Track Cycling World Cup: British women's team pursuit squad bid to continue domination

Laura Trott could have her hands full juggling the women's team pursuit and omnium

A new-look British women’s team pursuit squad will aim to continue their global domination this weekend at the first UCI Track Cycling World Cup of the season, in Guadalajara, Mexico (November 7-9).

With Dani King focusing on the road for the next year and fellow Olympic champion Joanna Rowsell opting to stay at home to build form for the second World Cup in London next month, the team pursuit line-up has an unfamiliar appearance to it.

Laura Trott, Elinor Barker and Katie Archibald remain from the squad that won the world title in Colombia in February, but they will be joined by the less experienced Ciara Horne and Amy Roberts.

Both riders have represented Britain at World Cups before, and Horne was part of the team that won the European title last month, but they remain relative newcomers to the full-strength line-up.

Ciara Horne helped Britain win the European title last month

Horne told britishcycling.org.uk: "It's just an awesome team to be part of. I'm honoured to be part of this team. I would like to build on my European performance and hopefully make some more improvements yet again.”

Trott bottleneck

Trott will also be bidding for gold in the omnium, but her chances could be hampered by a demanding schedule on Saturday, when she will potentially have to race two rounds of the team pursuit and three events of the omnium.

Elsewhere in the British squad, with Becky James still recovering from long-term injury, Jess Varnish and Victoria Williamson will be joined in the women’s sprint events by two-time junior world champion Danni Khan.

Jason Kenny heads the men’s sprint team, with Philip Hindes, Matt Crampton and newly crowned European 1km time trial champion Callum Skinner completing the line-up.

Finally, Ed Clancy, Steven Burke, Andy Tennant, Jon Dibben and Mark Christian will represent Britain in the men’s team pursuit and the other endurance events.

There are three Track Cycling World Cups in the season, with the London event taking place from December 5-7.

Schedule

Friday, November 7

First session: starts 7pm GMT.  Second session: starts 10.55pm GMT.

- Women’s team pursuit qualifying
- Men’s team pursuit qualifying
- Women’s team sprint qualifying  
- Men’s team sprint qualifying

Saturday, November 8

First session: 3pm-9.50pm GMT. Second session: 11pm-2.18am GMT.

- Women’s team sprint
- Women’s team pursuit
- Men’s team sprint
- Men’s team pursuit
- Women’s omnium
- Men’s omnium
- Women’s individual sprint
- Men’s keirin

Sunday, November 9

First session: 4pm-10.55pm GMT. Second session: 10pm-12.54am GMT.

- Men’s individual sprint
- Women’s omnium
- Men’s omnium
- Women’s keirin