BRITISH TRACKIES HIT THE ROAD
As is customary in the year after the Olympics a raft of British track riders are hitting the tarmac. But rather than being an exercise in doing something different for a year, there is reason to believe they could deliver genuine successes.
First off there’s Matt Walls (Borahansgrohe) and Ethan Hayter (Ineos Grenadiers), two versatile riders who are arguably more road than track specialists at this point despite their Olympic medals and world titles on the boards. Expect to see them contend in everything from tough sprints and even, in Hayter’s case, week-long stage race GCS.
Team pursuiter Ethan Vernon finds himself at the best Classics team in the world, Quick Step Alpha Vinyl, and while he’ll struggle for opportunities on a talented roster he could also use that to be something of a dark horse in the sprints in smaller races.
Arguably most exciting is CW’S female rider of the year 2021 Katie Archibald returning to the road with her old team Ceratizitwnt. Under the tutelage of ex-rival Kirsten Wild she could turn into a formidable sprinting force at the sizable races on the calendar she’s down for including Healthy Ageing Tour, Elsy Jacobs, Vuelta Burgos, Ride London, and the Women’s Tour. Or maybe it’ll be a disaster – as she told this magazine it could be in December. Either way it’ll be entertaining to watch.
There’s even the prospect of Archibald’s team pursuit team-mate Elinor Barker racing later in the year, though don’t expect too much from the Welshwoman, who is currently expecting her first child.