Ciara Oliva returns to British cycling with Los Angeles Olympics in sight

Ciara Oliva has returned to the Great Britain cycling programme after nearly a decade away, and says she will pursue an Olympic place at Los Angeles 2028 — despite expecting selection to be difficult.

The 37-year-old Welsh cyclist, a former European champion and world bronze medallist, retired in 2018 and became a physiotherapist. She had been a reserve for the Rio 2016 Olympics, after Britain selected a team that went on to win gold in the women’s team pursuit.

Oliva returned to international competition at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, winning bronze for Wales in the team pursuit. She called it her favourite international medal, won in front of her three children, but told BBC Sport Wales she still had “unfinished business” with the Olympics.

“I could have stopped there,” she said. “But there’s unfinished business and I am going to chase my Olympic dream one last time.”

Oliva said she began considering a comeback less than two years ago, while caring for a baby and two pre-school children. She credited her husband, fellow cyclist Lewis Oliva, and the children’s grandparents with helping her return to the British team. Her family joined her on a training camp in Italy so she and her husband could train.

Fitting sessions around family life remains a challenge: she aims to train indoors while her youngest child naps, but sometimes rides as late as 10pm. She said she is also focusing more on strength work and feels faster and stronger than she was a decade ago.

The path to Los Angeles is demanding. Britain’s women’s endurance riders won several titles at the recent Track World Championships, and Oliva described making the Olympic team as a “tall order”. Final selection has not been secured; her comeback has brought her back into contention, but the Games remain a goal.