Ethan Hayter is looking for a repeat of his success at last year’s UEC European Championships as he targets a ‘proper hit out’ at all three Olympic endurance events at the forthcoming Tissot UCI Track Cycling World Cup in Glasgow.
Returning to the same venue in which he won omnium gold and Madison and team pursuit bronze last summer, Hayter could compete in all three events again as he continues his preparations for a potential first Olympic Games.
Hayter has established himself as one of the rising stars of the Great Britain Cycling Team, having earned world, European and Commonwealth medals across the Olympic events in the last two years. He continued his comeback from injury with a team pursuit bronze medal and a fifth place in the points race at last week’s UEC European Track Championships.
Ahead of the Tissot UCI Track Cycling World Cup series beginning, he says:
“I hope (to do all three events at the Olympics) – that’s the goal. In Glasgow, I’ll hopefully get a proper hit out and race all of the events, as I did at the European Championships last summer.
“That was the only time I’ve raced in Glasgow, but it was a great experience – being in front of a home crowd, taking three medals and winning the omnium. I’d not really experienced anything like that on the track before or since, so I’m looking forward to going back.
“The last two major competitions we had before last week went pretty well for me in terms of racing and results. Maybe I’m more of a marked man now in races, but amongst the squad we’re all pushing each other to be the best we can be.”
Hayter is embarking on the winter track season off the back of a desperately unfortunate end to the road season, after he crashed when well placed at the Tour de l’Avenir, sustaining a broken collar bone which then ruled him out of the men’s under-23 road race at the UCI Road World Championships in Yorkshire.
He continues:
“It was a shame to miss Yorkshire, but you get setbacks in sport. It’s one of those things – I cheered everyone else and was happy for them, and I thought the performance of Tom (Pidcock – bronze medallist) was impressive, especially considering he crashed a few days after me at the Tour de l’Avenir.
“All through the road season I was dropping in (to the velodrome) to do bits on the track, just so I didn’t become solely a road rider. The racing on the road benefits your fitness in terms of endurance riding on the track, so I’m ready and excited for the track season now.”
The second of the six-round Tissot UCI Track Cycling World Cup series takes place in Glasgow over the weekend of November 8-10. Further information is available here, and tickets can be purchased here.
