The all-time list of Britain's most successful Olympic cyclists

published 12 August 2016

British cycling and the Olympics has been synonymous with success since Lottery funding started in 1996.

However, riders from the UK have had a long history with medals at the Olympics, which stretches back all the way to the first modern Games, in Athens in 1896.

Riders with one gold and four points: Ernest Payne (1908 team pursuit); Victor Johnson (1908 660 yards); Charles Bartlett (1908 100 kilometres); Thomas Lance (1920 tandem); Rebecca Romero (2008 women’s individual pursuit); Jamie Staff (2008 team sprint); Nicole Cooke (2008 women’s road race); Pete Kennaugh (2012 team pursuit); Dani King (2012 women’s team pursuit); Owain Doull (2016 team pursuit); Elinor Barker (2016 team pursuit); Katie Archibald (2016 team pursuit)

Riders with one silver and two points: Frederick Keeping (1896 12 hour race) Frederick Hamlin (1908 tandem); Charles Denny (1908 100km); Charles Moss (1912 team time trial); William Hammond (1912 team time trial) Cyril Alden (1920 team pursuit); William Stewart (1920 team pursuit); Albert White (1920 team pursuit); Jack Lauterwasser (1928 road race team); John Middleton (1928 road race team); John Sibbit (1928 tandem) Robert John Maitland (1948 road race team); Ian Scott (1948 road race team); Gordon Thomas (1948 road race team); Arthur Brittain (1956 road race team); William Holmes (1956 road race team); Craig MacLean (2000 team sprint); Ross Edgar (2008 keirin); Steve Cummings (2008 team pursuit); Wendy Houvenaghel (2008 women’s individual pursuit); Emma Pooley (2008 women’s time trial); Lizzie Armitstead (2012 women’s road race); Mark Cavendish (2016 omnium)

Riders with one bronze and one point: Colin Brooks (1908 tandem); Walter Isaacs (1908 tandem); George Southall (1928 team pursuit); Harry Wyld (1928 team pursuit); Leonard Wyld (1928 team pursuit); Percy Wyld (1928 team pursuit); Stanley Chambers (1932 tandem); William Harvell (1932 team pursuit); Charles Holland (1932 team pursuit); Harry Hill (1936 team pursuit); Charles King (1936 team pursuit); Ernest Mills (1936 team pursuit); Robert Geldard (1948 team pursuit); David Ricketts (1948 team pursuit); Wilfred Waters (1948 team pursuit); Alan Bannister (1948 tandem); George Newbury (1952 team pursuit); Alan Newton (1952 team pursuit); Ronald Stretton (1952 team pursuit); Michael Gambrill (1956 team pursuit); John Geddes (1956 team pursuit); Tom Simpson (1956 team pursuit); William Moore (1972 team pursuit); Ian Hallam (1972 team pursuit); Ronald Keeble (1972 team pursuit); Robin Croker (1976 team pursuit); Ian Banbury (1976 team pursuit); Edward Battell (1986 road race); Max Sciandri (1996 road race); Yvonne McGregor (2000 women’s individual pursuit); Katy Marchant (2016, sprint).

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A freelance sports journalist and podcaster, you'll mostly find Chris's byline attached to news scoops, profile interviews and long reads across a variety of different publications. He has been writing regularly for Cycling Weekly since 2013. In 2024 he released a seven-part podcast documentary, Ghost in the Machine, about motor doping in cycling.

Previously a ski, hiking and cycling guide in the Canadian Rockies and Spanish Pyrenees, he almost certainly holds the record for the most number of interviews conducted from snowy mountains. He lives in Valencia, Spain.

The all-time list of Britain's most successful Olympic cyclists

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