The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
GB looking to get attention back on track
HONG KONG: Track World Championships get under way this week
Great Britain will be looking for optimism on the bike after a challenging 12 months off it when the Track Cycling World Championships take place in Hong Kong this week.
The first Track World Championships of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic cycle is about starting afresh.
There is new leadership, with Stephen Park beginning his role in the days prior to the five-day competition and here on a watching and learning brief.
Former sailing chief Park is British Cycling’s first performance director in three years, since Sir Dave Brailsford’s departure to focus on Team Sky.
Brails ford appeared before a Commons Select Committee in December, four days before Park’s appointment was announced, answering questions on the ongoing UK Anti-Doping investigation into allegations of wrongdoing in cycling. Brailsford admits mistakes were made but denies wrongdoing.
Many household names are absent but four Olympic gold medallists are in the British squad in Hong Kong: Katie Archibald, Elinor Barker, Steven Burke and Callum Skinner.
Additionally, Katy Marchant is an Olympic bronze medallist.
The quartet won gold medals in team events, but only Burke will prioritise the team event in Hong Kong.
Tomorrow’s first day of action sees qualifying in the team pursuits and medals in the team sprints and women’s scratch race, where Barker is set to get an individual opportunity.
Jack Carlin, Ryan Owens and Joe Truman have two Track World Cup gold medals this season and could triumph in the three-man, three-lap team sprint in which Skinner is an Olympic champion.