"Turbo-charged' Olympics Coe seeks cross-country and cyclocross at winter Games

at various aspects of turbo-charging some of this stuff," said Coe. "And some quite big decisions have to be made next year." Coe confirmed they include whether to stage some indoor sports in the winter rather than summer Games as has been traditional. "I'm a great judo fan," said Coe.

- Scan Ingle

The World Athletics president also confirmed that switching some indoor sports such as judo - to future winter Games was on the table as part of the International Olympic Committee's new "fit for the future" plans, designed to keep the Games relevant.

Lord Coe has long argued for crosscountry's inclusion in the Olympics, but the willingness of the new IOC president, Kirsty Coventry, to explore new ways of doing things, and the support of the UCI president, David Lappartient, has left him increasingly optimistic it will get the go-ahead.

"I think there's a good chance it'll happen," said Coe. "And I think it's come at the right moment, because Kirsty is certainly prepared to think differently about the programme, and what could go out of the stadium, and that mix between winter and summer." Coe said there was already a provisional plan for the cross-country and cyclocross events to be staged on the same course in the French Alps.

"It's come out of a conversation I've had with David in cycling," said Coe.