Cycling: Strong British team selected: Tanner's ability recognised

(First Edition)

CHRIS LILLYWHITE and Malcolm Elliott, both of whom have won the Milk Race, will head Britain's challenge in the world professional road race championship in Norway on Sunday.

Lillywhite, from Walton-on-Thames, will be joined in the seven-man squad by his Banana team-mate Brian Smith, from Glasgow. Elliott, who rides for the Chevrolet-LA Sheriff team in the United States, is named along with another exile, the former Tour de France King of the Mountains, Robert Millar.

There is a debut for the first-year professional, John Tanner, reward for being the best-placed home rider in the Kellogg's Tour this year when Lillywhite won the sprints classification.

BRITAIN'S PROFESSIONAL ROAD RACE TEAM: G Coltman (Raleigh); A Doyle (Neilson-Tivoli); M Elliott (Chevrolet-LA Sheriff); C Lillywhite (Banana); R Millar (TVM), B Smith (Banana); J Tanner (Neilson-Tivoli).

THE 56km of planking that make up the surface of the velodrome used for the indoor segment of the championships at Hamar will be used for firewood as the Olympia Hall will be needed for the speed skating events at next year's Winter Olympics.