Kenny gears up for London assault

As British Cycling fights Varnish legal case, writes Vern Pitt

British Cycling is doing battle on two fronts this week as its riders prepare to take on the world’s best track riders at the Track World Cup in London and its management and lawyers try to face off Jess Varnish’s legal claims for unfair dismissal.

The London Track World Cup comes off the back of a successful campaign in Berlin two weekends ago when the team won five medals, including two golds.

Laura Kenny will be one of the biggest names lining up for the GB Cycling Team in London. Kenny is just under a year into her return to competition following having her son Albert and will be racing team pursuit and Madison in London.

She said: “I definitely find the Madison the most challenging. I’m just so new to it. The omnium events you’ll do all the time, like at Revolution you’ll do a scratch race. I took a year out; I’ve been thrown in at the deep end.”

Kenny will partner Katie Archibald in the Madison. They were fourth the last time they partnered, at the European Championships. “The Euros didn’t go how we thought it was going to,” Kenny said. “The level was completely different to what I’d raced at before. Recently, more and more I feel like the old Laura. I don’t feel scared any more. I feel back to my old self and relaxed.”

“I don’t feel scared any more, I feel relaxed”

Varnish’s landmark claim

Meanwhile, BC is, this week, defending itself against a sex discrimination and unfair dismissal claim from ex-rider Jess Varnish at an employment tribunal in Manchester.

Varnish’s hearing will decide if she was self-employed, as BC believes she was, or an employee as an athlete receiving UK Sport funding.

If the tribunal decides she was an employee it would set the precedent that athletes are entitled to normal employee protections from discrimination and harassment, subject to income tax and a state pension entitlement.

Varnish’s lawyer Simon Fenton, partner at Constantine Law, said it would ensure UK Sport presided over a more “positive and egalitarian environment”.