Mystified rivals question Britain rule over cycling

RIO DE JANEIRO: Germany’s Olympic sprint gold winner Kristina Vogel has complained that her dominant British rivals have an unfair advantage though she is not sure

RIO DE JANEIRO: Germany’s Olympic sprint gold winner Kristina Vogel has complained that her dominant British rivals have an unfair advantage though she is not sure what it is.

HT Image

Several riders in Rio have grumbled about Britain’s cycling hegemony for the past three Olympics.

Britain has won 20 of the 30 golds disputed going back to Beijing 2008.

Although they won only six this time – one less than the previous two Games – Britain only had entrants in nine of the 10 events as the women’s sprint team didn’t qualify.

Just to highlight the level of Britain’s control, in the three events they did not win, they took silver.

Yet at the world championships between each Olympics, Britain never enjoys anything like the same dominance, leading some, such as Vogel, to ask questions.

“Of course I’m not saying that they took drugs or had an engine in the bikes,” said the 25-yearold, who won the team sprint gold in London.

“It’s just that it seems that they don’t train for three years, and then they start and at every Olympic Games they kill every nation!