GB men ‘on back foot’ after Richardson withdrawal, but women take silver
Great Britain’s men’s team sprint campaign ended in the first round at the World Track Cycling Championships after Matt Richardson’s late withdrawal left the team feeling they were “on the back foot”. Richardson was removed from the competition amid allegations of misconduct and said he would co-operate with a British Cycling investigation.
The women’s team sprint squad of Emma Finucane, Sophie Capewell and Rhianna Parris-Smith won silver, beating France before losing to hosts China in the final. The men, Joe Truman, Ed Lowe and Harry Ledingham-Horn, qualified fifth and then lost to Australia; Truman said they had still posted a time to be proud of as Olympic qualifying began. GB’s women and men also qualified first and second respectively for the team pursuit, while Abigail Miller placed 17th in the women’s scratch race.
- GB women won silver in the team sprint.
- The men exited after losing to Australia in the first round.
- Richardson withdrew amid allegations and will co-operate with an investigation.
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The team sprint is a track cycling event in which three riders race together over three laps, with one rider peeling away after each lap. The team’s time is set when its final rider crosses the line, so a late change can affect how the riders prepare and work together.
Matt Richardson had been part of Great Britain’s men’s sprint squad. British Cycling removed him from this competition after allegations of misconduct; he said he would co-operate with an investigation. The organisation’s inquiry and the allegations are separate from the racing results.
At the World Track Cycling Championships, teams compete for medals and results can also count towards Olympic qualification. Britain’s men and women were also competing in the team pursuit, a separate event in which four riders race over four kilometres.