Millar forced to sit out team pursuit

Great Britain’s team pursuit squad will take to the velodrome in Manchester today without their newest but best-known recruit.

David Millar, a world champion on the road already, was pulled out of what would have been his competitive track debut at this weekend’s World Cup event by his professional team Cofidis.

The French outfit has withdrawn from all competitions for an indefinite period in response to drugs allegations against current and former team members. Millar himself has not been implicated.

The news overshadowed what had been a good day for his track team-mates with Rob Hayles winning bronze in the scratch race and Paul Manning matching the achievement in the individual pursuit.

It also casts into doubt Millar’s ambitions to compete in the team pursuit at the Olympics in addition to the road time-trial in which he is still expected to medal. The Scot had planned to use this weekend’s event at the National Velodrome as a stepping stone to Athens.

Team GB performance director David Brailsford said: “We respect the decision of his professional team management.”