Britain pulls rider from individual pursuit to focus on omnium

APELDOORN, Netherlands (AFP) – Great Britain has opted out of competing in the men’s individual pursuit here at the world track cycling championships Thursday.

Championship debutant Samuel Harrison had been scheduled to compete in qualifying for the 4km event in a bid to make it to the medal rounds. However, the Welshman has now been slated for the Omnium, in which the
reigning world champion is Britain’s Ed Clancy.

Clancy has been suffering from the effects of a virus and will be replaced by Harrison for the six-discipline Omnium, an Olympic event which takes place over two days, starting on Friday.

Harrison is likely to have medal hopes, having won the junior world Omnium title in 2010 and claimed a gold medal in the event at his maiden World Cup meet in Beijing earlier this season.

Unlike the team pursuit, the individual pursuit is no longer an Olympic event. Britain’s Bradley Wiggins, who is not competing here this week, was crowned Olympic pursuit champion in Beijing in 2008.

FILED UNDER: News / Track TAGS: UCI Track World Championships