British Cycling can today announce the star-studded track riders selected for the UEC Track Juniors / U23 European Championships in Cottbus, Germany from Tuesday 9 – Sunday 14 July.
The 29-strong team which includes 11 current European champions and eight debutants will compete at the Cottbus Sport Centre Velodrome to contest European titles in both the under-23 and junior categories.
A strong under-23 women’s endurance team will see Maddie Leech, Sophie Lewis and Grace Lister return to the boards after winning gold in the team pursuit last year. They will be joined by junior women’s Madison champion Izzy Sharp as she steps up to under-23 level. 2023 European multi-medallists Cat Ferguson and Carys Lloyd return to contest the junior women’s endurance events alongside Imogen Wolff and Esther Wong, while Erin Boothman will make her European debut.
The under-23 women’s sprint squad will be headed up by current national and European 500m time-trial champion Rhianna Parris-Smith, alongside teammates Iona Moir and Rhian Edmunds, who will be looking to retain their team sprint title from 2023. Last year’s junior European team sprint champions Georgette Rand and Sarah Johnson, will also be competing in the individual sprint events.
Having come away with three medals in the junior events last year, Ben Wiggins returns to the European championships in his first year stepping up to the under-23 level. Wiggins will contest the endurance events, alongside 19-year-old Noah Hobbs, who recently took bronze in the national road circuit championships. In the junior ranks, national team pursuit champion Finlay Tarling will head to the championships for the second time, spearheading the five-strong group, including debutants Sam Fisher, William Salter, Oliver Gill and Henry Hobbs.
National keirin champion Hayden Norris will be hoping to make another podium at this year’s championships, having claimed the under-23 bronze in the individual sprint last year. Norris will be backed by a formidable squad, including Marcus Hiley, Harry Ledingham-Horn and Harry Radford, with Radford stepping up to the under-23 ranks. Tom Morrissey, Adam Murray and Archie Gill will make their European debuts in the junior sprint events, with 2023 European sprint silver medallist Oliver Pettifer looking to make it onto the top step at this year’s championships.
Performance Director for the Great Britain Cycling Team, Stephen Park CBE, said:
“I am delighted to announce such a strong squad for this year’s under-23 and junior European track championships.
“The European championships is one of the biggest events of the year for our Performance Pathway riders, giving them an exciting opportunity to step up to the challenge of a major competition, having developed their skills and confidence across domestic and international competition. I am confident we will see some fantastic results from across the squads as they go after those prestigious European medals.”
“As we head closer to the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, it’s exciting to see the depth of talent we have coming through our programme with this group of riders on their first steps to potentially being selected to compete at the LA Games and beyond.”
Great Britain Cycling Team squad for the UEC Track Juniors / U23 European Championships:
UNDER-23
Men’s Endurance
Noah Hobbs
Ben Wiggins
Women’s Endurance
Maddie Leech
Sophie Lewis
Grace Lister
Izzy Sharp
Men’s Sprint
Marcus Hiley
Harry Ledingham-Horn
Hayden Norris
Harry Radford
Women’s Sprint
Rhian Edmunds
Iona Moir
Rhianna Parris-Smith
JUNIOR
Men’s Endurance
Sam Fisher
Oliver Gill
Henry Hobbs
William Salter
Fin Tarling
Women’s Endurance
Erin Boothman
Cat Ferguson
Carys Lloyd
Imogen Wolff
Esther Wong
Men’s Sprint
Archie Gill
Tom Morrissey
Adam Murray
Oliver Pettifer
Women’s Sprint
Sarah Johnson
Georgette Rand
