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"Cycling is probably on an all-time high in this country and is set to reach new levels in the years to come," Doyle told The Telegraph.
"We have a brilliant set of cyclists on the track world champions like Chris Hoy and Jamie Staff who have just beaten all-comers in Melbourne, Olympic gold medallists like Jason Queally, potential Olympic champions like Bradley Wiggins, our world-class 4,000m pursuit squad and stars of the future such as Victoria Pendleton.
"On the road we suddenly have the women’s World Cup champion Nicole Cooke, who is only 20 and the world’s best time-trial rider in David Millar, who is a regular Tour de France stage winner.
"It takes no leap of the imagination to see cycling emerge as our most successful Olympic event in Athens and such a British success story must have an annual showcase event.
"Millions of families are into cycling in a modest way with many going on to take a more competitive interest in bikes, switching to the road or track racing.
"Out of all these growing numbers of cyclists, champions of the future will emerge. Probably second only to Tim Henman winning the Wimbledon singles, I believe the British sporting public would most like to see a potential Tour de France winner emerge from these shores.
"Britain has rapidly become one of the biggest bike markets in Europe and the manufacturers and team sponsors are mad keen for the event to succeed. OK, their interest may be mainly commercial but if the biking `industry’ is interested, and believe me they are, there should be every chance of this becoming a major event."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/…/socycl02.xml
