After 10 years on the Scottish Cycling board, four as President, Tom Bishop has called time on this chapter of his cycling journey.
Tom, who has recently taken up the role of Road Contract Manager at the UCI 2023 Cycling World Championships, served as President from 2018 – 2021, the pinnacle of his decade supporting Scottish Cycling’s growth.
“When I first came in on the board it was a very different landscape”, says Tom.
“I’ve seen a lot of changes over the last decade and have been proud to play my part. But I have to say, as I step aside, I leave behind the strongest and largest Scottish Cycling team I’ve seen – and the workforce is both younger and more diverse. I really think we’re in a great place.”
Whilst the role of President, the figurehead for the organisation, is a privilege and an honour, it is what he was able to contribute across his decade of direct involvement that Tom kept coming back to when we looked back over the last 10 years. In truth, you would expect nothing more from the Dunfermline Cycling Club stalwart, who will continue to give back to our community as a key club figure, event organiser and rider.
“For me it’s always been about the people and the clubs, and I wouldn’t have put in the time and effort I have done if it wasn’t for them. I get a lot out of seeing people do things that they didn’t think they could do. The Glasgow Track League is a great example – at the outset we were basically running it all, but now it’s in the hands of the community in the west, which is a shining example of what can happen when passionate people work together.
“For me, the bike has the capacity to change lives – it’s so metaphoric in terms of the journey it takes you on – both physically, but also in life.”
2018 was a pretty special year for cycling in Scotland, with the European Championships coming to town, but prior to that is what happened down under, and the subsequent accolades, that Tom remembers fondly.
“I am very proud to have been involved, even in a tiny way, in the Scottish success on the Gold Coast, something that didn’t happen overnight. We went into the Commonwealth Games with a target of four medals, and the Scottish athletes delivered 10, four of them gold! Fast forward six months, and with those European Championships also a success, we were voted Governing Body of the Year; that was unthinkable when I joined the Board of Scottish Cycling, given we had some critical governance issues, which as the Governance Lead I was heavily involved in resolving! It was a proud moment for many of us.”
But pushed for a single highlight, Bishop recalled:
“Seeing Scotland on the world stage and being part of that. I again think back to 2018 and the European Champs, where practically all of the cabinet from Scottish Government were at the velodrome – that was a big moment where it felt like the government really understood the power of cycling.
“And now look where we are with a World Champs next year!”
So what of his new role working on the 2023 Worlds?
“It’s really exciting but there is a lot of work to do – I’m just excited to be involved. My role involves working with councils to help them prepare for the events that will be coming through their areas, be that the Gran Fondo, Time Trial, Para-Cycling or Road events.”
Whilst we know Tom will still be a key voice and supporter in our community, Scottish Cycling would like to thank him for his contributions over the last decade, one where the organisation has flourished.
Whilst Tom is stepping aside, we are delighted to have Barry Edmondson joining us, taking up the role as Chair of our Mountain Bike Committee, having been co-opted to represent DMBinS, alongside Graeme McLean.
