Twigg quits after feud with coach

The six-times world champion Rebecca Twigg, the premier American women's cyclist, has quit the team and will not ride in Saturday's time trial. "She's gone," said a US Cycling spokeswoman, Cheryl Kvasnicka.

Twigg's departure is thought to have been spawned by her feud with the national coaching director Chris Carmichael, who openly criticised Twigg's training methods after her disappointing performance in the individual pursuit quarter-finals last Friday.

Kvasnicka explained that, because they have not dealt with an Olympian quitting before, the US Cycling officials do not know if Twigg can be replaced. "Usually, if it's because of illness or injury, you get another slot," Kvasnicka remarked.

Kvasnicka said that US officials were talking with the International Olympic Committee and the UCI, the international cycling federation, to find out whether Twigg can be replaced. Linda Brenneman is the other US entry.