British Cycling has announced its full squad for 2014/2015 having recently completed its final intake for its Academy Programme.
Much of the Olympic Podium Programme roster remains unchanged, but sees Katie Archibald, Tre Whyte, Kyle Evans and Grant Ferguson step up to the top level programme as well as the addition of former Academy rider Mark Christian and endurance track rider Ciara Horne.
Lizzie Armitstead and Hannah Barnes have been selected as the only two female riders specifically for road racing.
About the women's academy programme, BC technical director Shane Sutton said: “The women’s academy endurance programme is beginning to take shape now. The riders are really starting to develop with the ultimate aim of feeding into the elite squads.
“Amy Roberts, who recently moved up to Manchester to train with the podium riders, is an outstanding example of this. I’m also encouraged that we can continue to support young female riders with a road focus, such as Lucy Garner and Anna Christian, who both made selection for the elite road world championships this year.”
Sutton also commented on the Olympic Develepment Programme and the newly created Develepment Apprentice scheme which is aimed at riders ages 14-15, helping them to prepare to try and step up to the Development and Academy squads. The apprentice scheme is set to be ready by the end of this year.
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“Looking further down the pathway,” said Sutton, “the Olympic Development Programme has accepted 42 riders for this funding year and the newly-created Olympic Development Apprentice scheme, which will be fully operational by the end of the year, has 83 riders identified to be accepted as apprentices which should provide us with a healthy pool of talent looking beyond Rio.”
