But, following a review of the Olympic qualification system agreed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), cycling's governing body, other changes likely to benefit the sport's lesser lights are also being implemented.

For example, in the high-octane BMX discipline, three more nations will be able to participate in 2016 than at London 2012, while the minimum age has been lowered to 18.

In road cycling, meanwhile, the number of quota places allocated via the Africa Tour circuit has been nearly doubled from five to nine.

UCI President Brian Cookson said that the confirmation of qualification systems "really does signal the countdown for riders aspiring to compete in the Rio Olympic Games".

The track events in which two athletes per nation will now be permitted are the individual sprint and keirin for both genders.

The changes pave the way for two athletes from the same nation to win medals in the same sprinting event, as Sir Chris Hoy and Jason Kenny did at Beijing 2008
©Getty Images


At London 2012, the national quota was just one athlete per event.

This forced for example Great Britain, utterly dominant in the velodrome in its home Games, to select between sprinters of the calibre of Jason Kenny, men's individual sprint gold medallist, and Sir Chris Hoy, who took gold in the men's keirin.

While today's announcement may somewhat improve Britain's chances of hitting its stiff, self-imposed Olympic medals target of 66 for Rio 2016, the team has not had things all its own way in recent times, particularly in men's track cycling.

At this year's UCI track cycling world championships in Colombia, all Britain's five medals were won by women, as the invincible François Pervis of France and Kristina Vogel of Germany each collected three golds.

Cookson said he was "particularly pleased that we can look forward to more nations competing in BMX and that extra quota places have been made available through the Africa Tour circuit for road and that we will see more of the world's very best riders compete in the individual sprint and keirin".

He added: "With Brazil being granted quota places for road, mountain biking and BMX, the 2016 Games provide a genuine opportunity to build on the already significant progress the sport has witnessed there in recent years."

In all, 528 athletes - 325 men and 203 women - will compete in 18 cycling events at Rio 2016.

In a further alteration from London 2012, one quota place has been transferred from men's road to men's track.

This was said to be to balance the quota following a change from three to four athletes in the women's team pursuit.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]

Related stories:
February 2014: Britain's women live up to favourites tag with fourth straight team pursuit world title