2005 UCI Track Worlds: Final Training and GB is Looking Good
By British Cycling's Larry Hickmott
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Ed Clancy gets his chance to ride in a training session for the Team Pursuit whilst Rob Hayles prepares for the individual event.
In a few days, the World Track Championships Los Angeles, March 24: Wednesday, and it was the final training day for teams for the World Track championships. Morale in the camp was said to be the best its ever been and everyone was certainly relaxed and happy to talk at the hotel. At the track, the tension did start to rise as the riders focused on their efforts to be made but once work was done for the day, they were again, back to normal. The day was planned the night before after a happy birthday celebration for Track Manager, Shane Sutton. Special notices were made for the table, a cake brought out and a rousing celebration of happy birthday sung much to the amusement of the guests and other teams in the hotel.
The riders had all added amusing quotes to the card made for him and he then spent a lot of time talking to the riders before we went off to a staff meeting chaired by Performance Director Dave Brailsford. Its at these meetings that everything for the coming day is planned. Who does what when and although the staff have specialist roles to play, there is also some multi tasking going on. At last nights meeting, I was asked to supply a picture of Nikki Harris for her licence. This was then handed to Jeff who was handling a lot of the admin and he printed it the right size. That copy was then handed to Roger the team doctor who was handling licences. Just one example of how everyone is assigned tasks to ensure everything goes smoothly. Like who will be looking after the riders in the Team Sprint when their competition begins right down to who looks after which rider and so on. Planning, planning and more planning.
At the track, GB were not on until late, 3pm, and I spent the day updating the website, taking pictures of other teams and trying to get a troublesome camera (it could be the lens) to work consistently. Once training began, there were various efforts that had to be all fitted in during a session which was one of the busiest I have seen. Not only did GB have all its riders there, but the other teams assigned to that session like Canada and the USA also had their riders. This meant that as well as being over crowded in the riders 'pen', the track too was ever so busy. So much had to be planned right down to who would hold the red flag to warn riders on the track that we had a rider in a starting gate and timing that effort to fit in with other riders from other countries who may also be making full on efforts. 
Above: Rob Hayles does endless laps at an ever increasing pace as Mark Cavendish follows along with a string of other GB riders.
One by one the riders were put through their paces. Rob Hayles first pacing Mark Cavendish, Nikki Harris and Emma Davies around the track for what seemed an eternity. At the same time, the sprinters warmed up in their way and then the real efforts started. Like a full on Team Pursuit (Steve Cummings, Paul Manning, Ed Clancy and Chris Newton) effort over what I think was 2k. Keeping track of everything wasn't easy as multi tasking for me has never came easy but you could sense that Ed Clancy felt at home as he was brought in to replace Rob Hayles in the Team Pursuit training efforts showing how important it is to have that fifth man there. Earlier, Andrea Wooles and Steve Peters had laid timing strips down on the track in the bends, something I had not seen other teams do and an example of the lengths GB go to in testing to help in selections.
During the Team Pursuit effort, splits were taken as well as video analysis and then the Team Pursuit riders all huddled around a table with Mike Hughes and Simon Jones and went through it over and over again. The mood was mixed as Simon strives for perfection on a track which is quite a challenge for them to get the changes right. Back in the pits, whilst John Evans was busy keeping the riders fed and more, the mechanics constantly changed wheels and gears, and Shane Sutton put his sprinters through their paces.
It was mixture of efforts but one of the key ones was the standing start efforts for Jamie who will be leading the Team Sprint for GB off. First he made the efforts on his own, and then with one partner and then the whole team. Flying efforts were made and Shane left the session feeling positive we could get something from the Team Sprint, a competition that is one of the closest fought with so very little in it between half a dozen teams. GB were certainly firing -- it was now going to depend on how the other teams were firing as well. 
Above: Jamie Staff leads Jason Queally and Chris Hoy in a flying effort for the Team Pursuit.
