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British Cycling slashes places on Olympic Podium and Academy programmes due to funding cuts

Men’s road team cut from 14 to eight riders with Cavendish and Yates twins dropped, Jason Kenny named for men’s track sprint

Mark Cavendish and Simon and Adam Yates are among riders dropped from British Cycling’s Olympic Podium Programme after a cut in funding for the current Olympic cycle. However, six-time Olympic champion Jason Kenny, whose wife Laura recently said may rider before Tokyo 2020, is named in the track sprint squad.

> Could Jason Kenny retire before adding to Olympic medal tally?

When British Cycling last updated the list of funded riders towards the end of last year, 14 men appeared in the Olympic Podium Programme road squad, which has now been reduced to eight riders.

Besides Cavendish and the Yates twins, five other riders have been dropped including Tour de France stage winner Steve Cummings, and former British national road champion Peter Kennaugh and the reigning time trial champion, Alex Dowsett.

In the squad for the first time are Dan McLay and Scott Thwaites, joining the likes of Geraint Thomas, winner of the Tour of the Alps last week, and three-time Tour de France champion Chris Froome.

A reduction in the number of riders supported across all disciplines was forced on British Cycling after UK Sport cut its funding from £30 million in the last Olympic cycle to £26 million ahead of Tokyo 2020, despite the country’s dominance of the medal table at Rio.

> British Cycling's funding slashed by 14 per cent ahead of Tokyo Olympics

The governing body was told that a maximum of 92 riders could be supported instead of the previous 110, and in all has named 87 including members of the junior and senior Olympic academy programmes, with the full list appearing below together with the version released last December.

The funding was also conditional on no male mountain bike or female BMX rider places being provided and at most only five male BMX and four female mountain bike places to remain.

British Cycling performance director Stephen Park stressed that membership of the programme was not linked to potential Olympic or world championship selection.

“Without the continued support from UK Sport and the National Lottery it wouldn’t be possible for our athletes to reach their full potential and we remain grateful for their ongoing support,” he said.

“In order to meet the reduced number of WCP athlete places offered by UK Sport, some tough decisions have been made.

“We have confidence in the processes we’ve put in place to manage the review.

“We’ve been working closely with all riders throughout, taking a personalised approach to the support we’ve offered.”

He said that riders affected were given three working days to appeal, and that they have been given a three-month ‘notice period.’

Parlk described the decision to restrict numbers on the BMX and mountain bike programmes as “disappointing,” but said that commercial backing would ensure affected riders could compete in this year’s world championships in the disciplines.

He also outlined changes to the road programme, where given the salaries male riders command from their teams, funding through the Olympic Podium Programe is less of an issue than it is for those in other disciplines.

“This is a unique and complex programme which includes up-and-coming road riders as well as established Grand Tour stage winners. The review panel took the strategic decision to reduce this squad from 16 down to eight riders.

“We are engaging with the riders who are no longer on the OWCP along with relevant staff to develop a solution which will be membership to an elite affiliate programme.

“There’s still work to be done on the development of this programme but I envisage it will facilitate access to the Great Britain Cycling Team coach and training camps ahead of world championships.”

He added: “It is also important to note that programme membership is considered in isolation from selection to represent Great Britain at World Championships and Olympic Games.

“While the reduction in membership figures is unfortunate, we are pleased with the steps we’ve taken to support athlete welfare through the transition. The plan for each rider was individually managed with full communication and support from GBCT staff every step of the way.”

 

Olympic Podium Programme December 2016 Olympic Podium Programme April 2017
   
BMX Men’s BMX
   
Kyle Evans Kyle Evans
Liam Phillips Liam Phillips
Tre Whyte Tre Whyte
   
Mountain bike  
   
Grant Ferguson  
   
Men’s road Men’s road
   
Mark Cavendish Owain Doull
Steve Cummings Chris Froome
Jon Dibben Dan McLay
Owain Doull Luke Rowe
Alex Dowsett Ian Stannard
Andrew Fenn Ben Swift
Chris Froome Geraint Thomas
Luke Rowe Scott Thwaites
Ian Stannard  
Ben Swift  
Simon Yates  
Adam Yates  
Peter Kennaugh  
Geraint Thomas  
   
Women’s road Women’s road
   
Lizzie Deignan Alice Barnes
Alice Barnes Hannah Barnes
Hannah Barnes Nikki Brammeier
Nikki Brammeier Lizzie Deignan
Dani King  Dani King
   
Men’s track endurance Men’s track endurance
   
Steve Burke Steven Burke
Ed Clancy Ed Clancy
Kian Emadi Kian Emadi
Chris Latham Chris Latham
Mark Stewart Andy Tennant
Andy Tennant Mark Stewart
Oliver Wood Oliver Wood
   
Women’s track endurance Women’s track endurance
   
Katie Archibald Katie Archibald
Elinor Barker Elinor Barker
Emily Kay Neah Evans
Danni Khan Emily Kay
Laura Kenny Laura Kenny
  Danni Khan
   
