28-year-old Briton is first reserve for team pursuit squad
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Andrew Tennant (Team GB)
Andrew Tennant of Great Britain celebrates after taking bronze in the Men's Individual Pursuit
Andy Tennant rides to second in the individual pursuit(Image credit: British Cycling)
Andy Tennant leads Ed Clancy in training(Image credit: Daniel Simms)
England takes second in the men's team pursuit with Bradley Wiggins, Steven Burke, Andy Tennant and Ed Clancy(Image credit: Joby Sessions)
Andy Tennant expressed disappointment over not being selected for Great Britain’s Olympic track team on Friday but insisted he won’t ‘kick and scream’ about it and will support the team all the way through to Rio.
Tennant, who joined Team WIGGINS in 2015 in part to pursue his Olympic dream, earned silver with Great Britain's team pursuit squad at the world championships earlier this year but was designated as the first reserve for the Olympic squad announced today. Tenant also earned bronze in the individual pursuit at the world champiosnhips, but he did not earn an Olympic berth in that discipline.
“One, I’m obviously devastated that four years hard work has ended like this and, two, it goes without saying that I will be cheering on the lads all the way to what I sincerely hope will be a gold medal in Rio in August,” he wrote on his personal blog.
“The disappointment strikes me doubly hard because at London 2012, I was man five also and did not get a ride as the lads won gold in such thrilling fashion. Now, I’m going through the same disappointment again, although the consolation I have is that I honestly do not believe I could have done any more, or done anything differently, to win selection.”
Great Britain’s team pursuit squad, which won gold at the 2012 London Olympics but settled for silver behind Australia at the most recent world championships in March, will include Bradley Wiggins, Ed Clancy, Steven Burke and Owain Doull for the 2016 games. Mark Cavendish, who was selected for the Omnium Rio, will be the squad's fifth man.
In his blog post, Tennant said he understands British Cycling has endured a lot of controversy as of late with the resignation of performance director Shane Sutton, and he will not add to it.
“I’m not going to kick and scream and complain about the injustice,” Tennant wrote. “I’m just going to keep working hard until Rio, in case I’m needed, and I’m going to wish Brad, Ed, Steve and Owain every bit of good luck going, to make sure they beat the Aussies, Kiwis and everyone else in Rio and bring home the gold.”
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Tenant also said he’s not going to react to the disappointment by throwing his “toys out of the pram” and walking away from the track.
“I think track racing is something I’m pretty good at - I won two medals at a World Championships three months ago, after all - and it’s something I enjoy,” he wrote.
“So, yes, I need to take stock after the dust has settled and decide what I want to do with my cycling career over the next four years, but there will be no knee jerk reaction from me after not being selected.”
