matt Haynes. All are also expected to challenge in the Keirin, which is one of four titles up for grabs tonight.

The women’s 500 metres time trial and Keirin feature Scotland’s top riders in the form of Commonwealth Games medallists Charline Joiner and Jenny Davis, their City of Edinburgh colleague Emma Baird, and Edinburgh Road Club’s World Masters champion Alison Chisholm.

With a poor entry in the junior women’s category, rising star Katie Archibald of Edinburgh Road Club will ride against the junior men, including her clubmate Hamish Carrick and Angus Gilies of Bicycleworks.

Skinner and Paul will also compete in a series of invitation international events that will feature Olympic and Paralympic medallist Craig MacLean. However, Hoy will not be competing on the track that bears his name.