Prof Richard Davison, Professor of Exercise Physiology, University of the West of Scotland
Richard was introduced to cycling by his father at a very young age, riding his first time trial on the road at age 11 having ridden some cyclocross before that. He then studied Physiology and Sport Science at Glasgow University while completing his first cycling coaching award. He returned to Glasgow to complete a PhD in Exercise Physiology before starting lecturing. In the period 1991-1994 Richard was the coach to the Scottish Commonwealth Games Road Squad for the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, Canada. Over the years Richard has coached a multitude of riders from beginners aged 4 years old to Olympic and Commonwealth Games riders as well as 4 British Champions in different age groups and disciplines.
Richard was responsible for organising the 1st World Congress on Cycling Science in Edinburgh in 2010 and currently is the President of the European College of Sport Sciences Congress, Glasgow 2021. During his competitive cycling career Richard won 6 Scottish Time Trial Championships, winning a total of 11 Scottish Championship medals. In 1999 Richard was asked by British Cycling to help create their coach education scheme and remains one of their senior coach educators to this day. He has supervised several PhD’s, published many research papers and book chapters all in cycling science.
Prof Geraint Florida-James, Edinburgh Napier University
• Academic lead at the Mountain Bike Centre of Scotland, an innovation centre based at Glentress in the Scottish Borders, in partnership with Scottish Enterprise, Scottish Funding Council and Developing Mountain Biking in Scotland, offering bespoke solutions to help you develop your product or service. See video edit link in profile.
• Research Lead for Sport, Health and Exercise in School of Applied Sciences.
• Held successive contracts with Scottish Cycling to deliver the complete support programme to Downhill MTB athletes, and invited presenter at World Cycling Congress and both British and Irish Cycling Coach Education Conferences. Support work with elite XC MTB athletes and have coached Downhill and XC World Cup, and professional World Enduro Series MTB athletes. Associate editor of Journal of Science and Cycling and Member of the Scientific Committee for European Colleges of Sport Sciences Conference, Glasgow, 2021
• Completed contract research on pollution and performance for UK Sport and British Olympic Association in run up to Athens and Beijing Games, with a PhD student completion stemming from this work.
• 12 PhD and 5 MRes students supervised to completion in exercise immunology, pollution and performance, golf biomechanics, ergonomics and currently supervise 2 PhD students in exercise immunology and demands of enduro mountain biking.
Dr Lesley Ingram, Associate Lecturer, Edinburgh Napier University
Cycling has been part of Lesley life since she was a youngster, mainly in those days it was purely a form of transport that enabled her to explore the vast countryside where she lived. It wasn’t until Lesley was in her mid-twenties that this turned in to a competitive sport, within a three year period Lesley managed to progress through the ranks of racing making it to the cross country world cup. After retirement Lesley stayed involved in the sport and has coach a number of athletes in cross country, enduro and ultra-endurance disciplines.
Lesley studied Sport and Exercise Science at Edinburgh Napier University (2000-2004) graduating with a first class honours degree. From 2005 – 2017 she worked as a technician/ research technician whilst completing her PhD part-time (2010-2016) in the field of exercise immunology. Lesley in now an associate lecturer at Edinburgh Napier University.