Bell contemplates Rio 2016 Olympics

Zach Bell is about to start his road season with Champion System Pro Cycling team and he is focused on winning field sprints at key international races. The sprinter, however, has not forgotten about his track roots and is considering his options for the Olympic Games held in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro.

“My plan has always been to commit my resources towards the road after the 2012 London Olympics,” Bell told Canadian Cycling Magazine. “This doesn’t mean that I’m finished with the track. It just means that I want to take a path that other successful track riders have taken and put more energy on the road.

“Right now it’s too early to say if I’ll get to the Rio Games. I’m focused on wining races with Champion System. I’ve seen a glimpse of Commonwealth games through the fog of the off season and it excites me but right now it’s one step at a time. I’m still unsure how my family will handle this lifestyle again and that has to work before I can start making commitments to long term goals.”

Bell dedicated years of his life to the London Games where he was a medal hopeful in the men’s omnium. He placed a respectable eight in the six-round event. He is a proven road sprinter, however, he is better known on the track for accomplishments at the world cups, world championships and Olympic Games.

“Racing on the road will give me the challenges I need to develop my strengths as a rider, both on the road and the track,” Bell said. “It also opens up space in our track program to help develop the next generation. Until I know what the new structure of the UCI track program will look like, I can’t really say when or how I will race the track again. I have unfinished business on the track, it will just be in the background for the time being.”

The world track cycling championships will be held from February 20 to 24 in Minsk, Belarus. Bell will not be participating due to commitments with his road team.

“I’ve had a late start to the season, so I can’t be ready for track worlds,” Bell said. “At the moment it’s the last concrete race on the UCI schedule before they decide how they are going to potentially reshuffle things for the next Olympic cycle.

“As a nation, we didn’t start a team at every world cup, so we can only send three riders to worlds. The women’s track program has been working hard and deserve the shot at the rainbows.”

Cycling Canada will send three women to the world championships; Laura Brown, Gillian Carleton and Jasmin Glaesser. The trio won the gold medal for Canada in the team pursuit at the last world cup in Mexico.