Craig MacLean
Encyclopedia
Craig MacLean is a Scottish
track cyclist who has represented Great Britain and Northern Ireland at the 2000 Summer Olympics
in Sydney
and the 2004 Summer Olympics
in Athens
, winning a Silver Medal in the Team Sprint at the 2000 Olympics.
MacLean has also won medals in five UCI Track World Championships in the team Sprint, Silver in 1999, Silver in 2000, Bronze in 2001, Gold in 2002, Bronze in 2003 and Bronze in 2004. MacLean also won a Bronze Medal for Scotland
in the Team sprint at the 2002 Commonwealth Games
, followed by a Gold Medal in the event at the 2006 Commonwealth Games
in Australia.
, MacLean kicked off his cycling career as second man in the Great Britain
Team Sprint until switching to lead man in 2002. He broke the GB kilometre record at the Olympic Trials in 2004.
Craig's career as a member of the British elite team came to a close in 2008. He suffered a back injury at the start of the 2007-2008 track season and struggled to regain his form through the season. This, coupled with the form of rising stars like Jason Kenny
and resurgence of fellow veteran Jamie Staff
, meant that he narrowly missed out on the squad for the World Championships and Olympic games.
Craig declared that the Manchester round of the World Cup Classics in November 2008 was his last ride as a UCI accredited rider. In the World Cup round he competed in the Keirin and Sprint for the Plowman Craven Trade team. He won his Keirin heat but was relegated by the officials. In the sprint he qualified in the top 5 but lost in the first round after a controversial move by his German opponent.
Craig has been a very successful rider for Great Britain in his elite career and a vital member of the successful squad. He has won major medals and titles in the Individual sprint and Team Sprint events and been a successful Keirin rider.
He sat out international competition for two years from 2008 to 2010, the mandatory requirement to become a pilot for para-cycling tandem racing . At the 2011 UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships
, MacLean piloted Neil Fachie to golds in the Tandem B Sprint and Tandem B 1000m Time Trial.
While sitting out international competition, he continued to make some racing appearances at the Revolution events in Manchester. He appeared at Revolution 22 in December 2008, competing in the Sprint and Keirin events.
In November 2008 Craig took up the challenge of becoming a Bobsleigh
competitor for the BBC programme 'Bobsleigh Challenge', which was broadcast in February 2009. This programme challenged Craig and fellow British sportsmen Jason Gardener
, Dean Macey
and Dan Luger
to qualify for the British Championships in Italy, with only 10 days training. Craig teamed up with Luger as one team, while Macey and Gardener made up the other team. After training the teams had to complete two runs down the course without crashing in order to qualify. After a number of crashes, when both Craig and Dan were driving, both did qualify. However a number further crashes and injuries sustained by Craig meant that they did not complete two runs in the actual competition and were not classified. Just qualifying for the event with only 10 days training was still a remarkable achievement. The other team of Macey and Gardener went one better and finished 6th overall in the competition, ahead of one of the Great Britain Olympic Development teams.
Craig is featured alongside Chris Hoy in a book by Richard Moore
, Heroes, Villains and Velodromes: Chris Hoy and Britain's Track Cycling Revolution. This describes how Maclean and Hoy were key figures in the rise of British Track Cycling. The book was published in June 2008 by Harper Collins. (ISBN 9780007265312)
In 2009, he was inducted into the British Cycling Hall of Fame
.
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
track cyclist who has represented Great Britain and Northern Ireland at the 2000 Summer Olympics
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
and the 2004 Summer Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, winning a Silver Medal in the Team Sprint at the 2000 Olympics.
