Neah Evans hoping Paris can be golden again as Olympic star returns to scene of first world championship win

Neah Evans is a double world champion - but the Scot reckons it’s only the Olympic stage that can offer global acclaim. The Team GB track cyclist is gearing up to return to the Paris venue where she won the first of those world championship gold medals in 2022.

And while she admits that moment in the National Velodrome in Montigny-le-Bretonneux is one which will live with her forever, the 33-year-old also accepts it wouldn’t match topping the podium next month.

Evans, who won silver in the team pursuit in the Tokyo Olympics three years ago, is the reigning world champion in the Madison following success on home soil with team-mate Elinor Barker in Glasgow last August. A year earlier she took world championship gold in Paris in the points race. And as she prepares to head back across the Channel, Evans, who hopes to compete in the Madison and Omnium events, said: “I’m absolutely delighted with the selection.

“I’m a current world champion and that gets a huge amount of respect in the cycling world - but it’s still relatively unknown to the general public. The Olympics is such a global sporting event. It’s a chance to showcase what we do to the whole world.”

Evans has plenty of fond memories of competing in the French capital, not least after that world gold in 2022. She also won silver in the team pursuit at the same championships.

She says the Paris track is made for aggressive daredevils - just how she likes it. And she told Record Sport : “I won my first world title in Paris and that moment will live with me for the rest of my life. It came down to the final few laps. Sometimes in the points race you can have it wrapped up well in advance.

“But it came down to the final few laps and while I was confident I knew what