Five Welsh riders named in British Cycling's elite squad

Owain Doull won track gold in Rio but switches back to the road for next season

Five Welsh riders have been named in British Cycling's 2016-17 podium programme squad.

Olympic gold-medallists Geraint Thomas and Owain Doull are named in the men's road squad along with Luke Rowe.

Rio pursuit gold-medallist Elinor Barker is in the women's track endurance squad and silver medallist Becky James in the sprint line-up.

The podium programme is designed to support elite cyclists aiming to win medals in major competitions.

Doull, 23, switches from the track, where he was part of the British quartet that won the team pursuit in the 2016 Rio Olympics, to concentrate on road races.

The 22-year-old Barker won the Track World Cup points race in Appeldoorn, Netherlands in November.

James claimed silver medals in the sprint and keirin at the Rio Games after a long battle with injury following her 2013 World Championship gold medals in the same events.

Olympic podium programme squad:

BMX: Kyle Evans, Liam Phillips, Tre Whyte

Mountain Bike: Grant Ferguson

Men's Road: Mark Cavendish, Steve Cummings, Jon Dibben, Owain Doull, Alex Dowsett, Andrew Fenn, Chris Froome, Luke Rowe, Ian Stannard, Ben Swift, Simon Yates, Adam Yates, Peter Kennaugh, Geraint Thomas

Women's Road: Lizzie Deignan, Alice Barnes, Hannah Barnes, Nikki Brammeier, Dani King

Men's Track Endurance: Steve Burke, Ed Clancy, Kian Emadi, Chris Latham, Mark Stewart, Andy Tennant, Sir Bradley Wiggins, Oliver Wood

Women's Track Endurance: Katie Archibald, Elinor Barker, Emily Kay, Danni Khan, Joanna Rowsell Shand, Laura Kenny

Men's Track Sprint: Phil Hindes, Jason Kenny, Ryan Owens, Callum Skinner

Women's track sprint: Becky James, Katy Marchant, Victoria Williamson, Shanaze Reade