Britain name strong Olympic team, but missing familiar names

LONDON : Britain named a cycling squad loaded with Olympic and world champions but missing household names on Thursday as the nation gears up to try to maintain its extraordinary record of delivering gold on two wheels.

Thirty riders were named for the cycling disciplines with Charlotte Worthington, Beth Shriever and Tom Pidcock all seeking to retain the titles they won in Paris.

Worthington will be among the favourites in BMX freestyle while Shriever, who has recovered from a collarbone injury, will try to defend her BMX racing crown.

Men's BMX freestyle world champion Kieran Reilly will target gold in the Paris freestyle park.

Pidcock, currently riding the Tour de France, will prioritise the mountain bike race which he won in Tokyo.

Britain topped the overall cycling medal table in Japan in 2021 with 12 medals including six golds as it has done in every Games since 2008.

Olympic track cycling has been dominated by Britain since the Beijing Games in 2008, although in Paris they will be missing numerous serial medal winners with golden couple Laura Kenny and Jason Kenny now retired and endurance specialist Katie Archibald having been ruled out with a broken Lleg.

Elinor Barker, who won gold alongside Archibald and Kenny in team pursuit in 2016 in Rio and silver in Tokyo, will be the senior rider in the women's endurance squad.

World champion Emma Finucane will go for her first Olympics gold in the women's sprint while Britain's hopes in the men's sprint rest with Jack Carlin.

On the road, former world champion Lizzie Deignan will try again to win an elusive Olympic gold medal in her fourth appearance having taken a medal 12 years ago in London.

There was no place for former Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas in the men's road