North squad for Italian job

Paralympic champions Steve Bate and Karen Darke have been named in the Great Britain squad for the UCI para-cycling road world championships in Italy next month.

Bate, a former Lossiemouth resident originally from New Zealand, and Inverness’s Darke both won medals in Rio two years ago and are part of a 20-strong team heading to Maniago.

Two golds and a bronze for Bate and his pilot Adam Duggleby were their reward in Brazil, with Darke taking gold in the H1-H3 time trial. She took silver in the time trial at London 2012.

Qualification for the 2020 Games in Tokyo is under way and GB topped the medal table at the track world championships in March with 18. They also won 14 in the first World Cup of the season in Belgium, and Bate wants to build on that momentum.

The championships will see Britain’s most successful female Paralympian Dame Storey return to elite competition following the birth of her son Charlie in 2017.

Joining Storey will be Lora Fachie piloted by Corrine Hall, Crystal LaneWright and Katie Toft. Megan Giglia and Louis Rolfe will be back in action, while Will Bjergfelt, Craig Collis McCann, Hannah Dines, Mel Nicholls, Simon Price, Liz Saul, David Smith and Ben Watson will also represent Great Britain.

Completing the lineup is Finlay Graham and George Peasgood, both of whom make their debut in Great Britain Cycling Team colours.