Britain still snubs roads at the European Championships

Great Britain will once again enter the European Championships with a skeleton squad, with no representation in the road races. Only four riders will fly to Ljubljana, Slovenia, for this week's event, continuing a long-standing tradition.

Team GB's relationship with this event has always been volatile. Introduced in 2016, the continental event saw the British absent from the first two editions, then present with full teams (both time trial and road race) from 2018 to 2020 – the year they hosted the race – only to disappear again in 2021 and 2022. In 2023, normality seemed to return with a full roster, but in 2024, yet another complete withdrawal.

In 2025, British Cycling adopted a new philosophy: sending only time trial specialists to concentrate resources where the chances of success are highest. This surgical strategy is being replicated identically for 2026, a sign that the federal leadership believes it will be a winning one.

Who will be competing? Ethan Hayter and Callum Thornley will compete in the men's elite time trial, while Lauren Dickson will represent Britain in the women's event. Ben Wiggins, who failed to make the top 10 at the World Championships, will also be competing. He will try to bounce back in the under-23 time trial.

The real surprise is the absence of Zoe Bäckstedt , who in Montreal had won a splendid silver medal behind Marlen Reusser in the women's elite time trial. This is a significant omission that leaves the team without its most credible medal contender.

Interestingly, British Cycling's press releases mention five athletes on multiple occasions, suggesting a possible last-minute withdrawal. Anna Henderson, who was on the pre-registration list, was not confirmed in the final selection.

"Reflecting the 2025 strategy, the five riders selected are all time trial specialists and will aim to demonstrate the nation's strength in this discipline in their respective categories," British Cycling said in a statement.