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Now the Olympics and Paralympics are out of the way, the PR build up for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow is starting in earnest.
Great Britain’s most successful Olympian Sir Chris Hoy and street trials rider and YouTube sensation Danny MacAskill have been drafted in for the build up, the duo creating a one-off film to help promote the countdown to the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. Sadly we’ve got to wait a few more days until the film premieres, on Monday October 15th.
The short film – ‘Cycling is Our Sport’ – provides a number of firsts: It was the first time the two Scottish bike icons had met, the first official visit and inaugural track ride by Sir Chris on the velodrome that bears his name, and the first time MacAskill had ever ridden in a velodrome and on a track bike.
The velodrome in Glasgow’s east end will cater for urban and track cycling before the Games in 2014 and is already open for the public to use.
Sir Chris Hoy enthused: "Having the opportunity to film with Danny was brilliant. It was amazing to watch him negotiate the bollards, walls and handrails on his bike. He’s incredible and he’s got so much skill. He can turn a fairly mundane object on the street into something interesting and it’s not just the skill it’s the bravery of what he can do.
"Seeing it first hand was phenomenal. The filming was my first role as an official Glasgow 2014 Ambassador and it was the perfect opportunity to showcase the Games and the velodrome to a young, online audience."
Danny MacAskill added: "I’ve never ridden a velodrome before and it was just incredible, I feel very lucky. All the time when I’m following Sir Chris around the track I’m just thinking to myself ‘How have I ended up here?! This is incredible – just amazing!
"It was sensational for me to be out and about riding the new obstacles outside the velodrome and to do it in front of Sir Chris was awesome. Sir Chris is just a legend and having the opportunity to work with him was quite a surreal experience, and to be honest one I’ll never forget."
Director Stu Thomson produced the one-off film, a long-term collaborator with Danny MacAskill and an ex-prog MTB rider.
On Monday the footage will be released exclusively online www.glasgow2014.com/velodrome. You’ll need to register in advance, apparently, to view it.
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