British Cycling looking for a new performance director ahead of 2020 Olympics

British Cycling has started the process of looking for a new performance director, a job held by Sir Dave Brailsford up to 2014

David Brailsford and Steve Peters, European Track Championships 2010, day two
(Image credit: Andy Jones)

British Cycling has started the process of appointing a new performance director, the role that oversees the training of the Great Britain cycling team and one that was formerly held by Sir Dave Brailsford.

Brailsford left the role in April 2014 to focus on his job heading up Team Sky, and the position has since been vacant. The role is seen by British Cycling as key towards preparations for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

"Appointing a performance director is a part of the Tokyo [2020 Olympics] strategy submitted to UK Sport in February and will enable the Great Britain Cycling Team to build upon the success the team enjoyed this year and provide greater support to performance staff and athletes," said British Cycling in a statement published on Wednesday.

Technical director Shane Sutton had overseen the British squad since Brailsford's departure, but Sutton left British Cycling in April 2016 amid allegations of sexism and bullying. An investigation into the allegations is currently underway.

>>> Female membership of British Cycling reaches an all-time high

Sutton's responsibilities were taken on by programmes director Andy Harrison in the lead-up to the Rio 2016 Games.

Harrison – who will remain in charge of the team through the recruitment process – is thought to be a likely candidate for the new performance director role.

Great Britain's cyclists claimed 18 gold medals in the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Rio de Janerio, part of the 33 medals that they won in total.

The Positive Dynamics consultancy has been tasked with assisting British Cycling in the recruitment process.

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Nigel Wynn
Former Associate Editor

Nigel Wynn worked as associate editor on CyclingWeekly.com, he worked almost single-handedly on the Cycling Weekly website in its early days. His passion for cycling, his writing and his creativity, as well as his hard work and dedication, were the original driving force behind the website’s success. Without him, CyclingWeekly.com would certainly not exist on the size and scale that it enjoys today. Nigel sadly passed away, following a brave battle with a cancer-related illness, in 2018. He was a highly valued colleague, and more importantly, an exceptional person to work with - his presence is sorely missed.