ALASDAIR

MACLENNAN

ALASDAIR

MACLENNAN

PRESIDENT

When I first joined the Scottish Cyclists Union, over forty years ago, I could never have imagined that Scottish Cycling would be in the position it is in today. Scottish Cycling’s recent history is full of success, and it has been a tremendous honour to lead our organisation through those successes.

Four years ago, the Scottish Cyclists Union unanimously elected me President. In doing so, you placed your trust in me to drive our great organisation forward to success. I now humbly ask for your trust again, in re-electing me President of Scottish Cycling.

For six years, I have been responsible for the SIR CHRIS HOY VELODROME and CATHKIN BRAES MOUNTAIN BIKING COURSE Steering Groups from their inception - from

the very first meeting, to completion, and commissioning. Scotland has, for the very first time, a world class indoor velodrome, as well as the world’s first professional standard urban mountain biking course, of which we can all be proud.

I designed the route for both the COMMONWEALTH GAMES ROAD RACE AND TIME TRIAL, lobbying Glasgow City Council to ensure the courses are concentrated in the City Centre. I am confident that our Commonwealth Games competitions will be a success, which will showcase our sport and Scottish Cycling to the world in 2014.

I led the drive to bring the NATIONAL ROAD RACE AND TIME TRIAL CHAMPIONSHIPS to the West of Scotland this year. These were an outstanding success both for Scotland, and Scottish Cycling.

I planned and led the bid for the Junior Worlds Track Championships. This was against the wishes of British Cycling, who were opposed hosting the Junior Worlds because it did not fit their major events strategy. Through my years of experience with UCI - and my many contacts - I negotiated a compromise with UCI and British Cycling, and delivered the MOST SUCCESSFUL JUNIOR WORLDS EVER.

When I was elected President, Scottish Cycling was on the brink of bankruptcy. I have steered our organisation through a very turbulent period to where we are today. I am proud to say that we are now AN ORGANISATION WITH A STRUCTURE THAT IS FIT FOR PURPOSE. However, we have only reached this point in the past few months, and we need to let it mature. What we need now is consolidation, continuity, and stability.

BUILDING ON OUR ACHIEVEMENTS.

Scottish Cycling is a clubs led organisation. Cycling Clubs provide the

backbone for Scottish Cycling. It is therefore right and proper that clubs remain the core constituency of Scottish Cycling. However, I firmly believe that in order for our organisation to continue to grow, affiliated members must also have a voice. I propose a new forum for members held every second year, and all affiliated members of Scottish Cycling will have their say. The Scottish Cycling Congress will not be a talking shop. This will be a real body, with a real voice. I will bring a motion before the Board of Directors, and then the Annual General Meeting, to amend our Articles of Association to ensure that the Congress has the power to pass motions, guide policy, and hold the Board to account.

Our events schedule in Scotland has never been so full, and I want to see that continue to grow after the Commonwealth Games in 2014. As a life-

long volunteer in Scottish Cycling, I believe volunteering is central to the everything we do. We cannot have an expansion of our events programme without the engagement of volunteers. The role of Scottish Cycling is to encourage and reward volunteers, by ensuring they have tools and skills to

make a real difference. We also must ensure volunteers have back-up in order to reduce the burden on them. We are working closely with British Cycling to offer these services online to our members. I believe Scotland is on the cusp of being recognised as of the world’s great cycling nations, hosting a plethera of world class events. Our volunteers will be crucial in ensuring we can continue to host world class events throughout Scotland.

“I PROPOSE A BIENNIAL

SCOTTISH CYCLING CONGRESS,

SO THAT ALL AFFILIATED

MEMBERS CAN HAVE THEIR SAY.”

“WE HAVE GOT TO

GET OUR EVENTS

AND VOLUNTEERS

STRATEGY RIGHT.”

Scottish Cycling is already enjoying a legacy from the Commonwealth Games, with our fantastic new facilities at the Chris Hoy Velodrome and Cathkin Braes. Alongside our world class facilities at Fort William, Innerleithen, and other existing facilities throughout Scotland, the opportunities available to us have never been better. However, we can still do so much more. I will continue to fight for development of CLOSED ROAD CIRCUITS, OFF

ROAD COURSES, HARD TRACKS, and BMX TRACKS. In particular, Local Government policies over the past two decades have resulted in a diminution in off-road coarses in council-owned parks. I have been in discussion with senior politicians around the country about bringing cyclists back into public parks. I will work tirelessly to ensure that all Scottish Cycling Clubs have access to the very best facilities.

