Roulston gutted to give away his London dream

Nov 21st, 11. It takes a fair bit to knock him back but Hayden Roulston is a shattered man today, his dreams of Olympic gold on the track in London apparently over, for now anyway.

Yesterday, on the eve of the Oceania Track Championships, BikeNZ issued a press release saying Roulston had, "Withdrawn from the track squad to focus his attentions on his road racing career."

It was a surprise announcement coming as it did less than one month after the Olympic and Commonwealth Games medalist announced he had signed a pro-road contract with RadioShack Nissan Trek which it seemed had been negotiated with a clear vision of his Olympic track goals.

Today, Roulston issued the following statement through his NZ manager Scotty Brown. He spoke of his disappointment that despite gaining tremendous concessions from his new employer to allow him to ride in London, he is not able to fulfil the selection criteria set out by BikeNZ.

"I am just so disappointed," Roulston said from his home in Christchurch.

"London has for a long time been a goal for me, something I dream about, winning gold for my country – all that boys own stuff, that is what drives me.

"But despite negotiating considerable clauses in my contract with Radioshack Nissan Trek to enable me to train and attend key build up events, including the London World Cup in February and a pre-Olympic training camp in Bordeaux, it seems the BikeNZ selection policy requires more and I would not have been named in the five man team next year to prepare for London – and once those cyclists are named that is it, injury or illness permitting.

"And those breaks from my team were a big deal, very few cyclists are able to get that sort of dispensation but such is my desire to ride in London I fought tooth and nail to make show my commitment to the track programme while also looking to make a living with a pro contract."

Roulston is not looking to blame anyone for the situation that has occurred, essentially it appears to be the selection policy itself that has stymied Roulston's Olympic pursuit, with Roulston told if he was not available until the London World Cup that he would not be chosen, despite laying out a programme that he believes would have him in perfect shape come August next year.

"I am not asking for a free run here, I have worked so hard to put in place a programme that works for both the pro road campaign and the Olympics on the track, I know better than most what it takes to succeed in both and I know my body better than anyone.

"What hurts most though is any impression of me just 'walking away' from the track team without a care in the world. All I have done in the past seems to count for little in regards the selection policy, there seems little or no flexibility, it is this ultimately that has led me to walk away, I have to say with huge reluctance and regret but that is the policy and that is what I have to accept.

"This could have been a great thing, a great year next year, something that is now not likely to happen. I wish the other boys well, they are a great bunch of hugely talented athletes, and I just wish I was there alongside them in London. They are great mates, in a way this was like walking away from family and one of the toughest things I have ever had to do.

"Who knows, maybe events might conspire to still have me in the silver fern, but for now I have to deal with this before refocusing on my career with RadioShack Nissan Trek, but I will have London in the back of my mind should the phone call come sometime next year."

Home page photo: Roulston on the road ©Graham Watson