The next generation of British track riders flew to Pruszków in Poland last weekend for the European track championships with moral in the British camp at an all time high.
Within days of the Olympians returning home, British Cycling?s backroom staff were preparing to send 25 riders off to compete in the junior and under-23 competition that runs for five days from next Wednesday at the new BGZ arena on the outskirts of Warsaw.
Olympic bronze medallist Steven Burke had little time to rest following his successful trip to Beijing as he rides the individual pursuit. Burke will be looking to step up to the top step of the podium at the Europeans after his performance in Beijing. After taking bronze at the 2007 Euro?s he?ll start as favourite.
Burke will also partner Peter Kennaugh, Mark McNally and Andy Tennant in the team pursuit as the quartet look to defend their title won in Cottbus, Germany last year.
World team pursuit champion Joanna Rowsell will start as favourite for the women?s pursuit title. Rowsell won three races out of ten in Belgium in July, and has since been preparing on the Newport track. Her Halfords Bikehut team mate Lizzie Armitstead will be looking to defend her scratch race title and improve on her silver from 2007 in the points race.
After missing the world championships in South Africa earlier this year, the British juniors will be out to prove a point. They have topped the nations classification at the European championships for the last two years, winning four golds in 2007, and will want to do the same again here.
BMX world champion Shanaze Reade was supposed to make her debut in both the women's sprint and keirin events, but her injuries sustained in Beijing are likely to keep her off the bike for a while.
Jason Kenny was also due to ride, but after winning Olympic gold in the team sprint and silver in the individual sprint he has been given some time off. Competition starts at 9am on Wednesday September 3 with qualifying for the junior women?s sprint and ends on Sunday with the men?s junior Madison.
Click here for the schedule
The full British team is:
UNDER 23
Endurance
Lizzie Armitstead
Joanna Rowsell
Steven Burke
Peter Kennaugh
Mark McNally
Andy Tennant
Sprint
Anna Blyth (sprint, 500m tt, keirin)
Matt Crampton (team sprint, sprint, keirin)
Dave Daniell (team sprint, sprint, kilometre tt)
Christian Lyte (team sprint, keirin, kilometre tt)
JUNIOR
Endurance
Jessica Booth
Katie Colclough
Alexandra Greenfield
Corrine Hall
Lucy Martin
Hannah Mayho
Mark Christian
Andy Fenn
Luke Rowe
Erick Rowsell
Chris Whorral
Sprint
Jess Varnish (sprint, keirin, 500m tt, under-23 keirin)
Steve Hill (team sprint, sprint, keirin)
Luc Jones (team sprint, kilometre tt)
Pete Mitchell (team sprint, sprint, keirin)
Cyclingweekly.co.uk will have regular updates during the event.
RELATED LINKS
CW's Olympics homepage
Pursuit women take fifth gold medal
Jo Rowsell's gold is the toast of Sutton cycling club
Burke blasts to new PB in individual pursuit
EXTERNAL LINK
European championships website
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