'If you're going to ask questions of Shane Sutton you have to ask them of Dave Brailsford too'
Emma Pooley questions Dave Brailsford's involvement in setting up Team Sky to win the Tour de France and why there was never a similar plan to help a woman win the Giro d'Italia

Emma Pooley is the latest cyclist to add to claims of sexism within British Cycling, saying that when it came to setting up a road team there was never a plan to create a women's one.
>>> Peter Kennaugh swiftly deletes tweets criticising Emma Pooley sexism claims
The 33-year-old has returned to road racing and the British Cycling fold this year in time for the Rio Olympic Games and will ride for Great Britain at Saturday's Tour de Yorkshire.
BC's technical director Shane Sutton was suspended and resigned his role over allegations of discrimination, but Pooley believes Sir Dave Brailsford played his part in the alleged sexism within the senior managment.
“I think the issue is much bigger than [Sutton],” she told the Guardian. (opens in new tab) “If you’re going to ask questions of Shane Sutton you have to ask them of Dave Brailsford too.
"I wish more questions had been asked of him before he was awarded his knighthood and moved to [Team] Sky. It was when he was running British Cycling that there was no women’s Team Sky.”
>>> What you need to know about the British Cycling discrimination scandal
She added: “Why didn’t anyone ask how it could be that a publicly funded body like British Cycling joined together with a privately funded team – Sky – on a mission to get a British winner of the Tour de France within five years?
"Why wasn’t there a similar plan for the women? The women’s Giro d’Italia was the most important race for women but where was the funding for that? I came second twice and no one from British Cycling offered to put together a team to help me win it.”
Pooley insisted that the "majority" of people within British Cycling were hardworking and committed to helping athletes win medals, no matter what age, race or gender.
>>> Geraint Thomas: Shane Sutton has done more than most for British Cycling
Sutton's suspension came after Paralympic gold medal-winning cyclist Darren Kenny alleged that the Australian called para-cyclists "gimps" and "wobblies" (opens in new tab).
Track sprinter Jess Varnish also alleges that Sutton told her (opens in new tab) to "go and have a baby" when her contract was not renewed on the Olympic programme. Nicole Cooke and Victoria Pendleton are others to claim that sexism is prevalent in the governing body.
Sutton denies the allegations against him (opens in new tab), but resigned his post on Wednesday so as not to cause a distraction to the riders preparing for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
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
Stuart Clarke is a News Associates trained journalist who has worked for the likes of the British Olympic Associate, British Rowing and the England and Wales Cricket Board, and of course Cycling Weekly. His work at Cycling Weekly has focused upon professional racing, following the World Tour races and its characters.
-
-
David Millar: Why Mark Cavendish deserves to be at the Tour de France
Cav has bridged generations in a way no one else could, he shows what's possible
By David Millar • Published
-
Young and talented: Meet the seven Americans racing Le Tour
Young and talented: Meet the seven American bike racers ringing Le Tour de France in 2022.
By Marshall Opel • Published
-
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
By Adam Becket • Published
-
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
By Tim Bonville-Ginn • Published
-
Sir Dave Brailsford responds to rumours that Egan Bernal wants to leave Ineos Grenadiers
Amidst speculation that Bernal was not getting on with his team-mates and could depart, the Ineos boss has shared his thoughts
By Alex Ballinger • Published
-
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'
By Jonny Long • Published
-
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
By Jonny Long • Published
-
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.
By Michelle Arthurs-Brennan • Published
-
Sir Dave Brailsford says Ineos planned to attack from the first gravel sector at Giro d’Italia 2021
‘The goal was Filippo goes into the first section first and just puts the hammer down’
By Alex Ballinger • Published
-
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
By Jonny Long • Published