Hayden Godfrey just happens to be the best omnium rider in the world. He won last year’s world championships in Manchester, his first time in the event, and will defend that title in Poland this week.
Put simply, omnium is the decathlon of cycling. It is made up of five events (200m sprint, 5km scratch race, 3000m individual pursuit, 15km points race and 1km time trial) and finds the most consistent rider across different disciplines.
It requires the top-end speed of a sprinter, endurance of a pursuit rider and craft and guile of a points and scratch race cyclist.
The omnium was popular on the cycling programme until the late 1960s when it disappeared. No one is really sure why.
It made a return to the world championships in 2007 and Godfrey instantly knew it was his chance to make his mark as an individual on the world stage.
Suggestions have gathered momentum recently that the omnium will be added to the programme for the 2012 London Olympics, along with the women’s team’s pursuit.
“It’s quite political to get new events at the Olympics,” says Godfrey. “I doubt it will be in London. Maybe later on. It is an event crowds like following because it’s all done in one day and people can follow their favourite riders.”
Godfrey will concentrate on the madison, a two-person race where riders fling their team-mates around the track, if the omnium is not added to the London programme.
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