Team GB technical director Shane Sutton has said that Sir Bradley Wiggins is not guaranteed a place in Britain’s team pursuit line-up having rejoined Britain’s track squad preparing for next year’s Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games.
"Do I think Brad can make it? Yes, of course I do. Is it a given? No," Sutton said when asked about Wiggins’ prospects of gaining selection for the four-man team. "He’s going to have to work for it because I’m very confident in the group we’ve got. Brad coming in has strengthened that group, but it doesn’t by any means guarantee him a place."
Speaking to Cyclingnews at the National Cycling Centre in Manchester, Sutton described Wiggins as having "all of the tools in the box" required to make the four-man pursuit team and bring the curtain down on his racing career with a fourth Olympic title and record-setting eighth medal for UK athlete. He added that having Wiggins back in the track endurance squad had given everyone a huge lift.
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"Brad has slotted back into the team pursuit set-up really well. I think we went through a five-week period when he was asking, ‘Do I want this? Do I need this?’ But he’s put all that to bed and he really wants it. He wants to leave this sport as the greatest [UK] Olympian of all time," said Sutton.
He then expanded on the challenge that Wiggins faces as he builds towards gaining selection for the Rio Games in a year’s time. According to Sutton, as well as very strong competition for places, Wiggins will also need to readjust to the particular demands of the team pursuit.
"There are no guarantees that he will get selection for the team pursuit because we’ve got an incredibly strong squad. We’ve got medal experience with Ed [Clancy], Burkey [Steven Burke] and Andy Tennant, who was the fifth member of the squad in London. What they are doing right now is making sure that they will be at their absolute best," said Sutton.
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