Eurosport - Wed, 04 Nov 21:23:00 2009
British Cycling performance director Dave Brailsford believes Great Britain will have one up on the rest of the world should proposed changes to the Olympic schedule take place.
In December the International Olympic Committee Executive Board is expected to ratify the amendments, which would see the individual pursuit, the madison and the points races scrapped.
Instead, there would be a women's team sprint, keirin and team pursuit added as well as an omnium for both sexes to ensure gender quality with five male and five female events.
Great Britain are currently reigning champions in both the men's and women's individual pursuit after Bradley Wiggins and Rebecca Romero topped the podium in Beijing.
But Team GB, as they proved at the recent World Cup in Manchester with 10 gold medals, have strength across the board with the women's team pursuit breaking the world record last weekend.
And Brailsford has revealed Team GB have already incorporated the changes into their line of attack and he remains convinced they will get the green light from the IOC.
"We think that the changes will happen and we've based our strategy on the premise that they will happen," said Brailsford.
"If they don't then we will be fine but if they do then we've stolen a march on our rivals and the rest of the world.
"And it's not about individuals and how loses out and who benefits. It's about a sport moving forward and at present I'd back us against anyone in the world right now.
"We'll see what effect it has on endurance riders over time. We'd like to make sure that we don't completely lose the endurance racers from the track.
"We still believe that, in our academy process, having young riders come up through the track system is good for skills development and good for overall development as young riders.
"We'll continue to make sure that endurance track racing still forms a part of our development plan."
Brailsford was also quick to point out that despite their dominance in Manchester, Great Britain were not using the advanced skinsuits worn in Beijing, nor did they have their specially developed rear wheels in operation.
"The performances in the sprint and the team pursuit make a mockery of the UCI and their anti-technology-advancement rules," added Brailsford.
"Give us a standard bike and a standard skin-suit and well still beat everybody."
Comment 1 - 6 of 6
It is POSITIVELY wonderful that doper Floyd Landis was BANNED foir two years and exposed as a Lance Pharmstrong alum and drug cheat.
It was GREAT that Frankie Andreu confessed under oath and in the NY Times to EPO injections art the 1999 Tour whilst riding for Pharmstrong, THUS discrediting that victory as a doped USPO win.
It is terrific that David Walsh (Rupert Murdock) London Times) wrote two books outlining Lance's drug cheating and how Floyd Landis was DQed from the TDF in 2006.
It was POSITIVE that Lance's long-time STEROID dealer, Michele Ferraari was CONVICTED of illegal pharmacy in October 2004.
It was great news that Laurent Fignon (French Champion and doouble TDF) CONFESSED his steroid and stimulant injections NOW, at age 47, before he dies of his Pancreatic Cancer.
Super positive news in the charade of TV steroid, hGH, hCG, EPO sports which most morons lust after.
Thanks for asking.
@Thomas.............you crack me up.................................
I'm slightly hopeful about this.
The women get more events.
I want to see more women's cycling.
Women's cycling has been better than the men's over the last decade. IMO, the best women have always been better than the best men (in terms of entertainment at least). Give me Luperini over Pantani, or Van Moorsel over Jalabert any day, and there's simply nobody to compare with Longo.
But over the last decade, even the average women have been more entertaining than the best men.
Hopefully, an increase in women's track events will lead to an increased interest too...and then hopefully, that interest will spread to road cycling as well.
Here's hoping.
How can they seriously consider dropping the pursuit? This is the key track event of the lot.
I don't think the British riders of Newton, Wiggins and Houvenaghel would agree?! Vicky P seems to have got most out of the deal
Well done, David, for everything you have done to make Britain the greatest cycling team in the world - and this from a country that espouses the car far more than the racing-bike. As a cyclist myself, I can't wait for the next chapter in the fortunes
of team GB!
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