British Cycling has today announced two new appointments for the Great Britain Cycling Team (GBCT) as the focus narrows down on Tokyo 2020 in earnest.

Former GBCT athlete and coach Jon Norfolk will return to the team in the new role of Head of Tokyo Performance Planning after two years of working with Cycling Australia, while Paul Mullan, current Head of Sports Science and Medicine at the British Sailing Team, has been appointed as Head of Performance Support Team.

Both Norfolk and Mullan will become members of the GBCT’s Senior Leadership Team to support the strategic direction of the team in achieving their Tokyo 2020 ambitions.

Stephen Park, Performance Director, said: “There is a sense of excitement amongst the team at the prospect of Jon returning to our team, and that’s a testament to his knowledge and experience from both a rider and a coach’s point of view. The position of Head of Tokyo Performance Planning is a new role within the team, and it supports our key principle of ‘Performance Focused, Games First’. Jon will be responsible for working with the podium coaching team in order to provide strategic support that targets and maximises Tokyo 2020 medal-winning performances, which I am confident he will excel at given his background.

“I worked extensively with Paul when we were both at the British Sailing Team, and I can vouch he has a wealth of knowledge in managing multi-disciplinary teams and working with ‘What It Takes To Win’ models which will make him a valuable asset to the team. Paul joins at a crucial time for performance support within the Tokyo cycle but I know he will fit seamlessly into the role and continue to push on with the projects his predecessor initiated.” 

Jon Norfolk said: "I'm really looking forward to joining the team in this exciting new role, working with the podium coaching team to provide strategic support that targets Tokyo 2020 medal-winning performances. British Cycling has always led the pack in their planning ability, attention to detail and event execution. My role here is to make sure we are maximising every opportunity to create the performances our athletes are capable of."

Paul Mullan said: “I am hugely excited about joining the Great Britain Cycling Team as Head of Performance Support Team. It’s clear from everyone that I have met that this is a passionate and collaborative team of people with an ambition to be the best at whatever they do.

“As a high performing team with a proven track record, my focus in the short term will be on sustaining success while listening, learning and ultimately supporting anything that could increase the chances of medal winning performances in 2020. Simultaneously, I'll be aiming to draw upon the experience and expertise within the team to build a longer term vision and strategy for the Performance Support Team. The recent appointment of Jon Norfolk as ‘Head of Tokyo Performance Planning’ will be a role I anticipate working closely with to ensure that Performance Support is closely aligned to the needs of riders and their coaches.”