Published: 03 October 2012
Report: Rebecca Ransom

Welsh Cycling has unveiled Team SWI Welsh Cycling, Wales’ new track cycling team that will compete in the 2012/2013 UCI Track World Cup series.

After the unprecedented success of Team GB at the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Welsh Cycling with support from Sport Wales and leading bike retailer Wiggle, are preparing to take Wales to the podiums at Glasgow 2014 and beyond with the launch of a new track cycling team.  

World Junior Time Trial Champion, Elinor Barker will join Team SWI Welsh Cycling for the UCI Track World Cup series this winter. Double World Junior Track Championship medallist Amy Roberts will compete in the endurance events, with Ciara Horne making the trio for the Women’s Team Pursuit. Former European and National Track Champion, Jon Mould will also compete for Team SWI WC at the UCI Track World Cup series.

The Team will travel to all three rounds of the 2012 UCI Track World Cup series in Cali Colombia 11-13 October 2012; Glasgow, Scotland 16 -18 November 2012; Aguascalientes, Mexico 17 – 19 January 2013. There is also the potential for additional athletes to join the Team later in the series.

Welsh Cycling is preparing its athletes to compete at their best in Glasgow 2014. By taking athletes to world class events, like the UCI Track World Cups, athletes will gain valuable experience in their quest to win medals in Glasgow. Team SWI WC is a UCI track trade team and will work with the Great Britain cycling team in providing more opportunities for athletes eligible to ride for Wales to compete at international track competitions.

Matt Cosgrove, Performance Director at Welsh Cycling will manage Team SWI WC through the 2012/2013 track season. Ahead of the Team’s departure for Colombia, he said: “Team SWI Welsh Cycling is an integral part of the Welsh Cycling Performance programme. The Team will give riders who are eligible to represent Wales an opportunity to compete in track cycling events at world level. This will enable riders gain experience and develop as athletes in preparation for Glasgow 2014.”

Team SWI WC will be based at Wales National Velodrome, under the watchful eye of Welsh Cycling’s Head Coach Darren Tudor. Having worked on the development and performance of some of Great Britain and Wales’ most successful cyclists, Darren Tudor plans to use his own experiences to ensure Wales is at the forefront of cycling in Glasgow 2014.

“The 2012/13 track season is part of a learning process for many of our riders, with the Track World Cups providing them with experience of competing on the international stage. Team SWI Welsh Cycling is part of a long term project that will aim to deliver riders to the podium programmes at British Cycling. Major targets for Team SWI WC include the commonwealth games in Glasgow in 2014. In the meantime, we will work to deliver riders to British Cycling with the hope of success at Rio in 2016.”

Sport Wales is supporting Team SWI WC in their UCI World Cup campaign, developing athletes for the international stage. The Team will prepare athletes for competition at the Commonwealth games aiming for podium success for Wales in 2014 and beyond.

Chair of Sport Wales, Laura McAllister said:

“The launch of the SWI Welsh Cycling team is a fantastic step in the development of the sport in Wales. To be able to provide the next generation of Welsh riders with the opportunity to ride alongside some of the best cyclists in the world will stand them in the best possible stead when it comes to their future careers, and that will benefit Wales, not only going in to the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, but in our representation within GB squads in the coming years.

The Sport Wales Institute is a world class set-up of sport science and medicine support and we’re lucky to have a team that works tirelessly behind the team of riders to ensure that they can achieve the pinnacle of their ability. I’m looking forward to the World Cup season starting and to see how the young riders perform.”

Keep up to date with Team SWI Welsh Cycling throughout their 2012/13 Track World Cup campaign