Veteran Moray cyclist to be recognised in the Scottish Parliament for British medal

Veteran Moray cyclist to be recognised in the Scottish Parliament for British medal

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A 70 year old Moray cyclist is to be recognised in the Scottish Parliament after success at the British Master Track Championships earlier this month.

George Grant of Forres CC, won a silver medal in the points race in the 70-74 age category at the velodrome in Newport, Wales.

MSP David Stewart, Highland and Islands, has tabled a motion in Holyrood to congratulate Mr Grant on the result.

George has been riding on the track for seven years now after he went on a trip to the Manchester velodrome; he has since made the trip to Manchester and Newport, and more latterly the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome in Glasgow to train once a month.

On a bus on his way to Paris to watch the final day of the Tour de France, George spoke to Scottish Cycling and said he never went to the British Masters with the view of gaining a medal win:

“I just turned 70 this year so I had just moved up an age category – this actually meant I was the baby of the competitors! It was unbelievable to get on the podium – when I phoned home to tell everyone, they were really chuffed for me.”

George was shocked to hear that his success was to be mentioned in the Scottish Parliament, and wants to keep cycling on the track with no view to stopping.

“When I first had a shot of riding on a track it took me a while to get the confidence to go up to the top line on the velodrome – however by the end of the four hour session they had to drag me off the track – I just absolutely loved it.”

“I hope plans to build an Inverness velodrome go ahead – this would mean I wouldn’t have to travel as far and would be able to train on the track every week as opposed to once a month. It would be great for everyone up north in the Highlands and Islands and Moray to have a velodrome!”

John MacMillan, ex-president of Scottish Cycling and current Scottish Cycling commission member said the win and recognition for George is well deserved.

“It would be fair to say that over all the years George has raced, he was never really in the prizes, yet some very focussed training over the last 5 or 6 years in a discipline where the geographical challenges have been so great, has resulted in this superb result.”