Successful debut for circuit time trial

20 Apr 202621 Apr 2026Leave a comment

There were plenty of questions ahead of the first event. Would time trialling suit the circuit? Would riders enter? And could a 16km (10-mile) race be run safely on a 1km loop?

By the end of the evening, any doubts had disappeared. The event ran seamlessly, and feedback from riders was overwhelmingly positive

What’s more, half of the field was made up of women and girls, with a great cross-section of the cycling community represented.

The format proved simple to run, requiring only a small volunteer team, making it easily repeatable. Shorter race options also provide a strong entry point for riders new to time trialling.

Could events like this help revitalise time trialling in Scotland? With a safe, traffic-free venue, there’s real potential to introduce new riders to the sport and build a thriving time trialling community.

The event was pitched as a coached session with a short drill at the beginning of the evening followed by some coach-led racing which was timed using electronic chips. The format meant that anyone could take part, even if they’re not a member of a club or registered with British Cycling.

Organiser Matthew Ball said:

“I’m really pleased with how the event played out. It showed we can run a safe TT on the circuit, with no issues around overtaking or congestion.

“It didn’t require a great deal of work, and the volunteer team needed isn’t large, which makes the format easy to deliver again.”

Rider feedback included:

“It was a great first event – the system worked well and there was plenty of space on track.”

“Really straightforward from a logistics point of view, with no issues around overtaking at any stage.”

“A great format that worked really well on the circuit – just a shame about the headwind.”

A 5 race series is planned, so the next step is to build an organising committee to develop series.

Please email cyclecircuitwestlothian@gmail.com if you want to help out

Results

16-lap race

Geoff Martin – 00:24:18 (Course record for TT)
Stephen Miles – 00:25:49
Sarah McCormac – 00:25:54
Derek Simpson – 00:26:27
Karen Outram – 00:27:17
Danny Farrell – 00:28:00
Stephen Beecher – 00:28:20
Alex McDonald – 00:28:26
Alison Caldwell – 00:30:17
Alasdair Fulton – 00:31:41
Mike Thomas – 00:36:33

8-lap race

John-Michael Howison – 00:13:33
Jill McGilvery – 00:14:50
Aileigh Easton – 00:15:04
Iona McDonald – 00:15:24

3-lap race

Charlotte Kyles – 00:05:48
Esmeralda Sirey – 00:06:04

Thanks to everyone who came along to race and support the event – and especially to Colin Chisholm for timekeeping, and Scott at InView Images for the stunning photography.

“Mankind was not meant to have this much fun!”

18 Apr 202620 Apr 2026Leave a comment

As part of the build up to the TCI Friday race series a new handicap race format was piloted at the circuit.

Riders were split into 3 groups of equal ability with the fastest riders setting off first closely followed by the middle group and then the slowest group in a 30 minute race

We followed a format used by the Yomp Bonk Crew at the Brownlee circuit where the fast group is 2 laps behind the slow group, tweaked into two 30 minute races due to the shorter length of the West Lothian Cycle Circuit

Organiser Matthew Ball said “I wasn’t sure how the handicap would pan out but the three groups were well matched and the catch didn’t happen until the last 5 laps”

“The groups stayed together and it was exciting to watch, in the last race especially it didn’t look like the the fast group would make the junction”

“I had a team of experienced volunteers who made everything run smoothly. Hendrik understood the concept and was great at judging when to call 5 laps to go”

“There is space on the Friday calendar for two more handicaps this year so look out for the next on”

Feedback from the riders has been good:

“A cracking event, well done on a good format”

“It was the most exciting racing I’ve seen at the circuit”

“I don’t think mankind was meant to have this much fun”

Thank you to the racers who rode in the spirit of the event, it was an exciting race to watch seeing riders chasing down the groups ahead until the last!

A massive thanks to the volunteers, including Hendrik who officiated and the help and advice of Tarn and the rest of the Scottish Cycling events team

Terrific photos from Kris at Falkirk Photography, many thanks!

TT Series at the West Lothian Cycle Circuit – Public Meeting

21 Jan 202621 Apr 2026Leave a comment

Following a recent survey with an amazing 121 responses, it’s clear there’s an enthusiastic community keen to see time trials at the West Lothian Cycle Circuit — making the most of a safe, car-free facility with super-grippy tarmac.

We’re now holding a public meeting to share the survey results and outline an initial proposal for how a TT series could operate in 2026. It’s a chance to hear what’s planned, ask questions, and help iron out any issues.

📅 Friday 30th January
⏰ 7:00pm
📍 Online via zoom link

👉 Register via Eventbrite:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/tt-series-at-the-west-lothian-cycle-circuit-tickets-1980739133067?aff=oddtdtcreator

Please share with anyone connected to WLCCA or interested in circuit TTs.

Organising a race at the circuit is simple and it can bring real benefits to your club.

15 Sep 202515 Sep 2025Leave a comment

In 2025, the TCI Friday Race Series and the Richard Moore Youth Race Series showed just how successful, popular, and straightforward it is to run events at our world-class facility.

