As the British Olympic Association announced it’s cycling squad for this summer’s Beijing Games, it was hailed as “clearly both the strongest and most professional Cycling team from Great Britain in living memory,” by Dave Brailsford, Team GB Cycling Team Leader.
Packed with medal hopefuls, the squad will be hoping they can continue in the great form they showed at the World Track Cycling Championships in Manchester.
Simon Clegg, Team GB 2008 Chef de Mission, said: “Cycling delivered considerable success for Team GB in Athens and all the indications are that this talented group of cyclists will achieve significant podium results in Beijing.”
Rebecca Romero, who has been selected to compete in the Individual Pursuit and Points Race, is aiming to become the first British women to win medals in two different sports. Romero, 28, a former rowing world champion, won silver in Athens.
Romero said, “Having already been to the Olympics as a rower and then retired I never thought I’d return to the Games. Having taken up cycling my aim was to qualify and getting the selection letter made it real that I was going; and not only am I going but I’m going as the World’s number one!”
She will be joined by gold medal hopefuls Victoria Pendleton in the Sprint and Shanaze Reade in the Olympics’ inaugural BMX event.
Nicole Cook will be lookingto better a 5th place finish from Athens in the Road event and will be joined by Sharon Laws and Emma Pooley. Wendy Houvenaghel has also been selected alongside Romero in the Individual Pursuit.
Louise Hudson, Sportsister
The Women’s Sports Magazine
Click here to read Sportsister’s interview with Victoria Pendleton
