England's Cyclists Hungry for Commonwealth Success
25th June 2002Team England today (Tuesday) named an exciting and powerful cycling squad to compete at the Manchester 2002 Commonwealth Games. Having failed to win a gold medal at the last Commonwealth Games, England's cycling team is determined to make amends at Manchester 2002 and looks to have the firepower to do so. The team boasts both Olympic and World Championship medallists in an experienced line-up.
Heading the list of proven achievers is Olympic kilometre time trial champion Jason Queally, who also has medals to his credit at the last three World Championships. Jason also won silver in the event at the 1998 Commonwealth Games at Kuala Lumpur.
Riding with Jason in the team sprint event will be Jamie Staff, a recent convert to track racing following a highly successful career as a professional BMX rider in the USA. Jamie also looks likely to ride the kilometre time trial, an event in which he became the third fastest British rider to date in only his second race at the distance at the beginning of June.
Other Olympic medallists in the team include Paul Manning, Chris Newton, Bryan Steel and Bradley Wiggins, who all picked up bronze medals at Sydney 2000 in the team pursuit, a discipline in which England are joint favourites with Australia at Manchester 2002.
Filling the shoes of recently retired Yvonne McGregor, the last English cyclist to win Commonwealth gold (points race, Victoria 1994), is Emma Davies, who was fourth in the women's individual pursuit at last year's World Championships and a clear medal hope at Manchester.
Mountain biking makes its first Commonwealth Games appearance at the Manchester 2002 Games, and in Liam Killeen and Sue Thomas, England have two athletes who already know what it is like to win over the Games course. Liam and Sue were the winners at the England selection race last week, the first and only time that the course will be used before the Games.
England Cycling Team Manager Doug Dailey believes his team has real medal winning potential. He said: "Cycling has benefited hugely from lottery funding in recent years, and we now have a settled squad of full-time athletes with experience of competing at the highest level. We will be looking to perform significantly better than we did in Kuala Lumpur. The squad is based at Manchester and the track riders regularly train at the Velodrome, so the Commonwealth Games is effectively a home fixture for us, which is certain to be helpful."
England's cyclists picked up four silver medals and two bronzes at Kuala Lumpur.
ENGLAND CYCLING TEAM FOR MANCHESTER 2002
(format is name/home/date of birth)
The limited number of places available for the cycling team means that in some cases track and mountain bike riders may also ride in road and time trial events. The groupings below are therefore not a definitive guide to which events riders will compete in.
MEN'S TRACK ENDURANCE EVENTS
Tim Buckle - High Peak, Derbyshire 18.11.73
Stephen Cummings - Wirral, Merseyside 19.03.81
Tony Gibb - Stanmore, Middx 12.07.76
Paul Manning - Stockport, Cheshire 06.11.74
Chris Newton - Stockton on Tees 29.09.73
Kieran Page - Ryde, Isle of Wight 02.05.83
Bryan Steel - Rugby, Warwickshire 05.01.69
Bradley Wiggins - Maida Vale, London 28.04.80
WOMEN'S TRACK ENDURANCE AND ROAD EVENTS
Sue Carter - Harlow, Essex 23.11.67
Emma Davies - Alsager, Staffs 04.10.78
Rachel Heal - Oxford 01.04.73
Frances Newstead - Holmfirth, W Yorks 07.05.73
Melanie Sears - Rushton, Northants 14.04.77
Sara Symington - Alsager, Cheshire 25.09.69
Melanie Szubrycht - Sheffield/ 21.09.69
MEN'S TRACK SPRINT EVENTS
Jason Queally - Chorley, Lancs 11.05.70
Andy Slater - Preston, Lancs 26.08.74
Jamie Staff - Ashford, Kent 30.4.73
WOMEN'S TRACK SPRINT EVENTS
Julie Paulding - Manchester 04.05.69
Victoria Pendleton - Hitchen, Herts 24.09.80
MOUNTAIN BIKE EVENTS
Oli Beckingsale - Nailsea, North Somerset 07.06.76
Barrie Clarke - Cumbria 11.12.66
Jenny Copnall - Barnet 19.11.75
Liam Killeen - Malvern, Worcs 12.04.82
Sue Thomas Formby - Merseyside 25.06.76
Victoria Wilkinson - Ambleside, Cumbria 19.08.78
MEN'S TIME TRIAL
Stuart Dangerfield - Willenhall, W Midlands/17.09.71
Ann Hogbin, Chef de Mission of Team England said: "I would like to welcome our cyclists to the England squad and wish them an enjoyable and very successful Commonwealth Games."
The six riders who will compete in the men's road race team will be announced on 1st July following cycling's final selection event, the National Road Race championships over the Games course on Sunday 30th June.
Track cycling takes place at the National Cycling Centre, Manchester Velodrome on 28th July and then from 30th July to 2nd August. The time trial, road race and mountain biking are at Rivington. The time trial is on 27th July, with mountain biking on 29th July and road racing on 3rd August.
Sport England has invested £3.5 million of lottery funding specifically to boost Team England's medal prospects at the Manchester 2002 Commonwealth Games.