Olympic cycling set for Rio Games extension

Laura Trott

Cycling could be extended by an extra three events at the Olympic Games in Rio.

The International Cycling Union have agreed to make the proposal for the additional disciplines in Brazil.

The UCI will bid for points races to return, plus an extension to the BMX and mountain-bike programmes, which in London 2012 featured one discipline.

The Olympic track programme was altered between the Games of Beijing 2008 and London 2012 to create gender parity.

It meant traditional endurance disciplines were marginalised in favour of the multi-event omnium.

It has been suggested another overhaul could see the omnium, won by Britain's Laura Trott in the woman's discipline at London 2012, removed for Rio.

However, the UCI made no reference to this at its meeting ahead of the Cyclo-Cross World Championships in Louisville.

A statement from the UCI management committee read: "With regards to the 2016 Olympic Games to be held in Rio de Janeiro (BRA), the management committee expressed its support for a proposal to be made to the International Olympic Committee for the addition to the cycling programme of a points race and BMX freestyle and mountain-bike eliminator events for both men and women."

At London 2012, Team GB won eight gold cycling medals for the second successive Olympics.