Steven Burke

July 19-23; Athens Olympic Velodrome

Steven Burke was part of last years European Gold medal winning team that went on to get a silver medal at the World Championships.

This year though he has had more than his share of bad luck. Like a stage race in Europe where the team had set Steven Burke up for a stage win in a bunch gallop and he had his wheel taken from under him by a rival rider in the final 50 metres and that was that - game over. A promising performance but no bouquet.

Talking to him at the training camp he says that his form is now coming back. "I'm getting my track legs back now and am looking to win as many medals as possible. I think we have a good chance in the Team Pursuit so I'm looking forward to it."

Despite an up and down year on the road, he says focusing on the Europeans and Worlds has helped him remain motivated and for that he'd like to thank his ODP coach Darren Tudor.

With three quarters of his Gold medal winning Team Pursuit teammates having gone from the junior ranks and into the Olympic Academy, Steven is now the only rider left from last years European championship winning team and says that it has been a learning experience getting used to the new guys who have come in adding that they have adapted really well.

Steven also says that unlike last year when the ODP program was a new GB initiative, everyone has learnt from the experiences at training camps and major championships and that this year they are better prepared. He also adds, that a year on, he personally feels stronger and there was talk from some observers at the Newport track that this years team may even be going quicker than last years squad which if true, is quite an achievement by their coach.