Coach who led Wiggins to Rio gold is sacked
Shock exit for man who guided Wiggins to Rio Olympic gold
THE man behind Bradley Wiggins’s Olympic gold-medal winning ride in Rio has been sensationally sacked. German coach Heiko Salzwedel was ‘made to feel like a criminal’ after being marched out of the National Cycling Centre in Manchester on Wednesday by security. Staff and riders were left stunned by the departure of Salzwedel — the endurance specialist who helped Wiggins and his pursuit colleagues to glory in Rio last year.
Sources claim Salzwedel — who was in his third stint at British Cycling and regarded as a key figure in the sport’s success story — was the victim of a rider revolt. Sportsmail understands that clashes with certain riders was the reason given to the coach for his exit. British Cycling refused to comment last night.
THE man who masterminded the Olympic gold-medal winning ride of Sir Bradley Wiggins and his team pursuit colleagues in Rio last year was sensationally sacked this week and ‘ made to feel like a criminal’ as he was escorted from the premises.
Staff and riders were left stunned when Heiko Salzwedel, the German endurance specialist in his third stint at British Cycling, was marched out of the National Cycling Centre in Manchester on Wednesday by security — with sources claiming he was the victim of a rider revolt.
British Cycling refused to comment yesterday, possibly because the terms of any severance package are still being negotiated.
But Salzwedel went to work on Wednesday believing he would be travelling with the team to Berlin next week for the European Track Championships.
His day, however, ended with all ties being severed with the underfire governing body for the third time in his career.
Salzwedel was apparently told it was standard human resources procedure to escort a dismissed member of staff off the premises but it remained a shock to those who regarded him as a key figure in the British Cycling success story. One insider said: ‘He was made to feel like a criminal.’
Sportsmail, however, understands clashes with certain riders may have ultimately led to his departure. That is believed to be the reason given to him. Salzwedel was recalled to British Cycling in October 2014 when a dip in performances after the London 2012 Olympics saw Australia emerge as the strongest team in the men’s pursuit. It was Salzwedel’s task to deliver a winning team for Rio last year and he did just that in what was one of the most dramatic races of the Games. The Australian quartet led for most of the 4km race, only for Wiggins, Ed Clancy, Steven Burke and Owain Doull to overhaul their rivals in the closing 500m and win in a world-record time of 3.50.265. Salzwedel first joined the GB coaching set-up after the Sydney Olympics, only to leave in 2002. He returned as performance manager in 2008 — after guiding the Danish team pursuit squad to a silver medal in the Beijing Olympics — leaving in 2012. This week British Cycling also refused to reveal whether Jonathan Browning will be re-applying for his position as chairman. Sportsmail understands that he will do so, despite his role — as a member of the board — in the ‘sanitising’ of a report into allegations of bullying and discrimination against former technical director Shane Sutton. The interviews for the position take place in London today, with UK Sport chief executive Liz Nicholl believed to be on the interview panel.