GB stars preparing for Olympic test event in Surrey as team line-ups are confirmed

Dan Lloyd, world champs 2009, road race

Britain's WorldTour cyclists are converging on Surrey tonight to begin their preparations for Sunday's Olympic test event.

As well as the dummy run of the race, Team GB are also treating the London-Surrey Cycle Classic as a rehearsal for next year's Games, with their plans for the weekend mirroring the arrangements for next July as closely as possible.

Staff began checking into their base this afternoon (they will be using the same hotel in 2012), with the ten riders who will make up the GB and English squad due to meet together for a team dinner this evening.

Team Sky's Jeremy Hunt was the first to arrive, with Mark Cavendish expected to arrive at the team's hotel this evening. Cavendish has been training in Italy this week as he gears up for Sunday's race, which he goes into as the clear favourite.

Coach Rod Ellingworth told Cycling Weekly that Cavendish is just one of a handful of the WorldTour riders who have previously ridden up Box Hill, although he doesn't expect that to be an issue come Sunday. The test event only takes in the climb twice, as opposed to nine times for next year's

race.

Ellingworth added that the riders will be training in the Surrey lanes tomorrow, although they may not cover large amounts of the course.

When asked about the condition of the climb, he was pleased that many of the potholes that

CW noted on a recent trip to Box Hill have been filled in.

While her boyfriend Adam Blythe is not riding, Lizzie Armitstead has joined up with her male counterparts at their base.

Because there is no women's test event, she will recce the course this weekend and will get a first-hand view of the whole course from a team car on Sunday.

Ben Swift was also listed on the provisional start sheet, but is still racing in the Eneco Tour.

Confirmed squads

Team England -
Steve Cummings, Russell Downing, Chris Froome, Jeremy Hunt, Dan Lloyd

Team Great Britain -Mark Cavendish, Alex Dowsett, Roger Hammond, Peter Kennaugh, Ian Stannard

Related links

London-Surrey Cycle Classic: The big preview

Box Hill set for the London Surrey Cycle Classic

Box Hill declared limited access for Olympic RR

Stars line up for Olympic Road Race Test Event

 

 

Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Nick Bull is an NCTJ qualified journalist who has written for a range of titles, as well as being a freelance writer at Beat Media Group, which provides reports for the PA Media wire which is circulated to the likes of the BBC and Eurosport. His work at Cycling Weekly predominantly dealt with professional cycling, and he now holds a role as PR & Digital Manager at SweetSpot Group, which organises the Tour of Britain.