Chris Hoy praises Scottish cyclists but says ‘improvements’ needed for Team GB to dominate in Paris

Chris Hoy lauded the Scottish cycling team for their Commonwealth Games medal haul, but warned “you would like to see some improvements coming soon from the British team” ahead of the Paris Olympics.

Team Scotland picked up 11 medals on the bike in Birmingham – with gold for Neil Fachie and his pilot Lewis Stewart in the para-cycling 1000m time trial – as well as six silver and four bronze.

Hoy, who won six Olympic gold medals during his career, was full of praise for the Scottish riders and picked out a number of potential medallists for Paris 2024.

“There’s so much talent in the Scottish team, and it’s not just in one or two events,” National Lottery ambassador Hoy told the PA news agency.

“It’s across the board, and you see that with the Commonwealth Games, the number of medals Scotland won in different events.

“Even Finn Crockett in the road race, a bronze medal against a properly impressive men’s road race field, it was a really outstanding performance from him.

“I think Jack Carlin is a massive potential medallist – he’s been a silver medallist now in the Olympics, at the World Championships, at the Commonwealth Games for two Games in a row.

“He’s desperate to win that first gold medal, so there’s nobody more motivated than Jack.

“But I think the big question is whether Katie Archibald is going to be back at full fitness. She’s had a really tough year this year, so we’re hoping that she can bounce back, we know what she’s capable of.

“There’s plenty more massive performances in her legs to come hopefully, so I think Katie will be a potential star for the women’s endurance squad.”

With two years to go until the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games in France’s capital, Hoy encouraged some prospective Team GB riders to improve.

England managed just two gold medals at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

“There are certain riders who will be looking to raise their game I would say who maybe aren’t performing as well as they would hope right now,” said Hoy.

“You’ve also got young riders coming through who are just showing the first signs of potential, potentially for Paris in two years time.

“Short answer is there’s no time for panic right now, but certainly you would like to see some improvements coming soon from the British team if they are going to be the dominant force we’ve become used to seeing at the Olympic Games.”

Hoy was speaking as part of the National Lottery’s effort to get people to visit their local parkrun, having potentially been inspired to get active by events such as the Commonwealth Games and England’s Euro 2022 victory.

Parkrun is the UK’s biggest mass participation community event and has received more than £3.6m in National Lottery funding.

“It’s been an incredible summer of sport and we have seen more role models created from medallists at the Commonwealth Games and the Lionesses at this year’s Euros,” said Hoy.

“We all need to do all we can to encourage children to be more active – every week parkrun, which has had £3.6m of investment from The National Lottery, provides a brilliant opportunity for kids to get active in the great outdoors – and parents and families to take part with them.”