Promising track star Germain Burton has left the British Cycling Olympic Development Programme, the organisation has confirmed.
The 21-year-old rider, son of former British national track champion Maurice Burton, was considered one of British Cycling’s hottest prospects, having impressed on both track and road in his short career.
>>> How British Cycling’s nightmare week unfolded
Burton won a bronze medal in the team pursuit at January’s UCI Track World Cup meeting in Cali, Colombia, alongside Matt Gibson, Christoper Latham and Mark Stewart, securing Great Britain’s World Cup gold in the process, but has since decided to leave the organisation.
Burton declined to comment on his departure from the programme, but it is not believed that his decision to leave British Cycling's programme was related to allegations of sexism and bullying within the British team.
Watch: Nine beginner mistakes and how to avoid them
His father Maurice was himself a three-time British national champion on the track, before being forced to retire following a serious crash at the Buenos Aires Six Day race in 1984.
Burton seemed destined to replicate, or even surpass, his father’s success in the sport when he burst onto the scene by winning the famous Bec CC hill-climb in 2010 at the age of just 15, defending his title the following year.
Burton won the team pursuit at the British National Track Championships in both 2014 and 2015 and looked likely to equal his dad’s mark of three national championships this year.
Burton is currently working at his father’s bike shop, De Ver Cycles in Streatham, while he decides on the next step in his career.
Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
-
-
Would you collaborate with the very people standing between you and your lifelong dream of an Olympic medal?
Olympian Lea Davison's TedX talk reveals the story behind "USlay" and how collaboration is winning even if you lose
-
Tom Dumoulin ends career with immediate effect
Dutch former Giro d’Italia winner brings forward retirement from professional cycling
-
British Cycling announces Para-Cycling road World Championships team
14 rider squad due to compete in Baie-Comeau, Canada in August
-
Race page on British Cycling's site which left female riders 'exasperated and disappointed' amended as governing body seeks venue for National Masters race
British Cycling did not write the race page, and are still looking for host venue and organiser for 2022 National Women’s Masters Circuit Race Championships
-
British Cycling announces team for the upcoming Track World Championships in Roubaix
The team includes the likes of Katie Archibald, Ethan Hayter, Neah Evans and Joe Truman
-
Dan Bigham is definitely NOT the bad boy of British Cycling
'British Cycling aren’t the big evil corporation that sometimes they’re made out to be'
-
British Cycling announces plans to grow BMX freestyle after Tokyo, including national competition structure
The hope is to produce future medallists after the success of British freestylers in Japan
-
Lotus x Hope HB.T: Team GB's track bike in detail
British Cycling's UKSI bike is a thing of legend, so when Hope dropped the new British track bike on us at the end of 2019 we knew we had to go and take a closer look at the story behind it.
-
WADA investigating UK Anti-Doping after allegedly allowing British Cycling to conduct own drug inquest
After a 2010 sample from a prominent rider returned trace amounts of the steroid nandralone, it is alleged UKAD allowed British Cycling to conduct their own private investigation into the matter
-
Dr Richard Freeman speaks out: 'I am not a doping doctor'
Freeman continues to protest his innocence despite being found guilty by the GMC of ordering testosterone "knowing or believing" it was to dope a rider
