Some of the biggest names in para-cycling will take to the boards of the National Cycling Centre from 13-15 November for the Manchester Para-cycling International.
A 16-strong Great Britain Cycling Team has been announced as riders look to secure vital qualifying points for the Paralympics in Rio in 2016.
Men
World champion Jody Cundy (C4) leads the field for the Great Britain Cycling Team, with the 37-year-old set for the kilo, scratch race and team sprint.
Cundy is aiming for a place at an incredible sixth consecutive Paralympics next summer, following three previous Games as a swimmer and two on the bike.
Alongside Jody, there’s a return to action for Jon-Allan Butterworth (C5). The former RAF serviceman is back in GB colours after a break from cycling, which included a brief stint as a ski jumper on Channel 4’s The Jump earlier this year and is also competing in the kilo, scratch race and team sprint.
Going one event further in Manchester is Jon Gildea (C5), who’ll also line up in the individual pursuit. The 37-year-old is back on the track following a summer representing the Great Britain Cycling Team at the UCI Para-cycling Road World Cup rounds in Italy, Switzerland and South Africa.
It’s been a great year so far for Louis Rolfe (C2). The teenager made his world championships debut in Apeldoorn in March and is set for a busy weekend in Manchester, also competing in the kilo, individual pursuit, scratch race and team sprint.
Another rider taking on the clean sweep of events is Jaco Van Gass (C4). The ex-serviceman also made his first world championships appearance in the Netherlands earlier this year and with solid form on the track and the road, is looking to take another step towards Rio ambitions.
Lining up for the kilo, individual pursuit and scratch race is David Smith (C2). The popular Scot made headlines earlier this year when he announced that he planned to postpone surgery in a bid to compete at Rio 2016, despite the return of a tumour on his back.
In the tandem events, Stephen Bate (B), piloted by Adam Duggleby, will be looking to build on excellent summer form at the UCI Para-cycling Road World Cup. The pair won silver and bronze in Italy, before ending the road season with gold in South Africa. Their attention now turns to the individual pursuit.
James Ball (B) has plenty of experience on the track – the running track. The 24-year-old is making his debut for the Great Britain Cycling Team having switched sports from athletics. He’s competing in the kilo and the sprint, piloted by four-time world champion Craig MacLean, who is looking to follow up his London 2012 Paralympic gold.
Another athletics convert, double world champion Neil Fachie (B) partners up with Pete Mitchell once more. The pair won gold in the kilo and sprint at the world championships in 2014, retaining both titles in Apeldoorn earlier this year and will look to throw down a marker for Rio in those events in Manchester.
Women
Sophie Thornhill (B), and her pilot Helen Scott, are another British pair who won double world gold in 2014 and held onto their rainbow stripes this year. The duo have been in formidable form ever since teaming up and will be looking forward to returning to the track where they won two national titles in September as they take on their favoured kilo and sprint events.
The pairing of Lora Turnham (B), piloted by Corinne Hall, will be looking to transfer success on the road for the track this weekend. Fresh from winning double gold at the last leg of the UCI Para-cycling Road World Cup in South Africa in the tandem road race and time-trial in September, they’re taking on the individual pursuit in Manchester.
One of the Great Britain Cycling Team’s newest world champions will be making her debut for the team at the Manchester Para-cycling International. Kadeena Cox (C2) is fresh from competing in Qatar at the 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships where she set a new world record as she won the T37 100m.
She returns to the bike this weekend looking to repeat her success at the British Cycling National Track Championships where she won gold in the time trial – her first ever competitive event – and she’s set for the 500m time trial and team sprint.
Megan Giglia (C4) narrowly missed out on a medal at both the track and road world championships in 2015, finishing fourth on four occasions. She’ll tackle the time trial, scratch race and individual pursuit in Manchester, looking to add to the two bronze medals she won at the UCI Para-cycling Road World Cup in Italy earlier this year.
Sally Hurst (C2) has made no secret of her aim to win a medal at the Paralympics in Rio. The 37-year-old took bronze in the C2 pursuit at the Newport Para-cycling International in February and will tackle that event again at the National Cycling Centre, along with the time trial and scratch race.
World championships silver medallist Crystal Lane (C5) will look to go one better in the time trial this weekend. Beaten by just three hundredths of a second by Dame Sarah Storey in Apeldoorn, Lane will have her heart set on gold in Manchester in the time trial. She’ll also compete in the scratch race, an event that she also took bronze at this year’s world championships.
Liz Saul (C4) continues her comeback from injury as she takes on the time trial, pursuit and scratch race. It’s been a breakthrough year for the 26-year-old following her debut on the world stage for the Great Britain Cycling Team as she represented her country in the road world championships and road world cup.
The competition
As part of a packed and star-studded international field, two current world champions will take to the boards this weekend.
German individual pursuit world champion Denise Schindler (C3) will compete in the time trial, pursuit and team sprint while Jamie Whitmore (C3), gold medallist in the time trial at Apeldoorn, will take on the time trial, pursuit and scratch race.
Dutch pair Larissa Klaasen (B) and Haliegh Dolman won silver in the 1km time trial at the world championships behind Sophie Thornhill and Helen Scott and will push the British pair in the kilo and sprint this weekend.
The Japanese pairing of Yurie Kanuma (B) and Mai Tanaka picked up two medals at the world championships – silver in the pursuit and bronze in the sprint. They’ll take on those events again, along with the kilo.
Double silver medallist at the world championships, Anna Harkowska (C5) of Poland will be looking to go one better as she lines up for the 500m time trial, pursuit and scratch race.
For the men, German pair Kai-Kristian Kruse (B) and Stefan Nimke, who took the bronze medal in the kilo, will compete in that event – along with the sprint and pursuit.
The venue
All the action takes place on the boards of the velodrome at the National Cycling Centre in Manchester, home of the Great Britain Cycling Team and British Cycling. Entry is free for this event all weekend.
Race schedule
How to follow the action
Updates across the weekend on Twitter @BritishCycling and on Instagram @britishcycling with post-race reports on the British Cycling website.