MacLean has also won medals in five UCI Track World Championships in the team Sprint, Silver in 1999, Silver in 2000, Bronze in 2001, Gold in 2002, Bronze in 2003 and Bronze in 2004. MacLean also won a Bronze Medal for Scotland
Scotland at the 2002 Commonwealth Games
Scotland sent a team of 207 athletes and 85 officials to the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England.In the Manchester Games Scotland won 6 Gold, 8 Silver and 16 Bronze medals.-Gold:Cycling:Gymnastics:Judo:...
in the Team sprint at the 2002 Commonwealth Games
2002 Commonwealth Games
The 2002 Commonwealth Games were held in Manchester, England from 25 July to 4 August 2002. The XVII Commonwealth Games was the largest multi-sport event ever to be held in the UK, eclipsing London's 1948 Summer Olympics in numbers of teams and athletes participating.After the 1996 Manchester...
, followed by a Gold Medal in the event at the 2006 Commonwealth Games
2006 Commonwealth Games
The 2006 Commonwealth Games were held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia between 15 March and 26 March 2006. It was the largest sporting event to be staged in Melbourne, eclipsing the 1956 Summer Olympics in terms of the number of teams competing, athletes competing, and events being held.The site...
in Australia.
Biography
Born in Grantown-on-SpeyGrantown-on-Spey
Grantown-on-Spey is a town in the Highland Council Area in Scotland.It was founded in 1765 as a planned settlement on a low plateau at Freuchie beside the river Spey at the northern edge of the Cairngorm mountains, about 20 miles South East of Inverness .It is the main town in what was the...
, MacLean kicked off his cycling career as second man in the Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
Team Sprint until switching to lead man in 2002. He broke the GB kilometre record at the Olympic Trials in 2004.
Craig's career as a member of the British elite team came to a close in 2008. He suffered a back injury at the start of the 2007-2008 track season and struggled to regain his form through the season. This, coupled with the form of rising stars like Jason Kenny
Jason Kenny
Jason Francis Kenny MBE is an English track cyclist, specialising in the individual and team sprints. After winning multiple World and European Junior titles in 2006 and achieving medals in the under 23 European championships in 2007, Kenny was selected ahead of Ross Edgar to compete for Great...
and resurgence of fellow veteran Jamie Staff
Jamie Staff
Jamie Alan Staff MBE is an English racing cyclist and coach, formerly on BMX and later on the track. A World and Olympic champion, he has also won numerous other medals at World Championships, World Cups and at the Commonwealth Games....
, meant that he narrowly missed out on the squad for the World Championships and Olympic games.
Craig declared that the Manchester round of the World Cup Classics in November 2008 was his last ride as a UCI accredited rider. In the World Cup round he competed in the Keirin and Sprint for the Plowman Craven Trade team. He won his Keirin heat but was relegated by the officials. In the sprint he qualified in the top 5 but lost in the first round after a controversial move by his German opponent.
Craig has been a very successful rider for Great Britain in his elite career and a vital member of the successful squad. He has won major medals and titles in the Individual sprint and Team Sprint events and been a successful Keirin rider.
He sat out international competition for two years from 2008 to 2010, the mandatory requirement to become a pilot for para-cycling tandem racing . At the 2011 UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships
2011 UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships
The 2011 UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships were the World Championships for track cycling where athletes with a physical disability competed in 2011...
, MacLean piloted Neil Fachie to golds in the Tandem B Sprint and Tandem B 1000m Time Trial.
While sitting out international competition, he continued to make some racing appearances at the Revolution events in Manchester. He appeared at Revolution 22 in December 2008, competing in the Sprint and Keirin events.
Television and Media
In 2007 MacLean had an experimental documentary made about him called Standing Start made by BAFTA winner Adrian McDowall and Finlay Pretsell. The film documents MacLean in his build up to the World Cup team sprint win in 2007. The film has screened world wide and premiered at the Edinburgh International Film Festival.In November 2008 Craig took up the challenge of becoming a Bobsleigh
Bobsleigh
Bobsleigh or bobsled is a winter sport in which teams of two or four make timed runs down narrow, twisting, banked, iced tracks in a gravity-powered sled that are combined to calculate the final score....
competitor for the BBC programme 'Bobsleigh Challenge', which was broadcast in February 2009. This programme challenged Craig and fellow British sportsmen Jason Gardener
Jason Gardener
Jason Carl Gardener is a retired British sprint athlete, and former World Indoor Champion. Gardener was educated at Beechen Cliff School and the City of Bath College, and went on to graduate from Bath Spa University.-Athletics career:Gardener started his career at the World Junior Championships in...
