Great Britain Cycling Team head coach, Iain Dyer, has praised the world cup performances of the squad’s developing riders as attention begins to turn towards April’s UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Hong Kong.
The four-event UCI Track World Cup series concluded in Los Angeles this weekend, with Elinor Barker picking up a bronze medal in the scratch race following her fifth-place finish alongside Ellie Dickinson in the Madison. Chris Latham finished seventh in the men’s omnium.
Barker’s medal success was the latest on the track in what has been a successful winter for the Great Britain Cycling Team. Key medal contributions from many developing riders helped the team top the medal table at each of the first two world cup rounds, while the likes of Barker and fellow Olympic champion Katie Archibald have also excelled over the course of the series.
Dyer said: “We’re very pleased with how our riders have performed over the 2016/17 world cup series, and the final medal tally is encouraging. As with every Olympic cycle, the year immediately after an Olympic Games presents our developing riders with the opportunity to step up and prove themselves on the international stage, and I’m delighted that so many of the squad have taken that chance.
“To see so many talented young riders emerging from our pathway is a huge testament to the hard work of the riders themselves and of the staff involved.”
November’s opening world cup round in Glasgow saw British riders shine in front of their home crowd, with gold medals secured in the men’s team sprint, women’s omnium, women’s Madison and the men’s and women’s team pursuit.
That's how it's done!
— British Cycling (@BritishCycling) November 6, 2016
@JoeTruman97, @jack_carlin97 and @ryanowens0 win team sprint gold @TrackWorldCup!!! https://t.co/VwMuzNNsSm
Barker, along with men’s team sprint trio Ryan Owens, Jack Carlin and Joe Truman claimed gold medals the following week in Apeldoorn, while Emily Nelson won an impressive silver in the women’s omnium in third round of the series in Cali earlier this month.
Extremely happy with a silver medal in the Omnium! On to the Team Pursuit now with qualification tomorrow https://t.co/pGE5yqpgBY
— Emily Nelson (@EmilyNelson21) February 18, 2017
Dyer continued:
“The success of this winter has put us in a strong position to now turn our attentions towards the UCI Track World Championships in April. With one or two international races lined up over the coming weeks to help us fine-tune preparations, we are confident that we’re going to be in a good position going into the championships.”
The 2017 UCI Track Cycling World Championships take place in Hong Kong between April 12 and 16.
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