Taking time out from their busy training schedule ahead of next year’s Olympic Games in London, GB’s team pursuit squad yesterday enjoyed a day on a different sort of track, at the Three Sisters Race Circuit in Wigan.

Courtesy of British Cycling’s Official Vehicle Supplier, Fiat, GB’s Geraint Thomas, Pete Kennaugh, Ben Swift, Ed Clancy, Sam Harrison, Andy Tennant and Steven Burke all got to sample some of the finest cars available as they put their driving skills to the test behind the wheels of Ferrari’s, Alfa Romeo’s, Aston Martin’s and the Fiat 500 Abarth.

The squad have been training hard over the last three weeks as they prepare for their next big race which will come at the Olympic Test Event and final round of the UCI Track World Cup in London, taking place on 17-19 February. It will be the last event on home soil before the World Championships at Melbourne in March and then culminating with the London 2012 Olympic Games in August.

Andy Tennant was appreciative of the importance these days were to the team. He said: “It’s a good team building exercise. The whole of our event is about the team success and being mates on and off the bike helps you commit to each other. It’s a difficult process this Olympic stuff so you’ve got to relax as much as you can and days like this make it very enjoyable.”

Ed Clancy said: “A lot of us spend time together outside of cycling anyway. We’re always hanging out together and it’s good to build on that unity we have. Particularly leading up to Beijing that was why we were so successful because we are almost like brothers rather than just teammates and it helps you to build further trust with someone when everything’s on the line, and it will be at the Games.”