Cycling Events May Be Added For 2012

Dave Brailsford, performance director for Team GB Cycling, is putting pressure on the International Cycling Union (UCI) to add women’s events in the 2012 Games.

In an effort to secure more cycling medals, Brailsford is pushing for the UCI to include an additional four events for women to the Games’ cycling schedule.

While there are currently seven track cycling events for men, there are only three for women. This means that that Victoria Pendleton, Britain’s top female sprinter, could only compete one race in Beijing.

The addition of women’s events would raise GB’s medal hopes, as Britain’s female cyclists won all eight events, with Pendleton and Lizzie Armitstead each claiming three golds.

According to IOC rules, changes to sports already on the programme can be made three years in advance, which means that alterations could be made to the London programme as late as July next year.