Brits Preparing for Big One at Manchester at Newport

 

Story posted February 19, 2007
By Mike Anstice, www.u-not-me.com

 

Last Saturday was particularly busy at the NewportVelo Saturday Morning training session (Newport City Velodrome) with 29 Youth (Under 16) riders in the blue line group joined by 20 younger and novice riders on the black line filling the Newport track as they honed their skills on the boards.

Then, as the end of the session was being reached at midday for the future stars, the British Olympic Academy women riders arrived to set up for the afternoon, Lizzy Armitstead, Jo Rowsell and Wales own Katie Curtis.

As they settled down with SiS energy bars and good old fashioned bananas to keep their energy levels up, Sweden's Paris-Roubaix star big Magnus Backstedt also appeared up the slope into the track centre to set up his home trainer, with his rear wheel replaced by wind sails. He soon settled into the 'chair' and displayed the power and determination required to be a star rider of his capability, perhaps reliving his win at Roubaix as he pushed the pedals around at speed.

 

Right: Martyn Ashfield hard at work for Team GB at Newport.

 

The track centre was certainly a hive of activity by now with nearly fifty youth riders, three Great Britain team members and Liquigas's powerhouse Backstedt. The kids were certainly getting excited and a few set out with their autograph books to grab treasured signatures from the star riders.

Then a few more well known faces turned up as the newly launched Plowman Craven/Evans Cycles squad (above) turned up. W knew we were in for spectacle, as it was off with their jackets to reveal their new colours that they will proudly be racing in at the Manchester World Track Cup this week. Among their number were Commonwealth, World and National championship medallists.

To finish the day, the most high profile athlete of them all, Olympic Silver medal winner in rowing, Rebecca Romero who has taken to cycling like a duck does to water. The British woman has already posted some outstanding world class times for the 3,000 metres which is quite remarkable as she has only been cycling for less than a year. Showing the determination and talent that took her to the top of the rowing world on a number of occasions, Rebecca is now making great progress in her cycling career under the guidance of National Womens Endurance coach Dan Hunt.