British track prospects to follow on road to Rio

Great Britain's track cyclists returned to the public gaze last weekend at the Track Cycling World Cup in Manchester, but the squad that mainstream sports fans got to know and love at the London 2012 Olympics had a very different look about it.

Elinor Barker, 19 With Joanna Rowsell taking the 2012/13 track season off in order to concentrate on the road, a space was created in Britain's team pursuit squad for an up-and-coming talent. Welsh rider Barker was selected for the world championships in Minsk and repaid the faith of her coaches by winning gold alongside Laura Trott and Dani King. With the event now having been expanded to four riders over 4km and Barker having added European and Track Cycling World Cup gold medals to her CV, her future in or at least around the team appears secured. Becky James, 21 This time last year, sprinter James was regarded as just a prospect for the future, but then she exploded on to the global stage at the world championships in Minsk by winning two gold medals (sprint and keirin) and two bronzes (500m TT and team sprint). She then added a bronze medal at the European championships and three medals at the Track Cycling World Cup in Manchester to confirm her status as one of the brightest young stars in the whole sport and a worthwhile successor to Pendleton. Danielle Khan, 18 While James made a breakthrough by winning two golds at the senior world championships, sprinter Khan did likewise in this year's junior version in August. First, she won the 500m time trial, and then followed that up with victory in the individual sprint. James was also a junior double world champion, so don't be surprised to see Khan emulate her success in the senior ranks, too. Victoria Williamson, 20 Along with James and 22-year-old Jess Varnish, Williamson is the third member of Britain's current women's sprint set-up. Like James, she made her international breakthrough at the world championships in Belarus by winning a team sprint bronze medal alongside the Welsh rider. The youngest of the trio, she is also the least experienced, but no less of a prospect.