It seems fitting that the first round of the 2026 British Mountain Bike Series at Newnham Park, Plymouth, will be the scene of Paul Newnham’s final race as Scottish Cycling Mountain Bike Coach after 19 years with the organisation.
Paul leaves Scottish Cycling with the best wishes of many people — from fellow staff members to riders and the wider Scottish Cycling community. It’s difficult to overstate the impact he has had, not just on mountain biking, but on the community as a whole. Scottish Cycling’s loss is Scottish Triathlon’s gain, as he heads to Stirling to take on the role of Head of Performance Pathway.
Given the length and impact of Paul’s tenure, it felt fitting to take a trip down memory lane, starting with how he first came to join Scottish Cycling.
“I started on 7th April 2007, so it will be pretty much exactly 19 years. I’d been a semi-professional mountain biker after university, riding for the Halfords Team, but I always joke that I’m a better coach than I was a racer.
“I had to stop racing at elite level due to glandular fever, and I started doing a little bit of volunteer coaching with Edinburgh Road Club. At that point there was some new funding coming into the sport and they advertised roles for regional development coaches. I was working in medical sales at the time and it was pretty boring, so I just thought, that looks exciting — I’ll do that for a couple of years and then get a proper job. The rest is history!”
The sport itself has evolved massively over those 19 years. It used to be more of an aerobic endurance test, with longer races, big climbs and less technical courses. Now races are shorter, more punchy and far more technical. The type of rider — and the type of training they need — has changed, as has the type of personality the sport attracts.
Scottish mountain biking has also come a long way during Paul’s time with the organisation, and he has worked with many of Scotland’s top riders over the past decade in one way or another.
“I’ve been privileged to work with a huge number of athletes, and a good number of them have gone on to become professionals and achieve success that I didn’t dream was possible when I started.
“The obvious one that stands out to me is Charlie Aldridge, who I worked with as a youth and junior rider. He was clearly a massive talent, and he won the Youth European Championships, followed two years later by the Junior World Championships with Great Britain. One special moment was Charlie winning the Under-23 World Championships at home at Glentress in front of the home crowd — that was incredible.
“Working with Isla Short for 10 years, from youth level through to fifth place at the 2020 World Championships, was an amazing journey — not just for the results, but also for the inspiration Isla has been to so many people through everything she has overcome to get to where she is.
“Then there are riders who started out in mountain biking and progressed into other disciplines, becoming great role models along the way. Cameron Mason, for example, has become a world-class cyclocross rider, while Ella Connolly won the Enduro World Series in 2025. Others have gone on to the road WorldTour, such as Sean Flynn and Callum Thornley.
“I think it shows that mountain biking provides a great base for developing skills, strength and aerobic fitness. It gives riders a really strong foundation before progressing into different disciplines within cycling. Even if the Scottish Cycling mountain bike programme has only been a small part of their journey, it’s amazing to see them achieving great things and inspiring the next generation.”
While seeing riders reach the top level of the sport is clearly rewarding, Paul was quick to highlight that he is equally proud of the role the programme has played in helping young people develop both within and beyond sport.
“Working closely with the Scottish Institute of Sport has been one of the highlights. Using the expertise of the practitioners has helped riders develop life skills and strong performance behaviours.
“Whether it’s learning how to cook, learning how to organise themselves, or managing their time better, these are things that help athletes whether they go on to become professionals or remain involved in the sport in other ways.
“Most importantly, I think they all come out the other side with positive experiences and fond memories of their time in the programme.”
While Paul has been the driving force behind the programme for many years, he was quick to recognise the contributions of others.
“I also want to thank the volunteers over the last 19 years. I couldn’t have run the programme the way I have without the huge dedication of the volunteer coaches I’ve worked with.
“I’m always amazed every year by how much time and energy they give to the programme. They’ve been incredible throughout my time at Scottish Cycling, and I’ve made some genuine lifelong friendships as a result of this role.”
What does the future hold for Scottish MTB?
“The future is looking really bright right now. We’ve just come back from Spain where Freya Mowbray won the Junior World Series race, and Olivia Poole won her race in the youth category. We’ve got a really strong group of youth and junior athletes coming through right now, so it’s a really exciting time for Scottish mountain biking going forward.”
Of Paul’s contribution to Scottish Cycling, Head of Perfromance and Coaching, David Somerville, said:
“Over the past 19 years, Paul has made an exceptional contribution to Scottish Cycling. His commitment, professionalism, and unwavering passion for the sport have left a lasting mark not only on our organisation, but on the athletes, coaches, and colleagues fortunate enough to work alongside him. Paul has been a trusted member of the Scottish Cycling family, a generous colleague, and a driving force behind so much of our progress. His influence will endure well beyond his time in post.
While we are naturally sorry to see him leave, we are equally delighted to see him take this next step in his career. He departs with Scottish Cycling’s heartfelt thanks, our very best wishes for continued success, and the sincere appreciation of everyone whose journey he has shaped over the past 19 years.”
We wish Paul all the very best in his next challenge, and we’re sure he won’t be too far away from a mountain bike race in the future.
If you’d like to follow in Paul’s footsteps, we’re now on the lookout for a new Mountain Bike Coach — all the details can be found here.