, Dean Macey
Dean Macey
Dean Macey is an English athlete from Canvey Island. He is best known for competing in the decathlon, which he did from 1995 to 2008, winning World Championship and Commonwealth Games medals, as well as twice finishing fourth in the Olympic Games...
and Dan Luger
Dan Luger
Daniel Darko Luger MBE is a former English rugby union international who was a member of the squad that won the Webb Ellis Cup in 2003.- Club career:...
to qualify for the British Championships in Italy, with only 10 days training. Craig teamed up with Luger as one team, while Macey and Gardener made up the other team. After training the teams had to complete two runs down the course without crashing in order to qualify. After a number of crashes, when both Craig and Dan were driving, both did qualify. However a number further crashes and injuries sustained by Craig meant that they did not complete two runs in the actual competition and were not classified. Just qualifying for the event with only 10 days training was still a remarkable achievement. The other team of Macey and Gardener went one better and finished 6th overall in the competition, ahead of one of the Great Britain Olympic Development teams.
Craig is featured alongside Chris Hoy in a book by Richard Moore
Richard Moore (journalist)
Richard Moore is a Scottish journalist, author, and former racing cyclist. He represented Great Britain at the Tour of Langkawi and Scotland at the PruTour and the 1998 Commonwealth Games, where he competed in the road race and the time trial....
, Heroes, Villains and Velodromes: Chris Hoy and Britain's Track Cycling Revolution. This describes how Maclean and Hoy were key figures in the rise of British Track Cycling. The book was published in June 2008 by Harper Collins. (ISBN 9780007265312)
In 2009, he was inducted into the British Cycling Hall of Fame
British Cycling Hall of Fame
The British Cycling Hall of Fame was established in 2009 as part of British Cycling's 50th anniversary celebrations.On 17 December 2009, the names of fifty riders to be inducted into the British Cycling Hall of Fame were announced...
.
Palmarès
1999- 2nd Team sprint, Track World Championships1999 UCI Track Cycling World ChampionshipsThe 1999 UCI Track Cycling World Championships were the World Championship for track cycling. They took place in Berlin, Germany from October 20 to October 24, 1999. Twelve events were contested, eight for the men and four for the women...
2000
- 2nd Team Sprint, 2000 Summer Olympics2000 Summer OlympicsThe Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
- 2nd Team sprint, Track World Championships2000 UCI Track Cycling World ChampionshipsThe 2000 UCI Track Cycling World Championships were the World Championship for track cycling. They took place in Manchester, United Kingdom from October 26 to October 30, 2000.-Medals table:-Medal summary:-External links:**...
2001
- 3rd Team sprint, Track World Championships2001 UCI Track Cycling World ChampionshipsThe 2001 UCI Track Cycling World Championships were the World Championship for track cycling. They took place in Antwerp, Belgium from September 26 to September 30, 2001.-Medals table:-Medal summary:-External links:**...
2002
- 1st Team sprint, Track World Championships2002 UCI Track Cycling World ChampionshipsThe 2002 UCI Track Cycling World Championships were the World Championship for track cycling. They took place in Copenhagen, Denmark from September 25 to September 29, 2002.-Medals table:-Medal summary:-External links:**...
- 3rd Team sprint, Commonwealth Games2002 Commonwealth GamesThe 2002 Commonwealth Games were held in Manchester, England from 25 July to 4 August 2002. The XVII Commonwealth Games was the largest multi-sport event ever to be held in the UK, eclipsing London's 1948 Summer Olympics in numbers of teams and athletes participating.After the 1996 Manchester...
