Sir Dave Brailsford has stepped down as performance director of British Cycling to concentrate on his role with Team Sky.
Brailsford, who oversaw Great Britain’s phenomenal medal hauls at the last two Olympic Games, has opted to step aside following an internal review of the team management.
The review followed a below-par showing at the UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Cali in February, which Brailsford had missed due to commitments to the UCI ProTeam.
And Brailsford believes, with two years to go until the Rio Olympics, now is the right time to allow someone else to a chance to head the squad.
He said: “This is a big step but it is the right decision for the team and for me.
“Since London 2012, we have worked hard on succession planning and that has meant we’ve got to a point where I can move on, knowing the team will go from strength to strength.
“I’ll still be available to Ian [Drake], Shane [Sutton] and Andy [Harrison] for support if they need it and my role at Team Sky will mean we’ll still work closely and support the aims of British Cycling.
“I’d like to thank all the great staff who I’ve worked with and of course the amazing athletes who ultimately deserve all the credit for their success.
“I have some extraordinary memories – not just from Olympic Games and World Championships but also just day-to-day seeing cycling go from a fringe activity to a mainstream sport.
“I’ve always said that, more than any of the medals, the transformation of cycling in Britain is the single thing I’m most proud of having helped achieve.”
The reshuffle behind the scenes also sees head coach Shane Sutton appointed technical director, concentrating on rider performance, while Andy Harrison continues as programmes director with responsibility for running the development programmes.
A new role of head of performance support will be created to strengthen the senior team, while long-serving sports psychiatrist Steve Peters is to step down.
British Cycling chief executive Ian Drake, whom Sutton and Harrison will report to, said: “Firstly, I want to thank Sir Dave Brailsford for his enormous contribution to British Cycling – the organisation he leaves behind is transformed from the one we both joined in 1998.
“In that time the Great Britain Cycling Team has not only set the standard by which British sporting success is judged but also inspired millions of people to get active through cycling.
“I also want to thank Steve Peters for his contribution to our medal success over the years – his support for athletes and the team has been groundbreaking and the foundations he has put in place will continue to shape the programme and its culture in the future.
“Both Sir Dave and Steve took leading roles in the review and recognised the systems that they have helped put in place mean they can both step away from the team, certain it will be in good hands.
“The changes we are announcing today are in response to a simple question which has guided the team since lottery funding was introduced – what will give us the best chance of winning gold medals?
“In Shane and Andy, I’m confident we have the right management team to take us into Rio and beyond. The sport of cycling in this country has travelled a long way in the last few years but the best is yet to come.”
Shane Sutton added: “I’ve massively enjoyed working with Sir Dave over the years and we’ll continue to work with him at Team Sky as it will remain a natural home for some of our elite male riders.
“He leaves a big hole but we have a fantastic system in place from playground to club to podium with a great team throughout the organisation and I am very confident looking ahead to Rio.
“Andy and I know we can always pick up the phone to Sir Dave but in the meantime we are looking forward to getting on with the business of winning medals and working with an exciting generation of talented British cyclists.”
