Team GB for the Hong Kong Track World Cup(Image credit: British Cycling)
Laura Trott storms to individual pursuit victory in the women's omnium(Image credit: Guy Swarbrick)
Mark Cavendish and Laura Trott will spearhead Great Britain's charge at the third and final event of the UCI Track World Cup series in Hong Kong later this month.
It will be the first time that Cavendish, who is hungry to win an Olympic medal that eluded him in 2008 and 2012, has represented his country on the boards since the 2009 Track World Championships. The Manxman made a concerted return to track racing last summer but missed the first World Cup event in Colombia due to shoulder surgery, while GB took a youthful squad to the second leg in New Zealand.
“It will be my first World Cup on the track for a lot of years I think so I’m looking forward to it," said Cavendish, who will ride the Omnium - the event in which he's bidding for selection for Rio.
"I’m used to doing more events at a world cup, the Madison, the scratch, and now just doing the omnium is a little bit different from what I’m used to, but I’m super looking forward to it.”
The final leg of the World Cup is the final major event ahead of the UCI Track World Championships in London in March, and one of the few remaining major milestones on the road to the Olympic Games in Rio in the summer.
Trott will be keen to continue the form that has seen her take Omnium wins at the European Championships and Colombia World Cup, and she is joined by pursuit teammates Elinor Barker, Joanna Rowsell Shand, and Ciara Horne. Katie Archibald is currently sidelined with a knee injury, with senior academy rider Emily Nelson stepping up.
On the men's endurance side of things, GB are taking a youthful squad that includes Germain Burton, Matt Gibson, Chris Latham, and Oliver Wood.
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It's pretty much full strength as far as the sprint squads are concerned, with Olympic qualification points still needing to be grabbed. Jason Kenny heads up the men's team alongside Philip Hindes, Callum Skinner, and Matt Crampton, while Becky James, Katy Marchant, and Jess Varnish lead the women.
Shane Sutton, GB technical director, said: “A lot of eyes will now be looking towards Rio but we also have the incentive of a home Track World Championships in London in two months’ time. Selection for that event is just around the corner so it’s important that the riders perform well in Hong Kong."
Great Britain for the Hong Kong World Cup: Elinor Barker, Germain Burton, Mark Cavendish, Matt Crampton, Matt Gibson, Philip Hindes, Ciara Horne, Becky James, Jason Kenny, Chris Latham, Katy Marchant, Emily Nelson, Joanna Rowsell Shand, Callum Skinner, Laura Trott, Jess Varnish, Ollie Wood.
