Omnium reduced from six events to four as part of track cycling changes

Mark Cavendish in action in the omnium at the Olympic Games

The International Cycling Union has announced that the omnium - the multi-discipline event in which Laura Kenny and Mark Cavendish both won medals at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games - will be reduced from six races to four.

The omnium has traditionally comprised of the scratch race, individual pursuit, elimination race, time trial, flying lap and points race and been held over two days.

However, it will now be made up of just the scratch race, tempo race, elimination race and points race, all of which will take place on the same day.

Laura Kenny is a two-time Olympic omnium champion

Trott won omnium gold at both London 2012 and Rio 2016 and is also a two-time world champion in the event, while Cavendish won silver in Rio and Ed Clancy took bronze in London.

A UCI press release read: "Dropping the timed events means the omnium becomes a pure endurance event, bringing better balance to the track programme."

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The UCI has also announced the following changes to other track cycling events:

- Introduction of a women's Madison at the world championships.

- Expansion of the individual sprint from 24 to 28 riders, with the top four qualifiers moving straight into the last 16.

The new omnium format will see only endurance events retained

- Increase in sprint laps in the keirin to three.

- Two teams will now qualify simultaneously in the team pursuit, while the races for fifth place and seventh place have been scrapped.

- Introduction of a first round in the team sprint.

The changes were announced following a two-day meeting of the UCI Management Committee in Doha, Qatar, where the UCI Road World Championships are currently taking place.

Cavendish in action during the omnium's individual pursuit, which has been scrapped

UCI president Brian Cookson said: "While it is important that we safeguard the essence of our cycling disciplines, we also need to be brave and embrace change in order to give our sport real meaning to those who are watching live or on screens across the world.

"The changes announced today show that we are moving with the times to ensure that our disciplines are presented in the most compelling way possible, and are rooted in the desire to attract and inspire even more fans into cycling."

The UCI has also announced it will resume its trial of disc brakes in road cycling from January 1.

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