Brailsford says Melbourne is too important to miss
Team Great Britain (Matthew Crampton/Chris Hoy/Jason Kenny), Men's Team Sprint (Track World Championships, Apeldoorn, Ned) (Image credit: Tour of Japan)
British National High Performance director Dave Brailsford has back pedalled on suggestions that he was apprehensive about sending a full strength team to Australia for the Melbourne UCI Track World Championships.
"We just can't give up any opportunities to race, the Olympics are getting too close," Brailsford told UK newspaper the Telegraph.
"There are just two world cup meetings and the world championships in Melbourne left now. The clock is counting down very quickly.
"There is something about the process of pinning a number on your back in a major competition and going to the start line at a world championships, there is no substitute for that."
Brailsford had initially commented that the World Championships proximity to the Olympic games and the long transit times associated with getting to Australia from the United Kingdom may be a hindrance rather than a benefit of his gold medal chasing team.
But If all goes to plan, Brailsford says Melbourne will provide Great Britain with a psychological advantage over their rivals ahead of the Olympic Games in London.
"You have got to get used to it - you have got to go out into the velodrome on race day and go through the process. It's the closest you will get in terms of preparing for the Olympics," Brailsford said.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
"If it goes well we will have landed a few psychological blows on our main opponents and if it does not go so well in some events we still have some time to put it right and you can change a lot in three months."
The always enthralling team pursuit battle, the Victoria Pendleton - Anna Meares rivalry in the women's sprint events and the Sir Chris Hoy and Shane Perkins matchup in the men's keirin all promise to be fiery encounters in both Melbourne and London.