Looking ahead to 2026, we’re eager to expand the calendar with more adult weekend races and autumn events. With rider numbers growing and demand for racing at an all-time high, this is the perfect moment for more clubs to get involved.

By hosting a race, your club not only contributes to the growth of the sport but also enjoys the rewards of stronger community ties, new networks, and a real sense of achievement.

As Craig Duncan, organiser of this year’s L’Enfer Stage Race, put it:
“Organising at the circuit is simple, rewarding, and fun. It helps build skills, knowledge, friendships, and there’s a fantastic community to support you every step of the way.”

We’d love to see your club on the 2026 calendar. Why not take the next step and bring an event to life at the circuit?

Why it’s great for your club:

Visibility: Hosting a race raises your club’s profile and can attract new members.
Participation: Clubs that organise races often see more members entering events.
Strengthen bonds: Working together on an event builds a stronger, more connected club.
Grow the scene: Your event strengthens the Scottish cycling community.
Experience: Each race adds to your club’s skills and organisational knowledge.

Why it’s easier than you expect:

Proven framework: We provide a robust, easy-to-use risk assessment.
Manageable team size: Events run smoothly with just 12 volunteers, plus timing and comms and first aid
Minimal logistics: With fixed circuit parameters, the setup is straightforward.
Support available: If it’s your first time organising, we can guide you through the process.
Kit: everything you need to run an event is available to use like flags, high viz, tables and numbers, handbook template, costs spreadsheets
Support: Scottish cycling offer event support and are great to work with, especially the advice they offer.

Get in touch to start the conversation — we’d be delighted to work with you.

cyclecircuitwestlothian[AT]gmail.com

My enjoyment of the sport, has been amplified by the circuit, and the community and volunteers involved

19 Aug 2025Leave a comment

Stephen, left, at a Friday training session on the circuit

In the second in a series of interviews with folk who use the circuit, we chatted with Stephen Miles about his journey from runner to seasoned bike racer

I’ve always been an active person, primarily into running and tennis during my thirties, but as I approached the significant milestone of 40 years old, I really started feeling the effects of getting older. I was getting frequent minor injuries, and they were taking a frustratingly long time to heal. A PB in a 10k running race in October 2021 resulted in an immediate and fairly painful calf injury which would persist for some months.

In December 2021, a good friend suggested trying cycling. The last time I rode a bike was as a spotty teenager on a Raleigh BMX but his advice was that cycling might be good for my recovery, and so on a sunny blue-sky morning, on a borrowed 2000’s Trek road bike (full Postal Service livery, down shifters on the top tube) and my newly acquired cycling ‘haul’ from Amazon, we set out on my first road bike experience. What I discovered was a shocking lack of bike fitness and no muscle mass. I blew up on a climb in Balerno, and wobbled home, but was clearly and deeply entranced by the experience. A new love affair had started.

A few years on and the West Lothian Cycle Circuit now plays a huge part in my cycling story. The cycle circuit is just a short distance along the canal from my house, so I have been able to practice regularly in the safe environment, as well as gain skills from group riding with the West Lothian Clarion. With no real ambition, I started joining the weekly training sessions, including the Wednesday Chaingang, Friday Chaingang and my favourite early morning Russian Steps workout. These sessions allowed me to hugely improve my bike handling, my confidence, and more importantly my bike fitness, often training with much stronger riders.

It sort of seemed inevitable that having watched the success of the circuit, and some of the Criterium races in the first season, that racing became something I wanted to try my hand at – maybe I could sneak into the Vet 40 category or Category 4 races and see if I could compete? The bug bit pretty hard in 2024 and before I knew it, I was completely engrossed in the ‘scene’. I raced against riders of all ages, and as it turned out, managed to hold my own. At the end of the season I hadn’t managed to get enough points for a Category 3 promotion, but in many ways this only spurred me on. I was delighted, however, to get 3rd place overall in the TCI Friday race series at the circuit, my first prize for cycling.

In 2025 after a good winter, and confident of the gains, I stepped out for the West Lothian Grand Prix at the circuit. I have widened my ambitions and now take part in races at the Fife Circuit in Lochgelly, Carlisle Cycle Circuit, and Salt Ayre in Lancaster, building wider links amongst the crit racing community.

The season until now has been so much fun. Racing week in and week out at my home track, and gaining the confidence to travel further afield to compete. I’m delighted that my season goal of getting Category 3 licence has been achieved at the start of August, with a few months to spare, and there is no doubt that my growth on the bike, and my enjoyment of the sport, has been amplified by the circuit, and the community and volunteers involved.

As Autumn begins, this means just one thing – we must go again. This winter needs to yield another 20-25w gain so it’s back to the drawing board, back to the training plan, and back to improving the bike craft and racing tactics. Where better to do all those things than at the West Lothian Circuit, which is exactly what I plan to do. Bring on 2026.