2006 Braveheart Cyclist of the Year Kate Cullen (Image credit: Alan Miller)
Twenty-seven Scottish cyclists will receive funding of £37,000 from the Braveheart Cycling Fund in 2007. It is the largest number of athletes ever to be supported by the fund, which is in its fourth year. Between them, they will also receive a higher level of support than the fund has been able to provide in previous seasons.
The youngest funded rider is 12 year-old Kyle Yates, with 29 year-old Commonwealth bronze medallist Kate Cullen the most senior. Apart from Cullen, all other funded athletes are under 25. With a higher proportion of the funding directed at younger athletes, a new initiative for 2007 is the Braveheart Juniors. Five of the 'Braveheart Juniors' will be based in Belgium for much of the season, with the fund contributing to their accommodation and living costs, as well as travel, coaching and an intensive racing programme.
In a new three-tier funding structure, nine riders are fully funded; seven are named in the 'Braveheart Juniors' squad; and eleven are in the Braveheart Academy.
The fund was established in 2003 by former British champion and Giro d'Italia rider Brian Smith. In a ten-year professional career Smith was a Motorola team mate of Lance Armstrong in 1994. Smith explained, "The fund was set up to help young Scottish cyclists to fulfil their ambition, with an emphasis on assisting them to train and race abroad.
"It is our goal to support talented young cyclists who are aiming for a career with a professional continental road team; we also support track cyclists and mountain bikers who are aiming for the Olympics and world championships in their disciplines."
Smith added that the fund's focus in 2007 is increasingly on youth riders. "The fund was not established to give riders long-term financial assistance. Our role is to help them progress to the next level, and that means a professional career.
"For 2007 we are increasing our level of support for young Scottish riders, among whom are some very talented male and female prospects. If they can show the commitment and dedication that is needed then I feel that some of them could go on to professional careers, riding the Tour de France and Olympics. ... It is particularly encouraging to see a number of young female riders emerging. They have a fantastic British role model in Nicole Cooke [of Wales] who is ranked number one in the world."
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In 2007 the Braveheart fund has also managed to secure sponsorship for equipment to the value of £4,000 from Evans Cycles and £2,000 from Science in Sport (SIS).
2007 funded riders: Fully funded: Kate Cullen (29 years-old), track, Ross Creber (18), mountain bike, Alex Coutts (23), road, Evan Oliphant (24), road, Kevin Barclay (18), road/track, David Smith (23), road, Hamish Creber (16), mountain bike, Joe Barnes (18), mountain bike, and Chris Hutchens (17), mountain bike.
Braveheart Juniors: Shane Charlton (17), track, Ross Yates (16), road, Tom Dempster (16), road, Peter Ettles (17), road, Andrew Whitehall (17), road, Eileen Roe (17), road, and Daisy Sherwood (16), road.
Braveheart Academy: Magnus Davidson (15), Calum McLean (15), Kyle Yates (12), Aaron Murray (15), Craig Martin (14), Kevin Stewart (15), Ewan Clark (15), Kenta Gallagher (14), Mark Sinclair (14), Patrick Galbraith (13) and Kayleigh Brogan (14).
