BRAILSFORD BACKS READE FOR LONDON GOLD

BMX rider Shanaze Reade will "put the record straight" and strike gold at the London 2012 Olympics, cycling performance director David Brailsford predicted.

The rider from Crewe crashed out of the Beijing Games in the BMX where she was hotly-tipped for gold.

But Brailsford, the driving force behind Team GB's cycle success in Beijing, said: "Shanaze is the best at what she does. She's the best in the world.

"It did not quite finish as we would have liked in Beijing because she was going for gold and not going to settle for a silver or bronze."

He was talking to MPs who gathered at a reception in the House of Commons to discuss the boom in cycling in London.

Brailsford said he can already imagine the scene where Reade strikes gold on home soil in 2012.
He said: "I think that 2012, from my point of view, is an absolutely dream scenario, not just for me personally, but also so that people like Shanaze can go back to put the record straight.

"I can see it now. It will be one of the highlights and I'm sure that she will do it."
He also said that it was important that every effort is made to ensure that the 2012 Games are well supported among the British public.

He said: "It is important that cycling does not become an elitist element and I think that we can do that because we are a great nation of supporters - I notice that from travelling around the world.

"We are a great nation and a nation who supports people and I'm sure we can make this the best event."