VeloBalls

Bike reviews and cycling news that BITES

Laura Trott

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Laura will trot all the way to glory!

One of the weirdest feelings and dilemmas in the sporting world is competing with your teammates in an international event; having experienced a plethora of emotions together, things are obviously messy when you want to whizz by past one of your best friends in a time trial, but oh well – c’est la vie!

Laura Trott feels that only bragging rights are at stake in such situations and that everybody’s main aim is just to prepare for the European track championships in Guadeloupe this month. The competition for the line up among the five – , Dani King, Joanna Rowsell, Elinor Barker and Katie Archibald and Laura herself – is fierce. None of them want to lose their positions two years out from the Olympics, especially at these crucial times. What we can tell you about it all is that she is not backing down anymore and will it all that she has got; because that girl is on fire!

She is aiming to peak at the Europeans this month and is not going to worry about her form too much – faith is important in this sport; especially faith in yourself. The plan is that if everyone is planning on peaking in the Europeans, then nobody will be in top form, especially the ones who got a very short break since after the Commonwealth Games.

Laura Trott won gold in the points race and dutifully helped Lizzie Armitstead in winning gold in the Road Race, after which she went off for a well deserved, ten day vacation to Jamaica with her boyfriend, Jason Kenny. She’s now back and recharged; ready to take on all challenges that come her way by the balls.

In an effort to prioritize her track preparations for the Olympic Games at Rio soon, Laura will be switching from Wiggle Honda to the Matrix Fitness Team next year since they are a semi-professional team but are hoping to become a registered UCI outfit for 2015, and also because the sheer stature of Wiggle Honda requires more sponsorship appearances from its members and that means less practice time. Laura is trying to recreate the situations as they were in 2012 when everything worked out in her favour and believes in a ‘Career First’ approach. The same thing is being tried out by Katie and Jo, but we guess Dani loves the road more, so she’s staying with Wiggle Honda, while the other two will be moving off to Pearl Izumi.
Matrix Fitness director Stef Wyman’s wife rides for the team and is friends with Laura. Moreover, the company’s determination to establish the name of young British cyclists attracted Laura towards Matrix Fitness.

Laura is fully focussed on her goals and is not letting the thought of tough competition bother her much, with the likes of Marianne Vos, who is going for a hat trick title this year. Ultimately a good performing and supporting team for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games is why Laura Trott chose Matrix Fitness over the others.

Photo credit – Renate Franz

Source – https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Laura_Trott_2012.jpg

 

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Sir Chris Hoy Calls Out Commonwealth Couple

When Laura Trott was named to represent Team England, she showed the exuberance of a child waking up on the morning of Christmas. She remarked at her being included to Team England.

“I’m delighted to be representing England at the Commonwealth Games in August. Nothing beats putting on national kit and competing for your home nation. I’ll try my best to do everyone proud.”

But, that exuberance changed to a kid who received a lump of coal as a present underneath the Christmas tree. Sounding more like a prom queen runner up, Trott stated:

“A lot of people don’t even take it seriously. It’s the same with a lot of countries. I went to Delhi as a youngster and there was barely anyone there.”

Trott’s love interest, Jason Kenny, shares the same sentiment.

“…members of the public probably see the Commonwealths as second only to the Olympics but, when you’re actually involved in the sport, it doesn’t seem that way. It gets devalued a bit.”

The problem is that not everyone shares their opinion. Sir Chris Hoy called out the Commonwealth couple.

“Jason has not been to a Commonwealth Games yet. Laura has but the one in Delhi was maybe not the best representation of how good cycling at the games can be.”

In other words, don’t knock it ‘til you try it. Hoy cherished his time competing in the Commonwealth Games and quickly jumped to its defense.

“Remember this will be the biggest Commonwealth Games there has ever been, the facilities are second to none and there is still the afterglow of the London Olympics.”

Sir Chris Hoy has great memories of the Commonwealth Games and has the hardware to prove it.

Laura Trott has since attempted to downplay her comments and British Cycling has tried to quell the potential firestorm by releasing statements of their own.

Too little…too late.

 

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Delaying the Inevitable – Wiggins

We are a step closer to what we all expected. Sir Bradley Wiggins being officially omitted from Team Sky’s roster for the Tour de France. Fingers have been pointed and rumours have been spread, but a definitive answer could be much sooner because of this announcement.

“Team England names Sky rider Sir Bradley Wiggins to represent them in Commonwealth Games.”

This is all but the final shove out the door to making the roster for the Tour de France. It would be extremely difficult for Wiggins to compete in both events due to the lack of time left to recover from the Tour to race in the Commonwealth Games. And if we are looking at his recent history, Wiggins would need much more time than that to compete.

Being named to Team England is an honour and should not be understated.

Ed Clancy, who was chosen to take part in track endurance, said:

“I’m proud to have made selection for the England team at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. My first Commonwealth Games was in Melbourne 2006, it was my first major games and it was a valuable experience for me as an athlete. The racing is always of a very high standard and it would be great to add a Commonwealth Games medal to the collection.”

Very highly decorated athletes were named to Team England, but all eyes will be on Wiggins. Will he accept this nomination and join the team? Or will he refuse and hold on to the faintest of hopes that he will be racing in the Tour de France? His newly named teammates hope he will join them in representing England.

Olympic winner Laura Trott chimed in, “He is such an inspirational figure. For us, we don’t get to see that much of him so it’s amazing to have him back in the squad.”

But, this is ultimately Wiggins’ decision. Stay tuned.

In the meantime let’s remind ourselves just how damned fast Wiggins can be on the track: