London to host Track World Champs

London's Olympic Velodrome will host the 2016 Track World Championships, it has been announced.

The decision, made by the International Cycling Union's (UCI ) management committee in Florence, means track cyclists will have the chance to compete again at a venue where Britain won nine Olympic medals in 2012.

British Cycling's chief executive Ian Drake said: "Winning the bid to host the final track cycling world championships of the next Olympic cycle is important strategically for us, it's good for the current generation of athletes, but it's also an important tool for inspiring the next generation who will follow in their footsteps.

"The events we've delivered over the last decade in the UK have rightly been regarded as world class but the delivery of a world championships in this iconic venue will be the biggest task we've taken on to date."

The event will take place from February 24 to 28 and is part of UK Sport's 'Gold Event Series' which aims to bring 70 world-class events to Britain by 2019. It will also serve as the final stage of the Olympic qualification process for Rio 2016.

Sports minister Hugh Robertson added: "This is another great coup for British sport and a real legacy from London 2012.

"The capital's velodrome is a stunning, world-leading venue and I am sure the 2016 Track World Championships will have capacity crowds supporting our best cyclists ahead of the Rio Games."