Evans' Commonwealth hopes hit by illness

One of Scotland's biggest medal hopes for this summer's Commonwealth Games in Glasgow has revealed illness has hampered her preparations.

Track cyclist Neah Evans has won two Olympic silver medals, as well as multiple golds at world and European level, but is tempering her expectations for her next competition after a difficult build-up.

"If I had had the build up I wanted to then possibly I might have had one or two daydreams [of winning]," she said.

"At the moment my expectation is just being in good enough shape to put up a performance. Track cycling can be so unpredictable.

"I have had quite a lot of illness in the past year, so I am not in the form I would have hoped so that is a little bit disappointing and I have to adjust my expectations because of that."

The Aberdeenshire racer already has five Commonwealth Games medals to her name - three silver and two bronze.

"I am improving and so much better than I was this time last year but there is still a bit of a way to go.

"It is very difficult as an athlete, you see where you want to be and sometimes that is just not possible.

"Anyone who has ever had illness or injury knows it is not linear progression as much as you want it to be.

"You can go in to a race in the form of your life and come away with nothing and other times you can come in not in great shape but just have the tactically perfect race and come away on top.

"It is part of the beauty of track cycling and I am hoping that the latter comes in to play for me this time."

The Glasgow games marks a changing of the guard for Scottish cycling.

Track legend Katie Archibald won't be there having recently called time on her glittering career.

Another elite Scot, Jack Carlin, will be absent after he retired in October last year while 19-time world champion para-cyclist Neil Fachie has suggested the event could mark the end of his career on two wheels.

"I will doing everything in my power to be there but life can throw curveballs," Evans said of the Glasgow games.

"Katie [Archibald] was absolutely flying before the Paris Olympics and then had a freak accident just before, and that was it - no Olympics.

"At the moment I am on the right trajectory but freak accidents happen."

So how much thought has 35 year old Evans given to her own future in the sport?

"I think a lot depends on Glasgow itself, I have obviously got LA [2028 Olympics] at the back of my mind but I am aware, because I got in to cycling so late, I am an older athlete.

"The standard of cycling is always improving. While I am still competitive and enjoying it I will continue and when I decide I am not enjoying it I will go back to having a proper job.

"I am still very much enjoying it. The challenge of coming back from some time away has put a different spin on things and although it is pretty frustrating at times there is still enjoyment to be had."