One of the biggest surprises at this year's track worlds was the performance of the prodigious Great Britain youngster Shanaze Reade. Cyclingnews Shane Stokes talked to the 18 year-old talent about her success as she prepares for a BMX gold medal attempt at the Beijing Olympic Games.
The recent world track championships were a major success for the Great Britain team, with the riders securing a total of seven gold medals. Together with the two silver and two bronze medals they also gained, the GB squad were by far the top team in Majorca.
Aside from that haul, though, there was another reason to celebrate. Several promising young riders were amongst the medallists, proving that the long term future for British Cycling should also be a good one. And no-one was more of a revelation than Shanaze Reade.
The 18 year-old is a proven winner, being a three time world champion, eight time European champion and five time national champion in BMX. However despite that history of two-wheeled success, she is a real newcomer to the track, making a her team sprint debut with Victoria Pendleton and then riding the 500 metre time trial for the first time ever there in Majorca.
For the first of those, Reade took the place of Anna Blythe in the Palma Arena velodrome, pairing up with Pendleton. They proved the perfect combination. Reade is known for her lighting speed over a lap and so led out her more experienced team-mate, who then hit the gas for the second 250 metres of the event. It worked to devastating effect and in the final they went 0.34" quicker than rivals Yvonne Hijgenaar and Willy Kanis and scooping gold.
