38-year-old track cyclist Craig MacLean, who has won medals at five separate World Championships, is currently serving a mandatory two-year international exile, while he qualifies to race as a pilot in the tandem at the Paralympics.

MacLean, who took part in Bank of Scotland National School Sport Week – a sportscotland initiative that will involve over 700 schools across Scotland on Wednesday, does still compete individually on the domestic scene, making the odd appearance at the Revolution events in Manchester.

But with the World Para-cycling Track Championships in Columbia currently postponed and no new date pencilled into the calendar, MacLean, who can officially make his international tandem pilot appearance in November, admits time his fast disappearing.

“We are at a bit of a frustrating time at the minute because we don’t really know what we are doing,” said MacLean.
  
“There was supposed to be a World Championships in August in Columbia but they have pulled out so they are looking for someone to sponsor the event.

“In sport is always good to have a goal and so it would be nice to know what is going on.

“Obviously London 2012 is the wider goal and what I am focused on but that is a long way off so it would be good to have something in between now and then.

“So I am really hoping that the World Championships go ahead because if they don’t then it will be another 12 months for me before there would be a major championships which would be difficult for my training.”

With former Olympic champion Jason Queally turning his back on the Paralympics earlier this year and competing at the World Championships in Denmark alongside the likes of Sir Chris Hoy and Victoria Pendleton – Team GB has been in transition.

Partnerships and pairing are still being worked out and MacLean revealed his London 2012 charge is still very much work in progress.

“It’s challenging for me on the bike and there is a lot to learn because it depends who it is on the back of the bike – it makes a big difference.

“So a lot of training sessions are spent to and from getting new parts for the bike because a lot of parts break because there are different people on the back.

“It’s also difficult because there are the handling characteristics of the bike and they are a lot different on the tandem.

“It’s like driving an articulated lorry compared to a little sports car so it’s difficult but I’m enjoying it.”