Tanfield is in pursuit of Euro glory

CHARLIE TANFIELD believes the natural unity between Britain’s new-look team pursuit stars can propel them on to the European Championship podium.

The Great Ayton cycling star, 25, joined forces with Rhys Britton, Kian Emadi, William Tidball and Oliver Wood in Munich to finish fourth in qualifying and book their place in today’s heats.

The British team has a fresh look to it for this week’s event after Tanfield and Wood, 26, helped Team England clinch silver in the event at the Commonwealth Games.

Emadi, Tidball and Britton have ‘gelled’ with the duo immediately and Tanfield hopes they can continue the momentum against France in Friday’s heats.

The three-time European bronze medallist said: “We gelled pretty quickly.

“It was only Ollie and Iwho were riding in Birmingham, we have all come together really well.

“We’ have a good team atmosphere and that is only a positive going forward.

“It means we are able to debrief properly and come up with the best strategy we can.”

Tanfield added: “It is a big of a double-hitter coming straight after the Commonwealth Games – it makes it hard to plan around your peaks and we have had to put quite a lot of thinking behind it.

“I felt like we carried it through alright, though – today was a box ticked, we will reassess after this and move on to the heat and hopefully improve.”

The British team finished fourth behind France, Denmark and Italy at the Munich velodrome and know they will have to be at their best if they are to topple the pace-setters.

The French finished almost two seconds ahead of Tanfield’s team in qualifying as British riders continue to adapt to Munich’s considerably shorter 200m track.

Tanfield admits it took some time to get used to do but the foundations are now there for a genuine assault on the podium.

He added: “What we did there was better than our training so it shows we are getting there technically. I think we can improve on what we have done.”