The 2016 UEC European Track Championships will see the return of the Great Britain Cycling Team to velodrome action after a very successful summer in Rio.
The squad going to the European championships will form the first glimpse of the new age of the British track cycling team; Olympic champions will line up alongside promising Senior Academy riders, as new ones-to-watch emerge.
Ones to watch
Sprint
The men’s sprint team is formed of Olympic team sprint reserve rider Ryan Owens, and fellow Senior Academy riders Jack Carlin and Joe Truman.
The trio have already tasted success on the European stage in 2016, winning the men’s team sprint title at the UEC Under-23 European Track Championships.
As the national teams shift their focus from Rio to the next four years, these European championships will be an excellent opportunity for the young team to test their strength against elite competitors.
The women’s sprint team will be made up of Rachel James, former tandem pilot to Sophie Thornhill and two-time world champion in that pairing, and Ellie Richardson, who will be making her debut on the Great Britain Cycling Team.
Women’s endurance
Olympic gold medal-winning team pursuit riders Katie Archibald and Elinor Barker will be donning Great Britain Cycling Team jerseys for the first time since their world record ride in Rio in August.
The Olympic champions will be joined by a successful team pursuit quartet in their own right; European under-23 champions Emily Kay, Manon Lloyd, Emily Nelson and Danni Khan.
Very happy to announce that I'll be riding at the Track Europeans in Paris starting next week! https://t.co/bLCxUTVm3A
— Emily Nelson (@EmilyNelson21) October 10, 2016
Nelson and Khan also medalled in individual events at the July under-23 European championships and have held strong form over the summer so will be looking for good performances in the elite competition.
Men’s endurance
Steven Burke will return to international duty in the men’s endurance squad, his first competition back on the track since his gold medal success with the men’s team pursuit in Rio this summer.
Ollie Wood has enjoyed some domestic and international success in 2016, with a team pursuit bronze at the under-23 European championships, along with fellow squad members Mark Stewart and Matt Bostock, as well as a win in the elimination scratch race at the Revolution Series in Glasgow.
Kian Emadi will be lining up in his first European championships as a member of the endurance squad, having made the switch from sprint in 2015. The young rider tasted some success in the discipline with a bronze in the team pursuit at world cup level in early 2016 and will be hoping for his first European palmarès in Paris.
Venue
The National Velodrome Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines will host its first UEC European Track Championships.
Built in the town of Saint Quentin-en-Yvelines on the outskirts of Paris, the state-of-the-art facility was officially opened in January 2014 and is home to the French national track squad.
Alongside the world-class 250-metre track, the venue also boasts an international standard BMX track amid a host of multi-sport facilities.
Schedule (UK times)
Wednesday 19 October: 3.30pm – 10.15pm
Medals decided: Women's 500m time trial, men's 1km time trial, men’s scratch race, women's elimination race
Thursday 20 October: 4pm – 9.20pm
Medals decided: Men's team sprint, women’s team sprint, men’s team pursuit, women’s team pursuit, men’s elimination race, women's scratch race
Friday 21 October: 1.30pm- 9.25pm
Medals decided: Women’s individual pursuit, women’s points race, women's keirin, men's omnium
Saturday 22 October: 11.30am – 9.25pm
Medals decided: Men's points race, men’s sprint, men’s individual pursuit, women’s omnium
Sunday 23 October: 10.30am – 4.25pm
Medals decided: Women’s Madison, women’s sprint, men’s keirin, men’s Madison
How to follow the team
- Live coverage and highlights on Eurosport
- Follow #EuroTrack16 on Twitter
- Updates on Twitter @BritishCycling
- Daily report and gallery will appear on the British Cycling website
