Men’s team sprint – encouraging signs for Great Britain

Sir Chris Hoy’s retirement has undoubtedly left a huge void for British Cycling to fill in the men’s team sprint squad.

However, Manchester provided encouraging signs for all those concerned as the search for the Scottish legend’s replacement goes on.

The men’s team sprint squad of Olympic champions Jason Kenny and Phillip Hindes, joined first by Kian Elmadi and then by Matt Crampton for the final, earned bronze to overcome their European disappointment two weeks ago.

And while it proved to be the squad’s only medal of the weekend, Crampton rode impressively through the early rounds of the individual sprint to show he is ready to rejoin the Hindes and Kenny in the team event.

Crampton missed out on the London Games despite claiming a silver medal at the 2011 World Championships and gold at the European Championships of the same year; the consequence of battling for a position with Britain’s most successful Olympian.

And although he ultimately missed out on a medal in Manchester, his fourth place is certainly an encouraging sign as the road to Rio begins.

Photo provided with kind permission of http://www.swpixcyclingphotos.com.