Euro track champs preview>>
The British team go in to today?s junior and under-23 European track championships in Poland with no pressure, but a wealth of back-up behind them.
?It?s very much early days in their careers so we keep expectations very much in check,? sprint coach Iain Dyer told cyclingweekly.co.uk. ?Some of the riders have done the Europeans before and for others it?s their first taste, so we just ask them to do their best.?
?Success at a junior level is down to a few different things including physical maturity so we don?t place a lot of expectation on them. What we?re trying to accomplish is preparing them for a senior career. We?re not chasing medals, we?re chasing development further down the road.?
All 378 competitors face a busy schedule as both the junior and under-23 events are crammed in to five days. Five medals will be decided today, with the British juniors going for gold in the team pursuit. The sprinters go in the (under-23) kilometre time trial where British hopes rest on David Daniell and Christian Lyte.
Click here for the schedule>>
They will face stiff competition in the sprint events as both Maximillian Levy of Germany and Kevin Sireau of France are present after their strong showing at the Olympics
The championships also acts as a test event for next year?s world championships that will be held on the BGZ arena on the outskirts of Warsaw. ?They?ve been building around us, but they?ve done a fantastic job,? Dyer said.
The stadium had been bidding against Manchester for the 2008 worlds, but ran out of funds part way through construction. The Polish government then stepped in to help on the understanding that major championships would be held here. ?It?s beautifully constructed and it?s a great facility. They?ve built dormitory facilities in the track so it?s going to be a big platform for the Polish team," said Dyer.
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CW's Olympics homepage
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EXTERNAL LINK
European championships website
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