Team GB cyclist Neah Evans feels in good shape ahead of the Track Nations Cup heading to Scotland next week.
Evans will return to Glasgow from April 21-24 for the UCI Track Nations Cup, where she will don the Great Britain jersey again alongside six fellow Scots.
Joining Evans in the squad is Forres’ Lauren Bell, who won two medals at the National Track Cycling Championships last month.
Evans had a nationals to remember herself. Golds in the individual pursuit, points race and madison alongside Laura Kenny, as well as silver in the omnium and bronze in the scratch race, have put her in ideal form.
“It’s my most successful nationals,” said Evans. “I was on the podium in every event and won three titles. I’m a bit disappointed with the omnium but we had just done a track camp beforehand. I felt in good shape but didn’t have anything left in the legs.
“I think I got a good winter base (of fitness) because I managed to get away quite a lot. I’ve got confidence that I’ve got a solid foundation there and I’ve been doing more top-end stuff, which has improved nicely.
“I’m optimistic the Nations Cup will go well. It’ll be a case of trying to get away with what I have done, knowing I’ve got a big gain to come before the Commonwealth Games.
“On paper we’ve got a strong squad. We’re coming at it from different directions; Katie (Archibald) and Josie (Knight) had injuries and Laura (Kenny) has had some time off. It could come together and go well.”
Cuminestown’s Evans has picked up where she left off last year. She won silver at the Tokyo Olympics, followed by winning gold at the Euros alongside Archibald and ended the year with two bronze medals at the World Championships.
Preparations are ultimately geared towards the Commonwealths this summer in Birmingham, with the track cycling being held at the Lee Valley in London. Evans won a silver and a bronze at the Gold Coast Games in 2018.
“Before Gold Coast I was much more of the thinking that if I got selected, it would be quite cool,” added Evans. “But now it’s much more ‘these are the performances I’m looking to give’.
“Rather than having a question mark over it, it’s more like ‘it is happening’, which is how I’m approaching it this time.
“It’s still going to be something special and assuming I get the official email, it will be confirmation that everything is going right.”
The Nations Cup will also give Evans a chance to get to know some of her potential Team Scotland colleagues, with some up-and-coming faces in the sprint squad.
Bell, a former Forres Academy pupil, won the keirin at the National Championships in 2020 and was invited to be part of the GB squad. She met the qualification standard for the Games at nationals, along with fellow Scots Lusia Steele and Iona Moir.
Hear from 2020 @HSBC_UK | National Track Championships women's keirin winner, Lauren Bell 🎥⬇️#TrackChamps pic.twitter.com/WKtMsNdcOa
— British Cycling (@BritishCycling) January 25, 2020
“There’s quite a few young Scottish riders coming through,” said Evans. “It’s quite an exciting squad when you’re looking ahead to the Commonwealth Games and what that means.
“We don’t tend to cross paths with the sprinters (Evans is on the endurance squad) but this is a good chance to get to know them.”
