The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Dundonian’s ‘amazing’ Gold Coast Games ride wowed Sir Chris Hoy
CYCLING: Stewart’s maiden major title success caught the eye of Scottish sporting legend who is Silverstone-bound after switching from four wheels to two...
Mark Stewart produced the ride of his career to take points race gold at the Commonwealth Games in April – and cycling legend Sir Chris Hoy believes the Dundonian’s performance was the best the velodrome saw on the Gold Coast.
Stewart went hell for leather in the points race as he dug deep to record the result of his life in the and round off a magnificent Games for Scotland.
Hoy is no stranger to the podium himself having claimed six Olympic and 11 world titles throughout a glittering career.
And he heaped praise on Stewart’s display as he secured the first major competition title to cement his burgeoning reputation.
“For me, the ride of the championship was Mark Stewart in the points race,” said 42-year-old Hoy, who retired from cycling in 2013.
“It was just amazing the way he took on Cameron Meyer, the home favourite, multiple world champion and probably the greatest male track endurance rider in a generation, and beat him on his own track.
“What he put himself through to get to that point as well – he gained a lap early on and you could see he was suffering the whole way.
“When he finished, you could see the pain on his face and you could see what it meant to him on the podium as well. It was a great championship for the Scottish team.”
Hoy won two Commonwealth Games titles himself – the kilometre time trial in Manchester in 2002 and the team sprint with Scotland four years later in Melbourne.
And despite his vast wealth of silverware, these are the only two occasions where he has heard the Flower of Scotland piped through the sound system as opposed to the anthem of Great Britain.
That honour, says Hoy, made those victories extra special and will have meant the world to Stewart and other Scottish Commonwealth champions.
“The Commonwealth Games is the only chance to wear the Scottish jersey and hear the Scottish national anthem on the podium,” added Hoy.
“I only heard it twice in my whole career, so for me it was really special. I think for all the home nations athletes, when they pull on their home nation’s jersey it’s special if you’re playing in any sport, whether that’s hockey, netball or whatever.
“If you get to play for your home nation a lot, maybe it’s not such a novelty, but for us it was unique and for that reason it was incredibly special.”
Cyclists trembled at the sight of Hoy lining up against them in a velodrome but these days he is relishing his career racing on four wheels as opposed to two.
Hoy has always been an avid lover of motorsport and since retiring from cycling in 2013, the Edinburgh athlete has raced Le Mans among other races and will be appearing at this year’s Silverstone Classic.
He has been driving racing cars for about 10 years and is set to race in endurance events at the world’s biggest motor show.
And Hoy has urged anyone, racing fans or otherwise, to make the trip to the home of British motorsport from July 20 to 22 and soak in the carnival atmosphere that celebrates all thing historic cars.
“This will be my first Silverstone Classic,” said Hoy.
“Obviously I’ve seen it many times on the telly, but I’ve never been down in person.
“I’ve been to Goodwood and raced there a number of times and everybody always raves about the Silverstone Classic and saying you’ve got to go there.
“You get to just wonder around the paddocks and see the cars up close. You get to see them, smell them, hear them and chat to the drivers, hear their stories and it’s obviously a great circuit too at Silverstone.
“I’m just looking forward to being down here and sampling the atmosphere.”
This year’s Silverstone Classic celebrates the 70th anniversary of the Formula 1 Grand Prix taking place at Silverstone and the 60th anniversary of the British Touring Car Championship, while there will also be the Daytona at Dusk exhibition of endurance racing on the Saturday.
Thousands are expected to descend on the home of British motorsport for the cream of historic racing action, including Formula 1, sports, GT and touring cars and unrivalled fan access to paddocks.
Silverstone Classic (July 20-22) tickets are available atsilverstoneclassic.com