NO EASY ROAD TO GLORY FOR NATIONAL CYCLISTS
AUSTRALIAN stars Mathew Hayman and Alex Edmondson will fly to the Gold Coast just days after riding Paris-Roubaix in Europe to spearhead the men’s road team at the Commonwealth Games in April.
Twelve years after his gold medal ride in Melbourne in 2006, Hayman will captain the team alongside reigning national champion Edmondson, Steele von Hoff, Callum Scotson, Mitch Docker and Cameron Meyer who will ride both track and the road at the Games.
Cycling Australia yesterday announced a 36rider team, including 19 debutants, for what it has dubbed as a major dress rehearsal for the 2020 Olympics.
Meyer will be joined on the track by Sam Welsford, Nick Yallouris, Alex Porter, Kelland O’Brien, Jordan Kerby and Leigh Howard, who missed out on the Delhi Games in 2010 and only returned to the velodrome last year.
“I have great memories from Delhi in 2010 so to be part of both teams and at home is very exciting,” Meyer said.
“And to see so many fresh faces I’m sure we’ll surprise a lot of people with what we can achieve on the Gold Coast in April.
“I’m looking for big results. We set the bar high and ultimately gold medals.
“Being part of the road team as well is a bit more complicated, it’s a bigger field and very strong, but with experience like Mat Hayman and the Australian champion in Alex Edmondson I’m sure we’ll give it a real crack.”
Gold Coast’s triple world championship medallist and 2014 Commonwealth Bronze medallist Katrin Garfoot will head the six-member women’s team with reigning road national champion Shannon Malseed, dual national road champion Gracie Elvin and 2010 Games bronze medallist Chloe Hosking.