News Items – Page 3 – Scottish Cycling Foundation

The Braveheart Cycling Fund Ride Is Back

October 18, 2025 The Braveheart Cycling Fund Ride Sportive returns after a nine-year hiatus, following its last event in 2016. Proceeds support young Scottish cycling talent, allowing participants to help nurture future champions. The fund provides financial support for aspiring Scottish cyclists to train and compete at their highest level. The Ride also enables participating cyclists to ride alongside several invited international cycling stars. It promises to be a memorable day, with participants travelling across the UK to support the event. Guest riders will be announced closer to the event.…
Scottish Cycling Foundation Small Grants Application

The Scottish Cycling Foundation is pleased to announce that applications are now open for small grants aimed at supporting our goal of Changing Lives Through Cycling. Project Application Criteria Grants may be applied for up to £500 to fund activities/projects which meet the following criteria: 1. The advancement for the benefit of the public’s participation in cycling as a sport by undertaking a range of activities, including: 2. Providing cycling facilities and activities to improve the quality of life, including supporting cycling as a sport. 3. The advancement of environmental…
Meet René Koppert at the Braveheart Cycling Fund Ride and Dinner

As an amateur, Koppert achieved several victories, including the Dutch road championship and the Dutch pursuit championship. In May 1982, he turned professional with TI-Raleigh. His first race as a professional was the Tour of Romandie, where he won the prologue. Later that year, Koppert won the prologue in the Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré and a stage in the Tour of Germany. He also competed in the Giro d’Italia in 1983 and 1984. Another claim to fame was in the spring of 2020, at the height of the first wave…
Improving Access for Adaptive Cyclists: Loch’s Drive Trail Upgrade

It started out as a simple ask. The Adaptive Riders Collective needed help to widen the access around the side of the gate on the Loch’s Drive Trail. The original path was too narrow to allow access to three-wheel adaptive cycles. It was also too steeply sloping and would have posed a significant danger if cyclists had attempted to use it. It was a great example of collaborative working between ourselves, Andrew Dixon of RDS Forestry, and Keith Burnett a local building contractor from Opus Scotland. The original path was…
Meet Jacques Hanegraaf t at the Braveheart Cycling Fund Ride and Dinner

Jacques Hanegraaf is a retired road bicycle racer from the Netherlands. He was a professional rider from 1981 to 1994. In 1981 and 1985, he won the Dutch title in the men’s road race. Hanegraaf rode for TI-Raleigh during the 1981-1983 seasons. His other significant victories include the 1984 Amstel Gold Race. He also competed in the individual road race and team time trial events at the 1980 Summer Olympics. In 1988, Haneegraaf won Stage 6 in the Tour of Britain Criterium in Westminster, London. He also raced in GP…
Braveheart Cycling Fund 2025 Spring Awards Recipients

Braveheart Cycling Fund 2025 Riders The Braveheart Cycling Fund is delighted to announce the recipients of grants for the Spring 2025 Awards. We welcome back Erin Boothman as a Braveheart Funded rider. Her 2025 season is off to a great start with a win at the Junior Women’s race at Gent-Wevelgem Ahron Dick rides for Equipo Finisher on the road. Highlights of his 2024 season was a win at the Anexo CAMS Junior CiCle Classic. In addition to racing here in Great Britain, you will also find him racing in…
Meet Franky De Gendt at the Braveheart Cycling Fund Ride and Dinner

Belgian cyclist Franky De Gendt, from Tielrode, began his professional career in the mid-1970s, riding for teams such as Ijsboerke – Colnago and TI – Raleigh. His breakthrough came in 1976 with a second-place finish at Omloop der Beide Vlaanderen, signalling his potential in one-day races. Hi raced with Team Raleigh from 1978 to 1980. His notable results include stage wins at the Tour de Luxembourg and the Tour of Britain and Ook Ster van Bessege.. De Gendt also competed in the Tour de France in 1981 and 1982. After…
The Mennock Stage Race

The SCF is proud to support the weekend of cycling that is The Mennock on 14-15 June 2025 in Douglas and Wanlockhead. Torvelo Racing is proud to be hosting the first edition of the Mennock Pass Stage Race. The race will be run at National B level. The race format will consist of a prologue time trial event on Saturday morning, followed by a rolling road race on Saturday afternoon. On Sunday the race moves location for the final queen stage, where riders will race a brand new circuit through…
Meet Adri van Houwelingen at the Braveheart Cycling Fund Ride and Dinner

Adri van Houwelingen was a Dutch professional road cyclist who competed from 1978 until 1987. He rode for the Raleigh Team in the 1983 season. A standout moment in Adri’s career is his victory in the 18th stage of the 1982 Tour de France, as well as winning the 1983 Ronde van Nederland. He also took part in the team time trial event at the 1976 Summer Olympics. During Stage 18 of the 1982 Tour de France, Adrie Van Houwelingen seized his opportunity at kilometre 161, launching a solo attack…
Meet Aad van den Hoekj at the Braveheart Cycling Fund Ride and Dinner

Aad van den Hoek, from Dirksland, was a professional cyclist between 1974 and 1983. He was part of the legendary TI-Raleigh and rode nine seasons with them. The team was famous for its success in team time trials. Together with the team, Aad van den Hoek won four Team Time Trials in the Tour de France of 1976, 1978, and 1981. In 1976, he finished last in the Tour de France general classification and carried the Lanterne rouge. Although it was never an official classification at the Tour, the Lanterne…