British track superstars kick off Olympic year

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British Cycling has announced the star-studded line-up that will head to Apeldoorn in the Netherlands to represent the Great Britain Cycling Team at the 2023 UEC Track Elite European Championships, from Wednesday 10 – Sunday 14 January.

The 23-strong squad heads to Apeldoorn in fantastic form to kick off the final stretch of qualification events for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, and boasts eight current champions and 13 medallists from the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships.

After a breakthrough 2023 which saw her crowned sprint world champion, Emma Finucane will take to the boards in rainbow stripes alongside teammates Sophie Capewell, Katy Marchant and fellow Welshwoman Lowri Thomas, who will make her elite competition debut. Representing the men will be last year’s team sprint silver medallists Jack Carlin, Ali Fielding, Joe Truman and Hamish Turnbull.

The women’s endurance squad will return to the track after clinching the team pursuit world title for the first time in nine years back in August. Team pursuit world champions Elinor Barker, Meg Barker, Josie Knight and Anna Morris will look to add to their accolades, as will Madison world champion Neah Evans. Completed by 2022 European scratch race silver medallist Jess Roberts and young rider Sophie Lewis, the squad will be looking to assert their dominance in both the team and individual events.

Following a crash which put them out of contention at the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, the men’s team pursuit line up will be out in full force and aiming to gather those all-important Olympic qualification points. Elimination and scratch world champions, Ethan Vernon and Will Tidball, will be joined by world championship silver medallists Dan Bigham, Mark Stewart and Ollie Wood. Will Perrett will compete after taking a bronze medal in last year’s omnium, while Charlie Tanfield and Ethan Hayter return to the squad from injury.

Great Britain Cycling Team Head Coach, Jon Norfolk, said: “The track squad enters 2024 with strong momentum from the previous season which saw nine world and 12 European medals won, and I’m excited to see what a good block of winter training produces out in Apeldoorn.

“The women’s sprint squad are going from strength to strength, with a world record and numerous medals under their belts, both individually and as a squad. The men’s team pursuit squad are hungry to make up some qualification points after a disappointing crash at the 2023 world championships, and also secure their spot at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

“There is real strength and depth in our current track squad, and the European championships will provide good competition experience as well as an opportunity for riders to showcase their abilities as we head towards Olympic selection.”

Team pursuit world champion, Meg Barker, added: “Since winning the team pursuit world title in August we’ve had a really solid training block through the winter to get ready for the new track season, which starts with these championships. I can’t quite believe we’re going into the Olympic year wearing the rainbow bands and I can’t wait to see what we are capable of as a team in 2024.”

Great Britain Cycling Team squad for the UEC Track Elite European Championships:

Women’s endurance

Meg Barker
Elinor Barker
Neah Evans
Josie Knight
Sophie Lewis
Anna Morris
Jess Roberts

Men’s endurance

Dan Bigham
Ethan Hayter
Will Perrett
Mark Stewart
Charlie Tanfield
Will Tidball
Ollie Wood
Ethan Vernon

Women’s sprint

Sophie Capewell
Emma Finucane
Katy Marchant
Lowri Thomas

Men’s sprint