Mr MacIntyre in Continental's Local Heroes promotional picture

His family moved to Fort William, Lochaber, when he was 10 and he trained as a printer/lithographer after leaving the local high school in sixth year.

Mr MacIntyre considered himself a late starter in cycling having taken it up when he was 18. However, he soon made began to impress.

He won the Tour of the North in Ireland when he was 23.

Further glory followed when he was selected to represent Scotland in the road race and circuit time trial in the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester.

He won the British 25-mile time trial twice and was the first Scot ever to win the British Circuit Race Time Trial Championship.

Last year, he broke Graeme Obree's 10-mile time trial record.

Tributes poured in when Mr MacIntyre, 34, died in hospital after a collision with a van while training in the Highlands.

He was a hopeful for the British Olympic team and his death came a day after he had been funded to train for the 2010 Commonwealth Games.