Secret of cycling success

Yvonne McGregor completed Britain's medal hat-trick

Peter Keen is being hailed as the secret weapon behind Britain's success on the cycling track.

That, plus a healthy injection of cash into the sport from the National Lottery, and an indoor velodrome which is the envy of the world and would have formed the cycling centrepiece had Manchester's bid to host these Games succeeded.

But as Yvonne McGregor's bronze medal in the individual pursuit gave Britain a complete set of gold, silver and bronze, with the promise of more to come, it is Keen who is being hailed as the man behind the team's success.

And the product is what the British Cycling Federation have hailed as the best British cycling team for a generation.

Not only is Peter Keen a visionary thinker, but he can also implement his ideas

  David Brailsford

Keen took over as performance director of the British Cycling Federation's World Class Performance Programme (WCPP) three years ago and made an immediate impression on cycling's governing body.

BCF chief executive Peter King clinched £2.5m worth of lottery funding which was music to the ears of Keen who previously had twice resigned as national coach over lack of funding.

The money gave Keen the chance to implement his six-year plan to guide Britain back to the top in cycling with what WCPP spokesman Dave Brailsford described as "a piece of revolutionary thinking".

"Other sports have spent money on pitches and stadia, but there is a bit more to the implementation of what we are doing and the overall plan that has been put in place here is absolutely awesome," said Brailsford.

"Not only is Peter Keen a visionary thinker, but he can also implement his ideas."

Keen is the sports scientist who coached Chris Boardman to golden glory in 1992 but had to overcome cycling's traditionalist thinking, particularly with the introduction of full-time coaches.

The BCF's training facilities at the Manchester velodrome, built with the city's bid for this year's Games in mind, has given Brtiain a world-class venue.

While Jason Queally's gold was a glittering success, Keen's unnoticed work has been the performance of some of the British team's veterans.

"We have athletes who have been to previous Olympic Games and flunked, but are now winning medals," said Brailsford, pointing to 39-year-old McGregor who failed to make the rostrum in Atlanta four years ago, but has since won bronze at both World Championships and Commonwealth Games to add to her newly won Olympic bronze.

Double-edged sword

Brailsford said: "Here are a bunch of people who tried in the old way under the old regime and have failed, but are now being looked at as leaders. It's phenomenal.

"We have got plans in place to capitalise on it and we have to admit that this was not completely unexpected.It is the best team that we sent to the Olympics in a generation."

The double-edged sword is that Britain's cyclists will now be expected to win medals at all major events, although Brailsford accepts the increased levels willingly.

"That's a welcome problem to have and that's the next stage of development - to maintain that success," claimed Brailsford.

"We've some young guys who performed at world junior level, are awesome athletes and they are on their way through the system.

"We have also tied up some commercial partners, people are coming to knock on the door now whereas before we really struggled."