Dani King started cycling after bunking off a maths lesson when British Cycling's Talent Team came to her school. The experience obviously had an affect on her as in no time she was racing, and, more importantly, winning.
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King's first foray within the British Cycling system was as a sprinter after Iain Dyer spotted her talent. As a junior she competed for Great Britain in the European track championships, but soon after decided on a change of direction. Staying on the fringes of the BC system, King moved over to the endurance squad and went to race in Belgium with Nicole Cooke's Vision one squad.
Consistently good riding on the road in 2010 brought her back to the attention of women's endurance coach Paul Manning. Towards the end of that year King was one of the eight endurance riders trying out for the women's team pursuit squad.
As the squad gradually got whittled down, King remained, and by the time the world championships in Apeldoorn came around she was one of the three fastest riders. Along with Laura Trott and Wendy Houvenaghel, King brought back Britain's only gold medal of the tournament. To cap it all she then won bronze in the scratch race.
In February 2012, King, Laura Trott and Jo Rowsell set a new women's team pursuit world record on their way to winning the event at the London round of the 2011-12 Track World Cup. The trio then promptly set a new world record at the Track World Championships in April.
World records tumbled at the London 2012 Olympic Games as King, Trott and Rowsell set a new WR in qualifying, final round and the final on their way to winning gold.
2013 saw King form part of yet another World Championship winning team pursuit team, as well as being appointed as MBE.
Follow Dani King on Twitter @DaniKing1
Dani King results
2013
Track World Championships, team pursuit
Track World Cup, Manchester; team pursuit
2012
Track World Cup, London; team pursuit
Track World Championships; team pursuit
Olympic champion; team pursuit
Track World Cup, Glasgow; team pursuit
2011
European team pursuit
European Under-23 team pursuit
Tour series, Stoke
Tour series, Oldham
National series (overall)
World team pursuit
2010
National series, Bedford
National series, Millbrook
National series, Hillingdon
Wodecq kermesse
Prosperpodler kermesse
Tour series, Stoke on Trent
Dani King photos
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Editor of Cycling Weekly magazine, Simon has been working at the title since 2001. He fell in love with cycling 1989 when watching the Tour de France on Channel 4, started racing in 1995 and in 2000 he spent one season racing in Belgium. During his time at CW (and Cycle Sport magazine) he has written product reviews, fitness features, pro interviews, race coverage and news. He has covered the Tour de France more times than he can remember along with two Olympic Games and many other international and UK domestic races. He became the 130-year-old magazine's 13th editor in 2015.
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