NIKKI Harris has been confirmed in the Great Britain cycling team for the Olympic Games in Rio in September.
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The team for the men’s road race will be led by double Tour de France champion Froome, with Pete Kennaugh, Ian Stannard, Geraint Thomas and Adam Yates taking the other slots.
The U.S. track team was announced in March: Kelly Catlin, Chloe Dygert, Sarah Hammer, Jennifer Valente and Ruth Winder will contest the women’s team pursuit with Hammer also riding the omnium; Matt Baranoski will race the keirin; and Bobby Lea was chosen for the men’s omnium.
Barnsley’s double Olympic gold medalist Ed Clancy has been named among 26 cyclists across the road, track and BMX disciplines who will compete for Team GB at the Rio 2016 Olympics.
Women’s world champion Lizzie Armitstead (Boels-Dolmans), a silver medallist four years ago, heads the women’s road team, meanwhile.
Trott’s fiance, world and Olympic champion Jason Kenny, will be favourite for sprint gold.
The 33-year-old was persuaded to return to professional cycling by the mountainous route for the Rio time-trial, in contrast to the flat London 2012 course where she finished sixth.
Van Garderen will instead join Rohan Dennis and Richie Porte in leading the BMC team at the Tour de France, which begins July 2.
While some members of the USA cycling team had been announced previously based on competition results, a number of spots were still available as “discretionary picks”. “I’ve been training with the Olympics in mind since halfway through London”.
“I feel really prepared and am really looking forward to the challenging time trial course”, said Armstrong, who will turn 43 the day after the August 10 race through the beach area of Pontal.
Cavendish, who was the only member of GB’s track cycling team not to win a medal in 2008 and missed out again in the road race in 2012, said: “I’ve made no secret that my aim is to win an Olympic medal and I’m so pleased to have been given this opportunity”.
“I will be giving it everything I can in Rio to try and win another medal for Great Britain”.
With the well-resourced GB squad aiming to be the most successful cycling nation at a third straight Games, there were always going to be disappointed athletes.
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Britain dominated the London 2012 cycling events, winning nine medals, including seven golds, on the track and three on the road including Wiggins’ time trial victory just a few weeks after he had won the Tour de France.
