British cyclists gear up for Track World Championships without Laura Kenny
ByPA Sport
Updated 04/04/2017 at 13:47 GMT
British Cycling's head coach Iain Dyer says next week's Track World Championships is a chance for the likes of Katie Archibald and Elinor Barker to "unseat" golden girl Laura Kenny.
Gold medallist Britain's Laura Trott poses with her medal on the podium
Image credit: AFP
Kenny is Great Britain's most successful female Olympian, winning four gold medals and dominating the endurance landscape for several years, but will not be heading to Hong Kong as she prepares to have her first child with husband Jason, who is also on an extended break after winning his sixth Olympic title in Rio.
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Gold medalist Jason Kenny (GBR) of Britain poses with his gilfriend, women's omnium gold medalist Laura Trott (GBR) of Britain.
Image credit: Reuters
With Joanna Rowsell-Shand now retired, that leaves Archibald and Barker still active from the world record-breaking team pursuit quartet in Rio.
And though Kenny is expected to be back in the spotlight by the time Tokyo 2020 rolls around, Dyer has made it clear that the chance exists to usurp one of the sport's standard-bearers.
As well as being part of a new look team pursuit squad, Archibald will contest the scratch race, omnium and individual pursuit in Hong Kong, with Barker challenging for the points race and madison,
Perform well and they look likely to be the women in possession for the foreseeable future, placing the onus back on the decorated Kenny.
"I think that's true for anyone who is having a little bit of time out post-Rio or having a baby, whatever their plans might be," said Dyer.
"Laura has ruled the roost in the omnium in the past but Katie and Elinor are pretty good bunch race riders in their own right, as we've all seen.
"The guys here are looking to make their own mark. It's such a young squad that anyone has the opportunity to unseat someone who is a little more senior or who's taken some time out. The intra-squad competition is very strong.
"Tokyo is very much within our sights and the most important thing with these World Championships is that people who have been committed to team events now have the freedom to commit a little bit stronger to individual stuff and we'll give them the opportunity."
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Britain's Manon Lloyd (L) and Katie Archibald (R) celebrate after winning the women's Madison final on the second day of the UCI Track Cycling World Cup first round at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome in Glasgow, Scotland on November 5, 2016.
Image credit: AFP
Dyer also confirmed that British Cycling was working under the assumption that the madison event would be restored to the Olympic calendar, with news expected as early as this summer.
It was removed as part of a reshuffle following the 2008 Games and its return, which could conceivably pique the interest of Mark Cavendish on the men's side, and Kenny on the women's, would be welcomed by Team GB,
"It's in the back of our mind that the madison might enter the men's and women's programme in Tokyo. We've not heard anything official on this but it's on the rumour mill," said Dyer.
"We know the UCI have been working hard behind the scenes to get an additional endurance medal into the Olympic programme to bring up the tally to three each for sprint and endurance.
"In the last year we've seen the women's madison come to the fore and that looks like a genuine attempt to achieve equality between men and women. It would seem they are positioning themselves for a tilt at being able to do madison in the Olympic programme. That would seem like a strong bet."
He continued: "There's a few nations who'd be quite strongly in favour of it. We'd all be in favour of that because healthy track racing is strong track racing and that can only be good for the sport.
"The madison is a little bit longer than some events, but it does tell a wonderful story."
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