2003
- 3rd Team sprint, Track World Championships2003 UCI Track Cycling World ChampionshipsThe 2003 UCI Track Cycling World Championships were the World Championship for track cycling. They took place in Stuttgart, Germany from July 30 to August 3, 2003. The championships were due to be held in Shenzhen, China, but were moved to Stuttgart following the 2003 SARS outbreak in China.-Medals...
- 1st Kilo, British National Track ChampionshipsBritish National Track ChampionshipsThe British National Track Championships are held annually. Organized by British Cycling, they are competitions of various track cycling disciplines in age, gender and disability categories.-Senior :-Amateur :...
- 1st Team sprint, British National Track ChampionshipsBritish National Track ChampionshipsThe British National Track Championships are held annually. Organized by British Cycling, they are competitions of various track cycling disciplines in age, gender and disability categories.-Senior :-Amateur :...
2004
- 3rd Team sprint, Track World Championships2004 UCI Track Cycling World ChampionshipsThe 2004 UCI Track Cycling World Championships were the World Championship for track cycling. They took place in Melbourne, Australia from 26 May to 30 May 2004.-Medals table:-Medal summary:-External links:**...
- 2nd Team sprint, Round 1, Moscow, 2004 Track World Cup2004 UCI Track Cycling World Cup ClassicsThe 2004 UCI Track Cycling World Cup Classics is a multi race tournament over a season of track cycling. The season ran from 17 February 2004 to 16 May 2004. The World Cup is organised by the UCI.- Men :- Women :-References:*****...
- 1st Kilo, Round 3, Manchester, 2004 Track World Cup2004 UCI Track Cycling World Cup ClassicsThe 2004 UCI Track Cycling World Cup Classics is a multi race tournament over a season of track cycling. The season ran from 17 February 2004 to 16 May 2004. The World Cup is organised by the UCI.- Men :- Women :-References:*****...
- 1st Team sprint, Round 3, Manchester, 2004 Track World Cup2004 UCI Track Cycling World Cup ClassicsThe 2004 UCI Track Cycling World Cup Classics is a multi race tournament over a season of track cycling. The season ran from 17 February 2004 to 16 May 2004. The World Cup is organised by the UCI.- Men :- Women :-References:*****...
- 1st Sprint, Round 4, Sydney, 2004 Track World Cup2004 UCI Track Cycling World Cup ClassicsThe 2004 UCI Track Cycling World Cup Classics is a multi race tournament over a season of track cycling. The season ran from 17 February 2004 to 16 May 2004. The World Cup is organised by the UCI.- Men :- Women :-References:*****...
- 1st Team sprint, Round 4, Sydney, 2004 Track World Cup2004 UCI Track Cycling World Cup ClassicsThe 2004 UCI Track Cycling World Cup Classics is a multi race tournament over a season of track cycling. The season ran from 17 February 2004 to 16 May 2004. The World Cup is organised by the UCI.- Men :- Women :-References:*****...
2005
- 1st Team sprint, Round 3, Manchester, 2004–2005 Track World Cup2004–2005 UCI Track Cycling World Cup ClassicsThe 2004-2005 UCI Track Cycling World Cup Classics is a multi race tournament over a season of track cycling. The season ran from 5 November 2004 to 20 February 2005. The World Cup is organised by the UCI.- Men :- Women :-References:********...
- 2nd Sprint, Round 1, Moscow, 2006–2007 Track World Cup2005–2006 UCI Track Cycling World Cup ClassicsThe 2005-2006 UCI Track Cycling World Cup Classics is a multi race tournament over a season of track cycling. The season ran from November 4, 2005 to May 16, 2006. The World Cup is organised by the UCI.- Men :- Women :-References:****...
- 2nd Team sprint, Round 1, Moscow, 2006–2007 Track World Cup2005–2006 UCI Track Cycling World Cup ClassicsThe 2005-2006 UCI Track Cycling World Cup Classics is a multi race tournament over a season of track cycling. The season ran from November 4, 2005 to May 16, 2006. The World Cup is organised by the UCI.- Men :- Women :-References:****...
