Cycling: Manchester world whirl

MANCHESTER will stage the 1996 World Track Cycling Championships on the pounds 9m velodrome now being built as part of its Olympic bid and could bring a world cycling first to Britain. Ian Emmerson, the president of the British Cycling Federation, is negotiating to incorporate the junior title races, writes Robin Nicholl from Oslo.

Britain staged the world track championships at Leicester's open-air stadium in 1970 and 1982 but the uncertainties of summer weather have always demanded an indoor track.

The 250-metre wooden track will open on 6 October next year with a major international meeting and will also stage the 1995 final of the World Cup series. Traditionally, the World Road Championships go to the country hosting the track titles but for 1996 the governing body, the Union Cycliste International, has awarded them to Monaco as part of a new policy.

The announcement was made at the championships here yesterday where Chris Boardman bowed out as an amateur, as he and three British team-mates came 12th in the world 100km team time trial won by Italy.

Boardman, Simon Lillistone, Paul Jennings and Peter Longbottom finished six minutes slower than the Italians. From 1 September, Boardman will become a professional with the sponsored team, GAN.