Today British Cycling announced the squad they would take to the 2007 UCI World Championships in Palma Majorca, which starts on 29 March.
Of the 18 riders in the squad, 6 are women as follows:
Sprint:
Vicky Pendleton (sprint, 500TT, Keirin)
Anna Blythe (sprint, 500TT, Keirin and team sprint)
Shanaze Reade (team sprint)
Endurance:
Wendy Houvenaghel (pursuit)
Rebecca Romero (pursuit)
Katie Curtis (bunch races)
Of these, 5 will be making their first appearance at a senior world championships, these include:
Anna Blythe - current Junior Keirin World Champion, Anna took the silver medal in the team sprint and was fourth in the sprint at the World Cup in Manchester
Shanaze Reade - current Junior BMX World Champion, Shanaze partnered Anna Blythe in the team sprint winning silver at the Manchester World Cup
Katie Curtis - one of the most tenacious and gritty bunch race riders out there, she sadly missed the World Cup after a crash in the lead up but she will be worth watching in Majorca despite being relatively youthful.
Of the more experienced riders, we know that Wendy Houvenaghel is on winning form and feeling confident after riding to a new British record in the pursuit at the Manchester World Cup and setting the second fastest time of the year over 3,000 k in the process. She knows how good her training partner, ex rower and fellow pursuiter, Rebecca Romero is and both will be looking for podium places. Finally, Vicky Pendleton will be looking to win back the rainbow stripes she lost to Natallia Tsylinskaya (Belarus) in 2006, they have not met in a sprint competition this year, so there is no guessing how it might play out.
And the women are accompanied by some pretty classy guys, including Olympic Champions Bradley Wiggins, Chris Hoy.
We wish them all well and look forward to reporting the successes.
Bex Hopkins
