By Paul Cooper

Upcoming Scottish cyclists Eilidh and Struan Shaw recently took time out of their schedules to talk to students about the challenges they face as they pursue their cycling dreams.

The siblings handled questions brilliantly and look to have an exciting future ahead in road racing. Eilidh has just signed her first professional contract with the UAE development team and Struan now also has his eyes on that prize.

Eilidh said: “The contract was something that i’ve wanted like my whole life, it all came at once and yeah, super happy.”

Struan had this to say: “To fight for a pro contract is one of the hardest things, but once you’ve got it thats you made it, I’m hopefully on track to getting it.”

Eilidh has shown remarkable will power to put a devastating 2023 behind her, when she was forced out of action for most of the year, battling iliac artery endofibrosis.

She has come back blazing in 2024, going from strength to strength, following up her wins in the National Road Series and Criterium Circuit Series with the contract offer and it seems now the sky’s the limit for the talented youngster.

Eilidh continued: “If I didn’t get that fixed I wasn’t going to be back cycling, so it was an all or nothing, I just wanted to go full gas into the next season and prove it could be done.”

“I’d been in it for so long and wanted something out of it in the end, I think that’s what drove me on to make this season really count.”

“After one goal you just go onto the next goal and it’s only really been in my off season when i’ve had time to reflect and go wow, like that was really, really good this year.”

In comparison, Struan has been living in the shadow of his big sister with her recent conquests, but that might not be for long with his determination evident for all to see.

He said: “I’ve been racing around Britain quite a lot, couple of top 15’s in Britain and i’ve been abroad a few times.”

“Over in Europe it’s a lot bigger, competition levels are a lot higher, so it’s really hard to get results over there, but my team has been top ten a few times, so we’re quite happy.”

Both hinted that Scottish Cycling could be doing with more coverage in the media to make the sport more popular with other young cyclists.

Struan maintained: “It’s hard for youths to get into cycling, it’s not classed as a cool sport I’d say, it’s not your football so people don’t get brought into as easy.”

Eilidh said: “I think the coverage now in female sport in Britain has got better, we do have motorbikes filming our races in the UK, in Europe it’s all getting better, but yeah, I think it needs a little bit more.”

So who’ll be the first to shine on the World cycling stage for Scotland, Eilidh or Struan? …don’t ask either of them!