Also there was Victoria Pendleton, Matthew Crampton, Ross Edgar and Craig Maclean. They were all preparing for own events, Victoria for the 500m TT, Ross and Matthew for the Sprint and Keirin and Craig as fourth man for the Team Sprint. It was impossible to keep up with Shane as the stop watch was running for different riders and he had to keep track of them all, shouting the times out to riders as they came around, and talking to them one by one about their efforts. The excitement in his voice showed the riders were doing amongst their best times showing they were in good form which is usually enough to win medals but who knows how a competition will run. All we can do is our best and the team were certainly up for that. If nothing else, it helped to motivate everyone in the team camp that on day 1, medals were a possibility in all the events.
The point of note was that despite the Points race being the next day, Chris Newton was heavily involved in Team Pursuit training but then he has always done it that way and his success in the Points has come from his Team Pursuit training. As the minutes ticked by ever so quickly, soon Nick Kenwright could been seen with some guests of the team who had just arrived and we were soon all heading back to the hotel. Once there, we met with Jill Douglas who was there with the BBC to produce a feature on the World Championships. I handed off the team biographies to her and then had just enough time to dig out an image of Roger whose birthday it was and Jeff then did the business in making special cards up for him and Chris Hoy who were both celebrating their birthdays. 
Above: Andrea Wooles and Steve Peters dodge riders to lie timing strips on the track.
At dinner, it was time to celebrate again as 'hostess' Victoria Pendleton brought out first a cake for Chris Hoy who had no trouble blowing out the candles with his lung capacity and then Victoria did the same for doctor Roger before the cakes were distributed between the team staff and riders.
Whilst Chris celebrated his cake, the Germans urged him to eat more and the BBC filmed it all so look out for that when the feature is aired after the Worlds. Once dinner was out of the way, it was time for team meeting again with Dave Brailsford. For many who had joined me at the breakfast table at just gone 6 in the morning that day, it was a long day that was far from over and the days were about to get longer as competition started. But everyone knew their role and it was now just a case of everyone pulling together to help the riders win medals and glory not just for them, but the team that provides them with the backing that makes it all possible. This is no doubt a team effort and a great one to witness at close quarters.
The first day of competition certainly promises to be an enthralling series of three finals in the evening. The Team Sprint is certain to go down to the wire. Will we win? Perhaps -- Shane Sutton doesn't rule it out -- but then the other teams are all firing well too and it could be any one of five teams or even six. GB go up against Japan in the first of two rounds with the fastest two teams going through to race off for Gold and the next two fastest to race off for Bronze.
In the Women's 500 TT, Victoria Pendleton stands a good chance of her first medal providing she can muster the confidence to turn the excellent times she has done in training into fast times in the 500. She has done 34's before and it will take at least that perhaps to win but she has nothing to lose in an event she feels she is still progressing in and who knows, today may be the day she arrives in style on the podium. In the Points, Chris Newton will stand as good a chance as any of the favourites of which he is one and it would certainly be great to see him donning those rainbow stripes again.
As always, timing and technology permitting, British Cycling will do its best to bring you images and words from the events after the competition finishes. All that is left to say is to wish out team the best of luck for tonight's competition. It will as always, see some of the best action you can see on two wheels.
Footnote: As I was just finishing off laying out this report, Shane Sutton came down with the news that quite a few riders had been dragged out of their beds for dope test by the UCI. Then one by one, Steve Cummings, Mark Cavendish , Paul Manning, Chris Newton and others came down with a plaster on their arms where blood had been taken. When you consider it was just gone 7am and Chris Newton had a Points race this evening, it shows the stresses the riders have to put up with.
Team Pursuit analyse the video feedback. 
It was a packed pen on the final training day. 
Jamie Staff gets out of the gate in a practice run as Performance Director Dave Brailsford stands behind to warn riders of the starting gate being on the track. 
Check the electric derny out... 
Emma Davies, head down sprints it out with Nikki Harris. 
Jason, Chris and Jamie go over the an effort for the Team Sprint. 
Victoria Pendleton during one of her efforts for the 500 m Time Trial to be held today.
Ross Edgar on his way to a super time for the 200.
Craig Maclean in his all out effort in training.