Olympic track cycling champion Jamie Staff has been hired by USA Cycling to build America a world-class sprint team.
The British former BMX and track cycling world champion will be based at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California, and will be in charge of athlete recruitment and development.
“I'm very excited to be given the opportunity to develop USA Cycling’s Track Sprint Program,” said 38-year-old Staff. “My immediate goals are to get us in a position to compete in the London Olympics and then go on to win multiple medals in Rio in 2016 and beyond.
"We have a world-class velodrome facility in the Home Depot Center, a VP [Jim Miller] with the vision and desire to put American sprint track cycling on the map, and now myself with the motivation and experience to help deliver.”
The resident programme is set to begin in July. "With the increased importance of the sprint events in the new 2012 Olympic programme, it's time to rethink, restructure and reinvest in our track programmes,” said Miller.
“Over the past year we’ve made significant progress with our endurance track programmes, and with the addition of Staff we're beginning what we expect to be a manageable progression to the top of the sport by offering an opportunity to train under the tutelage of a first-rate coach in a world-class facility."
