McCallum on track after nearly quitting

With the proper support system behind him, his results this year have seen him start to fulfil his potential. At 28, McCallum is finally going places. It has been a long time coming.

After failing to make the breakthrough in his early twenties, he came close to quitting cycling. He briefly stopped after the Commonwealth Games in Manchester in 2002, but was gradually drawn back to the sport.

At Melbourne, there were grumbles in cycling circles about his selection, opposition which quickly dissipated when he claimed bronze.

"You get criticism in all walks of life," he said. "The minute you try and do something, someone tries to knock you back. You just have to use it as fuel for your fire. It's no good being emotional about it. That was one of my big motivations. I get sick of the whole underdog' thing in Scotland, too. You've got two arms and legs, just go out and beat them."

In Australia, McCallum stood on the podium beside Mark Cavendish, a serious contender for this week's Tour of Britain, and Ashley Hutchison, a member of Australia's world team pursuit champions. It was a remarkable achievement for a man who had trained for the Games by cycling from Edinburgh to Glasgow every day to work a 12-hour shift as an auxiliary nurse.

"It has definitely taken a nice step up in the last 18 months," he reflected. "So much has happened. This is my first year in a proper pro team. I have always been the lone wolf. The team has been running now for three years. Last year, we had six riders and this year we have 11. It's good to have a pool of riders.

"I rode the Tour of Britain two years ago with the Scotland team, but pro teams tend to look at national teams as amateurs, so it will be nice to do it with a pro team. If I had known I had this potential as a kid then I would have applied myself much more. I have beaten some of the top riders in the world this year so I'm no longer just doing it against local riders."

Now, he combines his training with a day job as the events co-ordinator for Scottish Cycling. He is evangelical in his bid to raise cycling's profile and is particularly enthused about Glasgow's bid to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games. His experience in Manchester five years ago gave him a keen insight into the benefits on offer to the host city.

"The whole city was buzzing. As you cycled to the velodrome, everyone was cheering you on. They are usually throwing bricks. 2014 is a massive thing and can help get kids interested in the sport. I think we have a strong chance. It has to come to Glasgow, it would be fantastic. I'm a born and bred Weegie' so the Games would be three miles from where I come from.

"It is a sport in which you can compete from the ages of 12 or 13 to into your forties.

"Mountain biking is another growth area of the sport and the Pedal for Scotland' initiative is massive."

Scotland will also stage the final leg of the Tour of Britain next Saturday, with the finishing line at Glasgow Green.

"Part of my job involves trying to bring cycling back into the limelight. We want to get it to the way it is on the continent. It is a steep learning curve for the general public, but we will have a whole range of events down at Glasgow Green next week aimed at showcasing the sport."

Plans for a velodrome to be built in the East End of Glasgow will also give the sport a massive boost. "The sooner the velodrome is built, the better," said McCallum. "The one in Manchester is massively over-subscribed and the other one is in Newport, Wales, which is not easy to get to. The Glasgow one will be used by people from all over the world. It will bring so much money into the local area."

McCallum competes in this week's Tour of Britain having yet to fully recover from an injured left ankle. "Sometimes I have to ride with it strapped, but it is fine. Cyclists tend to be in a permanent state of denial," he said with a laugh.

He has overcome much worse in his career.