British Cycling chiefs will hold talks with comeback queen Dame Laura Kenny about pulling out of next week's European track cycling championships, insisting: "we don't want to wring her dry.”
Kenny revealed she was on the brink of quitting, after a dip in confidence and form on Sunday, before her stunning ride to win Commonwealth Games gold for England in the women's scratch race. Team GB's greatest female achiever with five Olympic titles, 30-year-old Kenny hinted she may not have enough gas in the tank to be part of the British team in Munich from August 11-16.
And British Cycling performance director Stephen Park said: “We want to get the best out of athletes, so we will be looking long-term. As most of these conversations are, they tend not to be somebody stamping their feet saying, 'I am not doing this' – they are organic conversations with myself, with team-mates, friends, her husband, coaching staff and building those different views.
“We will look to support her to try and get the very best out of her while we – and she – believe she can be competitive, and we will look to support her so she can get the balance right. She is our most successful and decorated athlete, we are not looking to wring her dry. We want her to be able to be proud of her achievements.
“If she is going to take to the track again, she has to go out there believing she can win – otherwise there is no point in her going.”
Kenny only returned to competition last week after a torrid winter in which she suffered a miscarriage and emergency surgery for an ectopic pregnancy.
She helped England to win bronze in the women's team pursuit but, shaken by Olympic omnium champion Matt Walls' horrific crash on Sunday, she trailed home a disappointing 13th in the points race.
Kenny admitted she felt “lost” and went to bed on Sunday wondering if the scratch race would be her last appearance on the track.
But a stunning ride, roared on at the Lee Valley VeloPark where she won twin golds at London 2012 under her maiden name Laura Trott, proved a gratifying encore.
