Road To 2012
Join The British Cycling Team
Olympic Academy Programme - Track Sprint
British Cycling: Join The Team Home
Homepage: Road To 2012 | British Cycling's Performance Programs Explained
British Cycling's Olympic Academy Programme - Track Sprint is now recruiting for a new intake of under-23 riders to make their next step towards a Track sprint career.
A place on the Academy Programme is something only those riders with the ability to make significant progress towards a two-three year goal of a medal at under-23 and senior European or World Championships will achieve. Competition for places is always high with a very limited number of places reflecting the limited number of Olympic medals available at the top of the sport, so only riders demonstrating truly exceptional ability will earn membership.
The Academy programme is full time, requiring a strong work ethic to survive and progress. Young riders need to live and breathe cycling and devote their coming years to the achievement of challenging goals. The support provided and commitment of the Olympic Programme staff to assisting riders to achieve these goals is as high as the commitment expected from the riders.
The programme is based in Manchester throughout the year, alongside riders from the Men's endurance and mountain bike academies, giving access to a range of training partners. The Academy riders will share the gym and velodrome with riders from the Track Sprint Podium programme as well as BMX riders and the Track Endurance programme. Although some training sessions are Academy specific, there will be plenty of available sparring and training partners from every level of the programme.
No stone is left unturned to provide the best coaching, sports science input, equipment appropriate to the stage of development, nutrition support, medical and hygiene advice, educational support, clothing, injury prevention and rehabilitation, tactical advice, race support, track time, coaching, training programme, mental preparation. This list continues to grow in the team's unending quest for excellence. Academy riders are provided via UK Sport lottery funding with a small grant, from which they are required to make a contribution towards programme and accommodation costs. There is a regular education programme throughout the winter months aimed at providing riders with the life skills needed to make a successful transition post academy into a professional full time career as a cyclist. This programme can include language skills, nutrition, budgeting, as well as time management and media training.
HISTORY
British Cycling's Olympic Academy Programme was introduced in 2004; that included Tour de France stage winner Mark Cavendish, and Olympic Champions Geraint Thomas and Ed Clancy. Since that time, the Academy has grown exponentially to incorporate all Olympic disciplines, with most riders residential in apartment style accommodation in Manchester over the winter months.
Learning from the successes of the Men's Endurance Academy, parallel programmes were developed for Track Sprint, Mountain Bike Cross Country, BMX Supercross and Women's Endurance. This is far from a one size fits all model though; in recognition of the specific needs of the different cycling disciplines; each Programme differs slightly.
For a taste of life on the Programme
Sprint Academy In Germany
Good Friday Track Meet
Track Stars of the Future in Newport
Application forms can be downloaded here: Download
British Cycling Equality Monitoring Form - Download
Application deadline dates: 2 October 2011
Successful applicants will be advised by the middle of October with a start date in the Academy of November 2.
Contact: AlisonJohnson@britishcycling.org.uk or British Cycling, National Cycling Centre, Stuart Street, Manchester M11 4DQ or faxed to 0161 274 2111.