Men’s track sprint Men’s track sprint
   
Phil Hindes Jack Carlin 
Jason Kenny Phil Hindes
Ryan Owens Jason Kenny
Callum Skinner Callum Skinner
  Joe Truman 
  Ryan Owens
   
Women’s track sprint Women’s track sprint
   
Becky James Becky James
Katy Marchant Katy Marchant
Victoria Williamson Vicky Williamson
Shanaze Reade  
   
Olympic Senior Academy Programme Olympic Senior Academy Programme
   
BMX Men’s BMX
   
Quillan Isidore Quillan Isidore
Blaine Ridge-Davies Paddy Sharrock
Paddy Sharrock  
Beth Shriever  
   
  Women’s Mountain Bike
   
  Ella Connolly
  Evie Richards
   
Men's endurance Men’s endurance (road and track)
   
Matt Bostock Matt Bostock
Adam Hartley Angus Claxton
Ethan Hayter Adam Hartley
Jacob Hennessy Ethan Hayter
Joe Holt Jacob Hennessy
Matt Walls Joe Holt
Reece Wood Matt Walls
Angus Claxton Reece Wood
   
Mountain bike  
   
Frazer Clacherty  
Ella Connolly  
Will Gascoyne  
Mark Maguire  
Evie Richards  
   
Women’s endurance Women’s endurance (road and track)
   
Megan Barker Megan Barker
Abbie Dentus Abbie Dentus
Ellie Dickinson Ellie Dickinson
Manon Lloyd Manon Lloyd
Mel Lowther Mel Lowther
Emily Nelson Emily Nelson
Annasley Park Becky Raybould
Becky Raybould  
   
Track sprint Men’s track sprint
   
Sophie Capewell Ryan Hutchinson
Jack Carlin Alex Jolliffe
Ryan Hutchinson  
Alex Jolliffe Women’s track sprint
Joe Truman  
Brit Jackson Sophie Capewell
  Brit Jackson
   
Olympic Junior Academy Programme Olympic Junior Academy Programme
   
Mountain bike Girls Mountain Bike
   
Dan Tulett Sophie Wright
Cameron Orr Emily Wadsworth
Calum Fernie  
Sean Flynn  
Sophie Wright  
Emily Wadsworth  
   
Boys endurance Boys endurance (road and track)
   
Fred Wright Rhys Britton
Rhys Britton Jim Brown
Jake Stewart Charley Calvert
Joe Nally Joe Nally
Tom Pidcock Tom Pidcock
Charley Calvert Jake Stewart
Will Tidball Will Tidball
Jim Brown Ethan Vernon
Ethan Vernon Fred Wright
   
Girls endurance Girls endurance (road and track)
   
Jess Roberts Georgia Ashworth
Lauren Dolan Rhona Callander
Rhona Callander Anna Docherty
Jenny Holl Lauren Dolan
Emily Tillett Pfeiffer Georgi
Anna Docherty Jenny Holl
Pfeiffer Georgi Jess Roberts
Georgia Ashworth Ellie Russell
Ellie Russell Emily Tillett
   
Sprint Boys track sprint
   
Lewis Stewart Ali Fielding
Hamish Turnbull Caleb Hill
Ali Fielding Lewis Stewart
Caleb Hill Hamish Turnbull
Lauren Bate  
Georgia Hilleard Girls track sprint
Esme Niblett Lauren Bate 
  Georgia Hilleard
   
BMX  
   
Tian Isidore  
Euan Hunt  
Ross Cullen  
Tyrell Cooper-Nelson  
Mason Chidley  
Nathan Wood  
Maddie Owens-Matthews  
Elissa Bradford  
Eleana Stafford  
Libby Smith  
   
Paralympic Academy Programme  
   
Brian Alldis  
Megan Giglia  
Simon Price  
David Smith  
Jaco van Gass  

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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3 comments

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FatBoyW | 6 years ago
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If I am reading this correctly it appears that BC have abandoned the Paralympic riders which I think is tragic.

Junior BMX too entirely gone.

 

I hope they find alternative funding routes especially the paraympians who will struggle without funding.

Avatar
Awavey replied to FatBoyW | 6 years ago
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FatBoyW wrote:

If I am reading this correctly it appears that BC have abandoned the Paralympic riders which I think is tragic.

Junior BMX too entirely gone.

 

I hope they find alternative funding routes especially the paraympians who will struggle without funding.

no the paralympians are funded by the Para-cycling Programme,which runs more to the calendar year so was announced back in January, the Olympic podium programme hooks in with the track cycling season.

but Ive made this point elsewhere, whilst i dont have an issue cutting the mens road team size down, to what goal or to what end are the riders who get named being picked for ? especially when its also said those arent picked for this list actually makes no difference to being picked for WC or Olympics

Avatar
Carton | 6 years ago
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Seems like BC is confident that this (external) is going to be the final RR parcours.

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