UCI Track Nations Cup: Katie Archibald confident she can compete after injury
- Published
Track Cycling World Championships: Katie Archibald secures silver in a dramatic fashion
UCI Track Nations Cup |
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Venue: Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, Glasgow Dates: 21-24 April |
Coverage: Watch on BBC Sport website & app |
Katie Archibald believes her "B plus game" is still enough to be competitive at this week's Track Nations Cup event.
The three-time Olympic medallist injured her back six weeks ago and will compete in front of a home crowd at Glasgow's Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome.
Archibald secured her second Olympic gold in the Madison in Tokyo last year and added a silver in the team pursuit, having won gold in that event in 2016.
"It always makes me quite nervous racing at home," said the 28-year-old.
"There is a different kind of feedback. You can't close yourself off from it as much because I really care about how these people enjoy the racing. I really want it to be a thrilling spectacle and I just hope I'm the one supplying the thrills.
"[The injury] was really a fortnight of lying around in pain. I'm going to hope that other nations aren't watching this thinking I'm not on my A game but I'm on my B plus game and if I can be smart, that's still enough to be competitive."
Archibald's Tokyo team pursuit team-mate Neah Evans, 31, will also complete in Glasgow's east end - one of her favourite venues.
"I love racing in Glasgow," she said. "I really like the actual shape of the velodrome. Every velodrome is ever so slightly different and I really like the Glasgow one because I learned to ride here.
"If there hadn't been a velodrome here, I probably would never have become a cyclist."
Sprinter Jack Carlin, 24 won silver (team sprint) and bronze (sprint) in Tokyo and hopes to make an impression before the Birmingham Commonwealth Games later this year.
"It's well within my sights," Carlin said. "It's an aim of mine for this year. Representing Scotland is a huge honour.
"I went to the the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane and got the silver so I'm aiming to do one better than that this time."
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