GB v France (© Colin Simm)

Bradley Wiggins will join the Revolution once again on January 29th despite having hung up his track bike to focus on road racing for the next couple of seasons.

Wiggins has just finished riding the Tour Down Under in Australia but will return to the track at the Manchester Velodrome to ride in front of special star guests Sir Matthew Pinsent and five times swimming World Champion James Hickman, “I wasn’t planning on riding the track again for a while but Matthew was keen to come to Manchester Velodrome and see some action so I have decided to ride at Revolution as it is always a good evening”.

As a keen cycling fan Pinsent enjoyed watching the action at the Olympic velodrome in Athens last year and became friends with Wiggins after being impressed by his talents on the track. Eager to experience more cycling action in the UK Pinsent and Hickman will attend the Revolution to support Wiggins and other Olympians Chris Hoy, Jason Queally and Craig MacLean. During the night Wiggins will also be presenting Sir Matthew with an exclusive Terry Dolan road bike to help him keep in shape now that he has retired from Olympic rowing.

“I am really looking forward to attending the Revolution event at Manchester Velodrome and to see fellow Olympic Champions Bradley Wiggins and Chris Hoy in action once again.  The Revolution series is very exciting and great for British Cycling. I always rode a bike as part of my training regime and I am looking forward to doing so more now that I have retired from competitive rowing”. Someone lend

With this kind of support the Revolution riders will be eager to impress but the competition will be fierce as Olympic Pursuit Champion Wiggins will come face to face with the World Pursuit Champion, Sergei Escobar Roure. Roure has been a thorn in the side for Rob Hayles over the last year beating him to the bronze in the Olympics Individual Pursuit and the gold in the same event at the World Championships. With Hayles riding the Tour of Langawi this week it will be down to Madison team mate Wiggins to get some revenge over the Spaniard.

These riders will race across a series of endurance events including a devil and scratch combination race, a points race and the crowd pleasing 1km Madison Time Trial. In the Madison Time Trial GB riders Mark Cavendish and Ed Clancy will be defending their record time of 57.457 against Wiggins, Roure and other top endurance riders such as Russell Downing, Keiran Page and Geraint Thomas

Looks like it should be another great night out in Manchester.

Details

When?: 29th January 2005
Where?: Manchester Velodrome
What time?: Doors open at 5.30pm – racing starts 7pm

For all the news and latest announcements, take a look at www.cyclingrevolution.com.

As ever tickets are available to purchase in advance from www.cyclingrevolution.com or by calling 0700 594 2579. Tickets will also be available on the door.

GB v France (© Colin Simm)

With two of the world’s greatest sprinters featuring at Revolution 7 on the 29th January the scene is set for a revenge match of epic proportions. Arnaud Tournant and Chris Hoy will go head to head in a 500m Time Trial racing against each other in a TT for the first time since the Kilometre TT at the Olympic Games in Athens.

The rivalry between these two legendary sprinters is huge and revenge will be top of the agenda for Tournant who will be looking to set the record straight following Hoy’s victory over him in the Olympic Kilo, “The race in Athens was a huge disappointment for me but I have been training hard over the winter and want the victory” commented Tournant. “It will be fantastic to return to the Revolution and we will be ready to make it a good show”.

The event will see the two sprinters racing at the same time starting at opposite sides of the track. Hoy has had the upper hand over Tournant over the last two years but with Tournant is still the World Record holder. He is now retired from the Kilo and focusing on the sprint and Keirin so the shorter distance will also suit him.

Tournant is a formidable opponent but Chris Hoy won’t be scared easily, “It will be really close and very fast. I know Arnaud has been focusing his training on the sprints and Keirin so he will be strong over 500m and I’m sure he will be out for revenge following Athens. My strength is normally in the last 500m but my form is good and I’m confident I’ll still win.”

On home turf Hoy should have the advantage and will have the crowd behind him, “It’s going to be really spectacular particularly as Arnaud and I will be on the track at the same time. It should be very visual and the crowd will be able to see who is up throughout the race so the atmosphere will be fantastic.”

Hoy and Tournant will also clash in the grand finale of Revolution 7; a France verses Britain Team Sprint with Craig MacLean and Jason Queally making up the British trio and Gregory Bauge and Francois Pervis joining Tournant. The action doesn’t end there either as Bradley Wiggins and Spain’s Sergio Escobar Roure will be squaring up in the endurance events completing a superb night of racing and rivalry.

Details

When?: 29th January 2005
Where?: Manchester Velodrome
What time?: Doors open at 5.30pm – racing starts 7pm

For all the news and latest announcements, take a look at www.cyclingrevolution.com.

As ever tickets are available to purchase in advance from www.cyclingrevolution.com or by calling 0700 594 2579. Tickets will also be available on the door.

They don’t get much faster than the team GB train (© Larry Hickmott)

Things are building up for a clash of the titans at Revolution 7 on January 29th as the French and British sprint teams go head to head in a Team Sprint grand finale. The British trio of Chris Hoy, Jason Queally and Craig MacLean were rampant at the Manchester World Cup taking the gold medal in the team sprint. Craig MacLean was back to winning form riding sub 18 second first laps for the heats and final despite having cracked his rib in the heats of the Japanese Keirin.

Craig MacLean is recovering well from his injury and is looking forward to facing the French at Revolution 7, stating that;
“The French have been our main rivals for the last few years and are the current world champions so it is going to be an important race. It should be a better judge of how we’re going as the French will be one of our main rivals for the world title this year”.
But when asked if the British team continue their current run of team sprint victories Maclean was suitably enthusiastic;
“of course, we’ll be in front of the home crowd and we’re going well and it’s the French, we have to win!”

Confidence is clearly riding high in the British camp but the French won’t be defeated easily. Arnaud Tournant will be one of the star attractions at Revolution 7 and will be joined by two excellent French sprinters, Francois Pervis and Gregory Bauge. After a strong performance at the Moscow World Cup Bauge finished 3rd in the Japanese Keirin and 4th in the sprint in Manchester proving he is a man in form. Tournant too will be a formindable opponent and is eager to return to Revolution following his appearance at Revolution 3.

Hoy prepares to pounce on Rousseau (© Larry Hickmott)

The sprint line up doesn’t stop there though with sprinters from Germany, Belgium and Ireland all competing including the 2000 Sprint World Champion, Jan van Eijden. Other top British sprinters such as Ross Edgar, Barney Storey and Matt Crampton will also bolster the domestic field ensuring the competition will be fierce and unpredictable.

The sprint programme will consist of Keirin and Sprint competitions, an invitation Keirin and the head to head Britain and France Team Sprint. There will also be plenty of endurance racing with the highlight being the 1km Madison Time Trial.

Details

When?: 29th January 2005
Where?: Manchester Velodrome
What time?: Doors open at 5.30pm – racing starts 7pm

For all the news and latest announcements, take a look at www.cyclingrevolution.com.

As ever tickets are available to purchase in advance from www.cyclingrevolution.com or by calling 0700 594 2579. Tickets will also be available on the door.