Kyle Evans has sights set on gold in Glasgow - and a new tattoo

The Englishman’s route into the sport was far from conventional and few could have envisioned his brush with the law would uncover a hidden talent.

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“I was out on the motorbikes one day with my dad and we were seen by the police doing a bit of speeding,” he reveals.

“We weren’t sure if they were going to come after us so we hid down one of the dirt track and there happened to be a BMX track at the end of it. There was a club session on that night – you could hire a bike for £3 or £4 and I had all the kit on because we’d been on the bikes so I joined in the session. I rode there all night and was hooked straight away – and it’s just gone from there.”

Since that first shot on a BMX bike ten years ago, things could not have worked out better for the man from Wigan. He made his first major breakthrough in 2012 when he was named as a reserve for the GB team for the London Olympics before going on to make his Olympic debut four years later, in Rio, where he reached the quarter-finals.

Evans has continued his progression since those Olympic Games two years ago and is now ranked the sixth best rider in the world. The competition the Brit will face at next month’s European Championships will be stiff but he is confident that a good performance at the Knightswood BMX Centre in Glasgow, which has been built for Glasgow 2018, could see him pick up his first major championship medal.

“In Europe at the moment, we have the highest class of riding we’ve ever seen, which is great for the sport, although it makes it more difficult to get consistent results,” he said.

“I’m aiming for the podium but really, I’m going for gold. Even though the European Games is in Scotland, it’s pretty close to home for us so it’s a home race. But considering how I’ve been performing recently, I’ll be coming here for the win.”

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Despite having some of the best track riders in the world, Scotland currently lags behind our English counterparts when it comes to producing BMX riders. But Evans is confident that the new facility in Glasgow will work wonders for the sport and will give young Scottish riders the chance to rise through the ranks in a way they have previously been deprived of.

“This track definitely puts Glasgow on the map when it comes to BMX,” he said of the new venue.

“It’s a fantastic new facility which after the event, I’m sure we’ll maintain well and we’ll use it to our advantage.

“Currently, there’s only the track in Manchester that’s got a super-cross hill and a full Olympic standard track so to have a second one to come and train on is amazing for the sport.

“In Manchester, so many people want to ride the track and I’m hoping that this one will inspire a lot of young riders. And so hopefully we should have a new wave of grassroots riders coming through who will ultimately represent GB.”

Evans’ body is adorned with tattoos, most of which celebrate his riding achievements – like the Olympic rings – or remind him of a family connection, like the Angel of the North.

And he admits that if things go well in Glasgow in a few weeks, he may be back down to the tattoo parlour to get a Scottish-themed addition to add to his collection.

“I’ve got my legs and arms covered – I’ve got my Olympic number plate and 211 is my career number and that stays with you for your whole career,” he said.

“If I won in Glasgow, I don’t know what I’ll get, I’ll have to have a think about.

“I have the Olympic rings on my side and if Glasgow goes really successfully, I’ll definitely try to get something added to what I already have to tie in with Glasgow and so I’ll have something from each place.”