The reigning Olympic and recently crowned three-time European champion Katie Archibald, is among the 19 track cyclists selected to represent Great Britain at the forthcoming UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Roubaix, France.
Archibald will be joined by fellow Olympic medallists Neah Evans and Josie Knight in the women’s endurance squad, with senior academy riders Megan Barker and Ella Barnwell also making selection for their first elite track world championships. In the men’s endurance squad, the Olympic Madison silver medallist Ethan Hayter is selected, alongside Olympians Charlie Tanfield, Ethan Vernon and Ollie Wood. Kian Emadi re-joins the squad and Rhys Britton steps up to make his debut at an elite world championships.
Joe Truman returns from injury and will represent Great Britain in the men’s sprint events, along with James Bunting, Ali Fielding and Hamish Turnbull, all of whom are set to make their elite world championship debut. In the women’s sprint events, Lauren Bate and Sophie Capewell have been selected, as have Blaine Ridge-Davis and Milly Tanner who compete in their first elite world championships.
Performance Director Stephen Park said: “The track world championships in Roubaix are going to be interesting for the Great Britain Cycling Team, as the majority of our Tokyo Olympians are taking a well-earned break. This opens the door for other riders on the team to compete at an elite level and provides them with an exciting opportunity to lay down a marker of their intentions towards Paris 2024.
“Many of the riders we have selected for Roubaix competed in the UEC European Track Championships in Grenchen last week, where the team won five medals. Katie Archibald showed her talent by winning three gold medals – the omnium, the scratch race and the Madison which she won with Neah Evans. Neah also won bronze in the elimination race, and it was promising to see the men’s team pursuit squad back on the podium, with a bronze medal for Rhys Britton, Charlie Tanfield, Ollie Wood and Will Tidball. It wasn’t just the medals we were in the hunt for, it was performances, particularly from our Academy riders, and we saw plenty of impressive ones from across the board. This is what we can expect to see from the squad in Roubaix, given where we are in the Olympic cycle.
“I’d like to congratulate the riders who have been selected for these track world championships, especially the riders who are making their debut at elite level, and I’m looking forward to see how the team gets on.”
Katie Archibald said: “I took a short break after Tokyo, but now I'm back to more considered training and really motivated for everything that's to come. It felt good to be racing well at the European championships last week, and our wins have helped settle my nerves about the world championships next week. What a month! Our team for the worlds holds a large amount of youth, but I'm used to being one of the more experienced riders on the squad so I'm hoping I can still keep my cool as the team elder, support my teammates, as well as ride well myself.”
Men’s Endurance
Rhys Britton
Kian Emadi
Ethan Hayter
Charlie Tanfield
Ethan Vernon
Oliver Wood
Women’s Endurance
Katie Archibald
Megan Barker
Ella Barnwell
Neah Evans
Josie Knight
Men’s Sprint
Ali Fielding
Hayden Norris
Joe Truman
Hamish Turnbull
Women’s Sprint
Lauren Bate
Sophie Capewell
Blaine Ridge-Davis
Milly Tanner