Lizzie Armitstead backs British Cycling in selection row

London 2012 road race silver medalist Lizzie Armitstead says the women's squad at the world championships, currently underway in Ponferrada, Spain is “best of what we’ve got at the moment”. Criticism of British Cycling over the squad's selection is unfair, she said.

British Cycling has been criticised by Emma Pooley and Joanna Rowsell for not entering any women in the time trial at the world championships. Questions have also been raised over the organisation's nominating two mountain bike specialists to the women's road team.

Talking to Tom Cary of the Telegraph, Armitstead said: "I’m not going to criticise it,” she said. “If you can tell me somebody who would benefit from the experience… I mean, I have stepped away from the scene. I race in Europe. I don’t see what goes on in the domestic time trial scene. Maybe there is a young girl who has got potential but I have no idea who.

“There is no women’s road programme [within British Cycling]. That is the reason why there is no one else to choose from. So yeah, it could be a lot better, but from my perspective, if you want to be the best in the world you have to go out and search for yourself. It’s not that things should be given to you on a plate.

“We’re in a very fortunate situation compared to the rest of the world. So I tend to look at what other people have to do rather than think, ‘Oh, the Under-23 academy get to live in a flat in Manchester’.

“I’ve gone to a Dutch team [Boels Dolmans] and I’ve found that support that I need. But if I go to British Cycling, having proved I’m one of the best in the world, then I think I could get it.”

Armitstead also defended the selection of two mountain bike specialists, Alice Barnes and Annie Last, for the road race. “The people complaining about selection, I’m not sure what their selections would have been. I think we’ve got the best of what we’ve got at the moment.”

She added that she genuinely thinks she has a chance in Saturday's road race. "It’s a combination of the fact that the course suits me and I’m in good form," she said.

Armitstead's greatest rival would usually be the woman who beat her in the Olympic road race, Marianne Vos, but Vos looked vulnerable in the team time trial.

“I genuinely don’t think she’s in the best shape," said Armitstead. "My favourite for the race is Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, the French girl. So I’m not going to base my race all around Vos but I’m definitely not going to take my eye off her.

“At the sharp end of the race I expect to be on my own. It will be a real poker match. I’m going to have to be patient and not chase after everything.”