- 1st Team sprint, Round 2, Manchester, 2006–2007 Track World Cup2005–2006 UCI Track Cycling World Cup ClassicsThe 2005-2006 UCI Track Cycling World Cup Classics is a multi race tournament over a season of track cycling. The season ran from November 4, 2005 to May 16, 2006. The World Cup is organised by the UCI.- Men :- Women :-References:****...
- 1st Sprint, British National Track ChampionshipsBritish National Track ChampionshipsThe British National Track Championships are held annually. Organized by British Cycling, they are competitions of various track cycling disciplines in age, gender and disability categories.-Senior :-Amateur :...
2006
- 1st Team sprint, Commonwealth Games2006 Commonwealth GamesThe 2006 Commonwealth Games were held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia between 15 March and 26 March 2006. It was the largest sporting event to be staged in Melbourne, eclipsing the 1956 Summer Olympics in terms of the number of teams competing, athletes competing, and events being held.The site...
- 2nd Sprint, Track World Championships2006 UCI Track Cycling World ChampionshipsThe 2006 UCI Track Cycling World Championships were the World Championship for track cycling. They took place in Bordeaux, France from April 13 to April 16, 2006.-Medals table:-Medal summary:-External links:**...
- 2nd Team sprint, Track World Championships2006 UCI Track Cycling World ChampionshipsThe 2006 UCI Track Cycling World Championships were the World Championship for track cycling. They took place in Bordeaux, France from April 13 to April 16, 2006.-Medals table:-Medal summary:-External links:**...
- 1st Sprint, Round 1, Sydney, 2006–2007 Track World Cup2006–2007 UCI Track Cycling World Cup ClassicsThe 2006–2007 UCI Track Cycling World Cup Classics is a multi race tournament over a season of track cycling. The season began on 17 November 2006 and completed on 25 February 2007...
- 1st Team sprint, Round 1, Sydney, 2006–2007 Track World Cup2006–2007 UCI Track Cycling World Cup ClassicsThe 2006–2007 UCI Track Cycling World Cup Classics is a multi race tournament over a season of track cycling. The season began on 17 November 2006 and completed on 25 February 2007...
- 3rd Sprint, Round 2, Moscow, 2006–2007 Track World Cup2006–2007 UCI Track Cycling World Cup ClassicsThe 2006–2007 UCI Track Cycling World Cup Classics is a multi race tournament over a season of track cycling. The season began on 17 November 2006 and completed on 25 February 2007...
- 1st Team sprint, Round 2, Moscow, 2006–2007 Track World Cup2006–2007 UCI Track Cycling World Cup ClassicsThe 2006–2007 UCI Track Cycling World Cup Classics is a multi race tournament over a season of track cycling. The season began on 17 November 2006 and completed on 25 February 2007...
- 1st Sprint, British National Track ChampionshipsBritish National Track ChampionshipsThe British National Track Championships are held annually. Organized by British Cycling, they are competitions of various track cycling disciplines in age, gender and disability categories.-Senior :-Amateur :...
- 1st Team sprint, British National Track ChampionshipsBritish National Track ChampionshipsThe British National Track Championships are held annually. Organized by British Cycling, they are competitions of various track cycling disciplines in age, gender and disability categories.-Senior :-Amateur :...
2007
- 2nd Masters of Sprint2007 Masters of SprintThe 2007 Masters of Sprint was held on 6 January 2007 in Sportpaleis Ahoy in Rotterdam. The event was held for the first time and scheduled in between the 2007 Six Days of Rotterdam...
- 1st Team sprint, Round 4, Manchester, 2006–2007 Track World Cup2006–2007 UCI Track Cycling World Cup ClassicsThe 2006–2007 UCI Track Cycling World Cup Classics is a multi race tournament over a season of track cycling. The season began on 17 November 2006 and completed on 25 February 2007...