EAST Lancashire cyclist Steven Burke is set to join Team Sky’s development squad alongside Sir Bradley Wiggins next year in a move that is designed to help the Colne star retain his team pursuit Olympic gold medal in Rio in two years time.

Burke, who won gold in that discipline at the London World Cup on Friday night, rode for Haribo-Beacon in 2014 but was not named in their initial squad list and has been consistently linked with a move to the Sky development squad, which has been nicknamed ‘’Team Wiggins.’

The squad will allow the four-time Olympic champion to mix his road racing ambitions with those on the track where Wiggins is expected to compete for a place in Burke’s team pursuit squad for the 2016 Games in Rio.

MORE TOP STORIES:

Burke’s team pursuit team-mate Andy Tennant has already confirmed he will ride for the squad next year while Mark Christian, who was also in the victorious GB team over the weekend, has also joined.

And Burke was named in industry media over the weekend as having joined the squad although no official announcement has been made.

The squad will race at UCI-continental level and has been backed by Sky, although the team will not take the broadcaster’s name as rules prevent two squads bearing the same sponsor’s name.

Details of the squad are likely to be confirmed before Christmas.

Meanwhile, Burke helped Team GB to a superb gold medal at the Lea Valley Velodrome in London on Friday night at the second world cup meeting of the season.

The 26-year-old, competing at the same venue where he won his Olympic gold two years ago, rode in all three rounds as Britain saw off New Zealand in the final.

Burke, Ed Clancy, Owain Doull and Tennant qualified second fastest behind Australia and then edged past Denamrk to set up a final meeting with New Zealand.

Christian replaced Clancy for the final for Britain and a superb tactical ride ensured Team GB crossed the line in 4.01.151 to register their first world cup victory since round one off the 2013-14 season in Manchester.

Burke, who rode strongly throughout, said: “It was a tough day but I am just glad we came out with a win really.

“It was a first for us, three rides in a day and I have to say it was really hard.

“We had a bit of practice doing it last week in training.

“We needed to try and get used to that sort of day and learn from it.”