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Steve Cummings gets Olympic call-up as Peter Kennaugh pulls outSteve Cummings winning stage four of 2016 Tirreno-Adriatico (ANSA, PERI - ZENNARO).jpg

Steve Cummings gets Olympic call-up as Peter Kennaugh pulls out

In-form Dimension Data rider had been controversially left out of Team GB squad last month
by Simon_MacMichael
Wed, Jul 20, 2016 13:14
6

British Cycling have confirmed that Steve Cummings will ride in the men’s road race at the Olympic Games in Rio next month after Peter Kennaugh withdrew from the team.

Kennaugh, aged 27, broke his collarbone at the Tour of California in May, returning to racing at last week’s Tour of Poland where he finished 51st overall.

Pulling out of the squad, the Team Sky rider said: “London 2012 was one of the highlights of my career so I am gutted to be missing out on Rio but, knowing that I am not able to give my best, I felt it was my duty to withdraw.”

Cummings, who was first reserve, will step up to ride alongside Chris Froome, Geraint Thomas, Adam Yates and Ian Stannard, but his original omission from the line-up for Rio when it was confirmed last month was a controversial one, given his form this year.

The Dimension Data rider himself called for Team GB men’s road race coach Rod Ellingworth to step down from that role because he believed there was a conflict of interest due to the latter’s coaching position with Team Sky, which Cummings himself rode for in 2010 and 2011.

> Cummings calls for Ellingworth to resign from GB role

This season, the 35-year-old from the Wirral has taken a string of impressive victories at stage races including Tirreno-Adriatico and the Criterium du Dauphine, and underlined his credentials for an Olympic place earlier this month by winning Stage 7 of the Tour de France at Lac de Payolle with a trademark solo attack.

> Cummings wins Tour de France Stage 7 including video highlights

He said: “I've shown over the 2016 season to date that I am in great shape and I look forward to going to Rio to represent my country and hopefully we as a team come back with a medal from the road race.”

Ellingworth added: “As always when selecting a team for a road race, the ideal situation is to leave the decision as late as possible as it’s difficult to predict riders’ form and health so far out.

“Since the selection panel made the original decision, there’s been 38 days of world tour racing during which time we’ve had some excellent results from the British Cycling squad, for example we’ve had British riders wear the yellow, green and white jerseys at the Tour de France.

“I’m confident that with this team, Team GB can be competitive at the men’s road race in Rio.”

Prior to the formation of Team Sky ahead of the 2010 season, where they were all founding members, Cummings, Froome and Thomas rode together at Barloworld.

Steve Cummings
Peter Kennaugh
Team GB
Rio 2016
Rod Ellingworth
Simon MacMichael

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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6 comments

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Stumps | 8 years ago
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No mention of Luke Rowe. The work load he has put in in this tour is phenomenal or am I missing something????

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rjfrussell | 8 years ago
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it will be interesting to see what their tactics are, sans Cav.  They were certainly very one-dimensional in 2012.

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meursault | 8 years ago
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Chapeau to team GB for including him, despite his comments. I like Cummings but there is still that thing where he sits doing nothing at the back of the peloton. But as a wildcard, maverick type, nobody better. Great rider to watch.

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Simon E replied to meursault | 8 years ago
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meursault wrote:

I like Cummings but there is still that thing where he sits doing nothing at the back of the peloton. But as a wildcard, maverick type, nobody better. Great rider to watch.

You can't have it both ways! If he rode on the front like Stannard then he'd never be able to win a stage.

Brian Smith recognised his qualities. The team accomodate his style because it produces results. He also rode a good time trial and did a huge turn on the front into a headwind on the stage to Berne. And he's not the first attacking rider to sit at the back on his 'days off'.

The BC selectors didn't see a role for him in the Olympic Road Race yet most people thought it was blindingly obvious. I don't see why he shouldn't comment, I thought that what he said he was completely justified, an under-raced Pete K was not going to perform as normal. What else should he do? Keep quiet and hope they change their minds?

Cummings may be marked out of the race in Rio but he will be a good alternative strategy for the rather predictable Team Sky/BC tactic, which we saw was totally ineffective in 2012.

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Chuck replied to Simon E | 8 years ago
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Simon E wrote:

Cummings may be marked out of the race in Rio but he will be a good alternative strategy for the rather predictable Team Sky/BC tactic, which we saw was totally ineffective in 2012.

 

Cavendish's presence in that squad changed the playing field though I reckon. 

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tritecommentbot | 8 years ago
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Must have been huge pressure on him to pull out. Happy to see Cummings in, just wish it wasn't done like this. He should have been picked in the first line up imo.

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