LONDON 2012: Colclough and Laws dropped but who leads women's road race team?

By Sportsbeat staff

BRITISH Cycling chief Dave Brailsford admitted the decision to cut Katie Colclough and Sharon Laws from his women's road team wasn't easy - but harder choices still lie ahead.

ANXIOUS: Dave Brailsford and his team still have to make the biggest decision with their women's road race team (Getty Images)

Brailsford is juggling more than a few selection dilemmas - with choosing his team leader for the women's road race on Sunday July 29th potentially his biggest headache.

Four years ago Nicole Cooke kick started Britain's gold medal rush in Beijing but Lizzie Armistead is considered by many to be the better medal prospect on the London course.

Emma Pooley and Lucy Martin complete the four-strong road race squad while Pooley and Armistead have also been selected as Team GB's two entries in the time trial.

“Narrowing down the women’s road team from six riders to four wasn’t an easy decision for the selectors to make, but we believe that the four riders we have selected will give us the best opportunity of winning the race," said Brailsford.

Armistead and Cooke were involved in a sharp and public exchange of views at last year's World Championships, where the former accused the latter of failing to ride for her, as had been agreed. 

Cooke though insists she is happy to fulfil team orders, but has continued to claim she has the better medal chance - despite the long and flat run-in to the finish line on the The Mall seeming to suit Armistead.

"I am honoured to be representing Team GB at the 2012 Olympic Games and doing everything I can to deliver a gold medal for our team," said Cooke. 

"We have a set of riders with real potential and I am looking forward to playing my part in delivering that gold." 

Armistead has previously admitted the pair will never be firm friends but insists they can maintain a working relationship.

"We've had a conversation and it's behind us," she said, earlier this year.

"I'm sure the media would love us to have a grudge match all the way until the Games but it's just not the way it is."

© Sportsbeat 2012