The programme in London will feature five men's and five women's events – boosting Pendleton's hopes of emulating Sir Chris Hoy's achievement of winning three gold medals at one Games.

At the Beijing Olympics last year the split had been seven events for men and only three for women.

The men's and women's individual pursuits – in which Bradley Wiggins and Rebecca Romero are Olympic champions – men's and women's points races and the men's Madison are to disappear in favour of sprints, keirins, team sprints, team pursuits and the multi-discipline omniums for both sexes.

It was Pendleton's complaints about the lack of opportunities available to her in Beijing after she won the Olympic sprint title that helped spark the process which led to yesterday's decision by the IOC's Executive Board at its meeting in Lausanne.

Pendleton said: "I was as surprised as anyone that the UCI actually made such radical proposals.

"Having the opportunity to compete in more events in 2012 will be amazing but I would be extremely happy to repeat what I achieved in Beijing by winning just one."

Romero led the protests about the decision.

She said: "My initial reaction on a personal level is massive disappointment.

"I'd got back into training and up to fitness and I'd made the decision that I wanted to go to London and to defend my title and push the boundaries of women's individual pursuiting and see what I could do with it.

"And now, one instant it's there and then it's taken away, and effectively I don't have a job and that's my Olympic Games out of the window.

"Also I'm disappointed for track cycling as a whole, I think the changes are pretty much ludicrous.

"I'd like to have it explained, the exact thinking behind the decision making process."

Wiggins was more philosophical about being unable to defend a title he has won in the last two Olympics at London.

He said:" It's out of my hands, I can't control it.

"I understand the reasons behind the decision, but perhaps it's a little bit drastic - the amount of events that are going to be scrapped."

Pendleton said: "Obviously it's very disappointing that some events have been dropped from the schedule within these changes.

"I really feel for my team-mates who will miss out as a result."

Geraint Thomas, 23, part of Britain’s stunning pursuit team – alongside Wiggins, Ed Clancy and Paul Manning – who smashed the world record twice on the way to winning gold at the Beijing Games, was another, however, who was upset at the decision.

He said: "The team pursuit is the only event now [in 2012] on the track for me and I will just have to work hard to try and make sure I get there.

"When I heard the pursuit was being removed from the Games I was definitely disappointed but there is nothing I can do about it at the end of the day.

"It is the sort of decision that the men in suits have made but it is disappointing to get rid of the pursuit and replace it with something like the omnium – which I rode when I was 12.

"It is like a kids sport.

"It is not even in the World Cup series.”



The anger at the decision was echoed across the world, including by Alison Shanks (pictured), the world pursuit champion.

The New Zealander said: "Obviously, I'm pretty devastated by the news.

"I guess we knew the decision was coming but to hear it was official was pretty gut-wrenching.

"Life throws some curve balls at you sometimes but you just have to deal with the situation you've been given, really.

"It is a shame that they have got rid of such a pure event.

"When you think about the Olympic motto of faster, higher and stronger, I think the individual pursuit represents that."

Shanks beat Britain's Beijing Olympics silver medallist Wendy Houvenaghel, to win the world individual pursuit crown in Poznan in March.

The next day she was back on her bike, winning silver with the New Zealand women's pursuit team, which has been added to the programme for London 2012.

Shanks said: "But I'm going to stick with individual pursuit.

"When you look at the big picture, we've still got three World Championships before the Olympics even roll around as well as the Commonwealth Games next year.

"So there is still plenty to aspire to.

"It is still my passion but once London rolls around a bit closer, my focus will switch to the team pursuit."

Shanks said plenty had been done to try to make it known that the event deserved its spot at the Olympics but to no avail.

She said: "Our [the cyclists'] voice is pretty small.

"But there has been massive support including a petition which gathered more then 4,500 signatures from 55 countries.

"I have spoken to a lot of people as well who have said to me that the individual pursuit is their favourite event to watch."

David Brailsford, British Cycling's performance director, promised that the changes in the programme will not affect his team's preparations for London 2012.

He said: "There were always going to be winners and losers.

"I think the UCI and the IOC were obliged to do something [for gender parity] and they've found a solution which we think we can work with and get on with."

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected].


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