Katie Archibald ready for medal charge as squad for world championships named

The Scottish star, 27, will spearhead a 19-strong British team at next week’s track cycling world championships in Roubaix fresh from landing three European golds in Grenchen earlier this month in her first outing since Tokyo 2020.

The three-time world champion will continue her winning madison partnership with Neah Evans, while their fellow Scot Ali Fielding earns his championship debut in the men’s team sprint squad with Olympic medallists Jack Carlin and Jason Kenny rested.

Joe Truman returns from injury and will also represent Great Britain in the men’s sprint events, along with James Bunting and Hamish Turnbull, all of whom are set to make their elite world championship debut. In the women’s sprint events, Lauren Bate and Sophie Capewell have been selected, as have Blaine Ridge-Davis and Milly Tanner who compete in their first elite world championships.

Archibald said: “I took a short break after Tokyo, but now I'm back to more considered training and really motivated for everything that's to come. It felt good to be racing well at the European championships last week, and our wins have helped settle my nerves about the world championships next week. What a month.

“Our team for the worlds holds a large amount of youth, but I'm used to being one of the more experienced riders on the squad so I'm hoping I can still keep my cool as the team elder, support my team-mates, as well as ride well myself.”

Performance Director Stephen Park has urged the likes of Fielding to take their chance to lay down a marker in France and push their case for a permanent place in the British team ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympics.

“This opens the door for other riders on the team to compete at an elite level and provides them with an exciting opportunity to lay down a marker of their intentions towards Paris 2024.

“Many of the riders we have selected for Roubaix competed in the UEC European Track Championships in Grenchen last week, where the team won five medals. Katie Archibald showed her talent by winning three gold medals – the omnium, the scratch race and the Madison which she won with Neah Evans. Neah also won bronze in the elimination race, and it was promising to see the men’s team pursuit squad back on the podium, with a bronze medal for Rhys Britton, Charlie Tanfield, Ollie Wood and Will Tidball.

“It wasn’t just the medals we were in the hunt for, it was performances, particularly from our Academy riders, and we saw plenty of impressive ones from across the board. This is what we can expect to see from the squad in Roubaix, given where we are in the Olympic cycle.”

The championships were originally to be held in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, but were moved to Roubaix due to the coronavirus pandemic. They will take place on October 20-24.

Team GB Men’s Endurance squad: Rhys Britton, Kian Emadi, Ethan Hayter, Charlie Tanfield, Ethan Vernon, Oliver Wood

Team GB Women’s Endurance squad: Katie Archibald, Megan Barker, Ella Barnwell, Neah Evans, Josie Knight

Team GB Men’s Sprint squad: James Bunting, Ali Fielding, Joe Truman, Hamish Turnbull

Team GB Women’s Sprint squad: Lauren Bate, Sophie Capewell, Blaine Ridge-Davis, Milly Tanner