External engagement is crucial to the continued growth of our sport. My years of experience working with National Governing Bodies, the UCI, the Commonwealth Games

Federation, the International Olympic Association, and other external agencies has allowed me to lobby hard in Scottish Cycling’s favour. I have built-up strong working relationships with Ministers in both the Scottish and UK Governments; with Council Leaders and officials; as well as with other key stakeholders such as Sport Scotland, the Commonwealth Games Council for Scotland, and Event Scotland, to name but a few. I am also the first member of Scottish Cycling to represent British Cycling at UCI Congress in over 20 years. These relationships will be crucial in ensuring that the support we are receiving in the run-up to 2014 endures for years to come. To that end, I will continue to lobby hard in the fulfillment of our common goals.

“THE RELATIONSHIPS

THAT I HAVE BUILT

WITH STAKEHOLDERS

ARE CRUCIAL TO

ENSURING THE

CONTINUED GROWTH

OF OUR SPORT.”

“THE DEVELOPMENT

OF FACILITIES WILL

ENSURE THAT WE ARE AN

ORGANISATION FOR ALL

SCOTTISH CYCLISTS.”

ALASDAIR

MACLENNAN

ALASDAIR

MACLENNAN

PRESIDENT

BUILDING ON OUR ACHIEVEMENTS.

My parents were life-long members of FORRES

CYCLING CLUB, which I joined when I was 7. I JOINED THE

SCOTTISH CYCLISTS UNION IN 1967, 46 years ago! As a member of Forres Cycling Club, I rode for Scotland as a schoolboy, and a junior.

Shortly after starting University I gained my first experience of club level organisation, as a FOUNDER MEMBER OF STRATHCLYDE UNIVERSITY CYCLING CLUB in 1975. While in Glasgow I joined the IVY CYCLING CLUB as they were one of the top racing clubs in the country. That’s when I really stared to learn the complexities of international bike racing. After graduating I was appointed SCOTTISH JUNIOR MANAGER operating an extensive programme throughout the UK and Ireland, including the COMMONWEALTH GAMES IN

EDINBURGH. As a member of the Ivy I ORGANISED THE TEST EVENT FOR THE 1986

COMMONWEALTH GAMES - somewhat apt, given that I would perform the same role 28 years later!

In 1989 I was appointed to the full-time post of NATIONAL TEAM DIRECTOR

FOR IRISH CYCLING. I went on to lead the riders to victory in The Tour Of Britain, Ras, Northern Ireland Milk Race, as well as stages in the Tour of Langkawi, Ruban, Regioni, and Commonweath Bank Classic. I also managed Team Ireland at the 1992 BARCELONA OLYMPIC GAMES, and 1996

ATLANTA OLYMPICS, as well as 19 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS. Like Scotland, Ireland is a small nation - in cycling terms - yet under my management we managed to punch well above out weight.

After the Olympics in 1996 I returned to Scotland with my family, and in 2000 I was invited to take up a new post as Team Manager for the 2002

COMMONWEALTH GAMES IN MANCHESTER, where the seeds of our contemprary success were well and truly sown. I managed Team Scotland at MELBOURNE

2006 and again at DELHI 2010 - leading Scotland to win 3 GOLD MEDALS, 2

SILVER, and 6 BRONZE, so far...

In 2007 I was elected to the BOARD OF SCOTTISH CYCLING, on which I have served continuously ever since. In 2009 I was unanimously elected PRESIDENT OF SCOTTISH CYCLING. Last year, I was also elected to the BOARD

OF BRITISH CYCLING, and was appointed chair of both the GRAVITY and ENDURANCE MTB COMMISSIONS.

COMPETING FOR SCOTLAND AS A JUNIOR

ESCA SCHOOLBOY INTERNATIONAL, SKEGNESS

COMPETING FOR THE IVY

WORLD TRACK CYCLING CHAMPIONSHIPS, SICILY

LAUNCHING THE BRITISH NATIONAL ROADRACE

CHAMPIONSHIPS, GLASGOW

1979

1993

2013

1972