Shanaze Reade hoping to unearth new British cycling talent

Five-time world champion Shanaze Reade hopes to inspire the next generation of powerful cyclists.

The 28-year-old Crewe rider retired last month after three BMX world titles (in 2007, 2008 and 2010) and two team sprint world titles on the track with Victoria Pendleton (in 2007 and 2008).

Reade has taken up an ambassadorial role with British Cycling and her personal wish is to unearth female power athletes.

She was disappointed that only Katy Marchant was selected by Britain for April's Track Cycling World Championships in Hong Kong, but accepts that the strength of the female sprint disciplines needs addressing.

Reade told Press Association Sport: "It was a poor show in Hong Kong that we only had one female representative.

"You can see the male side pushing things on, the academy level. And the women's is lacking slightly.

"There's women out there that can break through in the track world.

"We just need to discover the talent that is out there, get them on to bikes and see where we can get to from there."

British Cycling and UK Sport launched the #discoveryourpower talent identification campaign on March 2, 2016, the day Jess Varnish and Marchant missed out on Olympic qualification in the team event.

Varnish subsequently made allegations of sexism against then technical director Shane Sutton and later a review of the culture of British Cycling's world-class performance programme was established.

Sutton was found guilty of "inappropriate and discriminatory language" in an internal investigation, but continues to deny the allegations.

Meanwhile, the review, already 14 months old, will now not report until after the general election.

Sprint cyclists often have large leg muscles and bottoms, but Reade insists that perception is not necessarily a reality - pointing to slight two-time Olympic champion Pendleton - as she tries to encourage women to take to the sport.

"The stuff in the headlines recently, I don't think that helps," added Reade, who did not contribute to the review.

"Some sports it happens. For me, part of my role is trying to get to them at school level.

"There is so many sports out there, we need to help see that there is an avenue to get in and enjoy the sport.

"You've only got to look at, say, Victoria Pendleton and myself. We're two complete polar opposites. I'm the big end of a sprinter and Victoria was the slight end of a sprinter.

"It doesn't necessarily have to be that your body has to change."

Reade is now also embarking on a career as a personal trainer. Her dream is to own her own high-performance gym.

She reflects back on her career with pride, despite missing out on an Olympic medal.

Reade has no regrets over a gold-medal-or-bust manoeuvre in the Beijing Olympic final in 2008 when, as world champion, she declined to settle for silver and her attempt to overtake fell short.

There was no women's team sprint at the 2008 Olympics. There was at London 2012, but she stuck with BMX and reached the final, only to again fall short of her own expectations.

"I can say I'm really proud of what I've achieved," added Reade, whose return to the velodrome was beset by shoulder problems.

"I'm eternally grateful for all the opportunities I did get on the bike.

"I've been in the sport for 17 years and, apart from the Olympic Games, I've achieved everything I ever dreamt of.

"To be world champion in two different disciplines was beyond what I thought and what I set out to do.

"It would've been nice to end my career and have at least an Olympic medal. To me the memories are more than the medal itself.

"I put my neck on the line and went for the gold, it didn't pay off.

"At least I can sit back and say I didn't settle for second best, I went for gold. I'd still do the same again today."