Jon Dibben targets Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games after Rio 2016 snub
By Matt Westby in Abu Dhabi
Last Updated: 30/10/19 4:17pm
World champion Jon Dibben is targeting a place in Great Britain’s track team at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo after missing out on selection for Rio 2016.
The 22-year-old produced a superb performance to win the points race at the World Championships in London in March but was beaten to a place in the Olympic squad by Mark Cavendish.
Dibben had intended to race on the track in Rio and then concentrate on the road for the foreseeable future, but he has now had a change of plan.
Speaking to Sky Sports at the Abu Dhabi Tour, where he is racing this week, he said: "Rio was a massive aim for the last few years and it was a huge disappointment not to make it, but that is definitely now a motivation for Tokyo.
"I always thought that if I had been to Rio, maybe I would have left the track there, but now the sights are very much set on Tokyo on the track.
"I want to concentrate on the road for the next couple of years and then try to drop back to the track."
Dibben's specialist discipline on the track is the team pursuit, but he is also adept in the omnium, Madison and individual pursuit, and he would be keen to race multiple events in Tokyo.
He added: "I think team pursuit will be the main aim, but they are changing the Olympic events. The omnium has already changed to a one-day format and there is talk of bringing back two more events, maybe Madison and the individual pursuit.
"It opens up a new spectrum, because this year the focus was on team pursuit and then one rider would go for the omnium. But now you have got still the same five guys spread across three or four events, and all those events will be strong for me."
Dibben's past two years on the road have been spent with WIGGINS, the third-tier British team, but his home for next season is currently uncertain.
He raced for American UCI WorldTour outfit Cannondale-Drapac at the Tour of Utah in August as a trainee, but a contract for 2017 did not materialise and he is now weighing up alternative options.
He added: "I can go to WIGGINS again next year, but I've got a couple of things that might be finalised this week.
"If they don't come off, I will be tempted to stick with WIGGINS because it's a brilliant team and the race programme is far above what a normal Continental team is."
