British Cycling and Sky heading for split

BRITISH CYCLING have begun an official review of their relationship with Team Sky, with the conclusion expected to result in the professional road team vacating their offices at the National Cycling Centre. The two organisations have shared the velodrome in Manchester since the formation of Team Sky in 2009 but that arrangement has come under serious scrutiny in the wake of the Jiffy bag controversy and bullying and discrimination allegations. Jonathan Browning, the new British Cycling chairman, has said the situation would be reviewed as part of their new 39-point action plan and last week, Sportsmail can reveal, he held preliminary talks with Team Sky boss Sir Dave Brailsford. While Sky confirmed yesterday that the issue of the pro team remaining at the velodrome was discussed by Browning and Brailsford, they insisted there were no immediate plans for them to leave. But a senior Sky official did say the team are looking at various options in an ongoing search for new premises, even though it is not strictly in British Cycling’s power to drive them out. The National Cycling centre is a council-owned building, after all.

Sportsmail understands there is a feeling among senior British Cycling officials that it would be sensible to create a larger degree of separation between Sky and the national governing body — as well as the sport’s World Class Programme — although a spokesman for BC yesterday denied claims that Browning had in fact asked Brailsford to make finding new offices a priority.