WOMEN'S WORLDS TEAM CONFIRMED

Although Great Britain has qualified seven places for the women's road race at next week's World Championships in Italy, they may start with five.

Olympic road race champion Nicole Cooke and time trial silver medallist Emma Pooley lead the squad, with Sharon Laws, Jess Allen and Lizzie Armitstead also confirmed for next Saturday's race.

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Sports journalist Lionel Birnie has written professionally for Sunday Times, Procycling and of course Cycling Weekly. He is also an author, publisher, and co-founder of The Cycling Podcast. His first experience covering the Tour de France came in 1999, and he has presented The Cycling Podcast with Richard Moore and Daniel Friebe since 2013. He founded Peloton Publishing in 2010 and has ghostwritten and published the autobiography of Sean Kelly, as well as a number of other sports icons.