Lizzie Armitstead

LIZZIE Armitstead hopes that Team Sky venture into women’s cycling, having entered a men’s team two years ago to give Britain a presence on the professional circuit.

While the team has helped raise the profile of the sport in the country, the collection of Mark Cavendish, Bradley Wiggins and Geraint Thomas in the squad - riding under GB boss Dave Brailsford - has helped create a team spirit that could aid Team GB’s chances at this summer’s Olympics.

Armitstead recently switched teams to join Dutch outfit AA Drink-Leontien.nl and the 22-year-old believes it would make sense for Team Sky to replicate their support for men’s cycling in the women’s field.

“It’s the 21st century, so why not?, said Armitstead.

“Cycling, like any sport, is full of rumours and you never know until you get a contract offer, so the honest answer is ‘I don’t know’ if they will get into women’s cycling. I don’t know what’s going to happen.

“I think there should be a women’s Sky team and I think there probably will be, but it’s a case of when.

“Why wouldn’t they? I don’t know the answer to that. To run a women’s professional team requires so much less of a budget than a men’s team but I don’t want to be in a team where the managers are not passionate about that team and just doing it because feel they have to.

“I want to be in a team where managers are really passionate.

“If we win gold again this summer that is then two British female Olympic champions but no British team.”