Team call controversy

CYCLING Australia has come under fire from its own riders, who have criticised selectors for not filling its women’s team quota for the UCI road world championships in Norway this month.

Australia, the third-ranked women’s nation in the world, had qualified seven spots for the road race in Bergen but national selectors said they opted for quality over quantity and named only five riders in the final team, with no clear leader.

But Australia will send its full complement of nine riders in the men’s team. The five women riders who got the nod were Katrin Garfoot, Gracie Elvin, Sarah Roy, Shara Gillow and Amanda Spratt.

“Honoured and motivated to be selected for Bergen, after the best ever season by Aussie women it’s only sad we can’t take a full team,” Spratt said.