Emma Pooley seeks higher profile for women's cycling

Pooley failed to defend her World Time Trial title earlier this year

Olympic silver medallist Emma Pooley has called on cycling's international governing body to actively raise the profile of women's racing.

Pooley, 29, wants the International Cycling Union (UCI) to strive for financial growth in the sport.

"Most women's races aren't televised so it's less attractive to sponsor women's teams," she told BBC Radio Norfolk.

"The UCI should push for more women's teams and races on TV. Then it will grow of its own accord."

Pooley, from Norwich, added: "It's not British Cycling's fault. It's something the international governing body should do.

"I'd like to think it's being looked at. But I doubt it."

The third in this year's World Time Trials in Denmark.

The result did not match her gold medal achievement of 12 months earlier but for Pooley, who tends to excel on hilly terrain, the performance over Copenhagen's flat course gives her optimism ahead of London 2012.

"The time trial in London is pretty flat," she explained from her winter training base in Australia. "It's got some rolling, dragging almost-hills. But it's pretty flat and that's why Copenhagen was important for me."

Pooley will not know whether she will be competing at her second Olympics until June, when British Cycling will select their team for the Games.

"I'm where I want to be in terms of my preparation," she said. "I don't feel great but I shouldn't in early December as I don't have any big races until March.

"I could be in fantastic shape now but it's totally irrelevant to how I'll be in July and August."