A Strathpeffer cyclist has been answering school pupils questions ahead of his Tour of Britain debut this weekend.
Finn Crockett took part in the Q&A event at Inverurie Academy on Friday afternoon to inspire north-east youngsters.
The 23-year-old spoke about his successful season so far and how his 2022 race bike assisted him in winning several large races – including taking home a bronze medal from the Commonwealth Games last month.
“Going into these schools is really important,” he said. “I remember when I was a kid having guest speakers come in to talk about their experiences, I found that more relatable than reading a textbook.
“I’m always keen to promote cycling and sport, and hopefully they can get a little bit of inspiration from what I’ve done.”
Inspiring youngsters
Today’s event was part of the Cycle Aberdeenshire programme and was attended by senior pupils who are studying a science subject or physical education.
Live Life Aberdeenshire has organised a number of events in the lead up to the first stage of the competition which starts in Aberdeen.
The Q&A also focused on STEM subjects and how they tie in to the world of sport.
“Hopefully there’s something they can relate to,” Mr Crockett continued. “It’s not east being an athlete in the north-east of Scotland, there’s a lot of travelling and a lot of commitment involved, so I guess I’m just showing that it is possible.
“It was good, we touched on a lot of different areas, from balancing university and cycling, to talking about the event coming up on Sunday. I hope they enjoyed it.”
Team England cyclist Dan Bingham also joined the Q&A virtually to discuss his STEM work within professional cycling.
He has worked to advance the understanding of aerodynamics across both Olympic and World Tour levels.
Preparing for Tour of Britain
On Sunday, Mr Crockett and the rest of the Ribble Weldtite team will embark on the first stage of the Tour of Britain race.
The race will begin on Union Street, then cover Inverurie, Alford and Ballater before finishing at Glenshee Ski Centre in the Cairngorms.
“I really am excited,” he said. “This is the biggest race we get to do as a team, and it’s a really good opportunity for me to compare myself against some of the best guys in the world.
“It’s a nice underdog story, which is again really exciting. There’s a lot of opportunities throughout the whole week, so hoping to jump on those and get my name out there.
“It’s amazing to race in the north of Scotland, in the Cairngorms. One day I want to see it in Inverness though.”
Conversation