Rocky road: Cyclist appeals against omission from NZ team for world champs
A New Zealand cyclist is appealing against her non-selection for next month’s road world championships in Austria.
Sharlotte Lucas, who successfully appealed against her omission from the Commonwealth Games squad and went on to finish fourth in the women’s road race, was not named in the world championships squad, which was revealed by Cycling New Zealand on Monday.
Mitchelton-scott rider Georgia Williams – the only Kiwi on the Women’s World Tour – has recovered from a fractured hip to spearhead the three-person team alongside under-23 riders Grace Anderson and Mikayla Harvey.
Lucas declined to comment on her nonselection as it was under appeal.
However, Cycling NZ high performance director Martin Barras was prepared to go on record and outlined the reasoning behind her omission. ‘‘Sharlotte was selected for the Commonwealth Games and she accomplished very, very well at the Commonwealth Games and we acknowledge that,’’ Barras said. ‘‘But this is a very different course at the world championships and more importantly she is not racing in Europe and wasn’t planning to be in Europe for the final preparation.
‘‘She’s not the type of rider that we deem is going to perform particularly well on a course that hilly, so if you talk about Sharlotte specifically, that is the basis on why she wasn’t selected.
‘‘It’s not that we don’t think very highly of her as a bike rider, it’s just a little bit like selecting a sprinter for a really, really hilly course. It doesn’t suit the purpose.’’
The 26-year-old actually qualified for the world championships by winning the women’s road race at the Oceania championships.
However, Barras said, like Oceania time trial champion Hamish Bond, she must still ‘‘satisfy’’ Cycling NZ’S own selection criteria in order to earn selection.
According to Cycling NZ’S selection criteria, all riders seeking selection must complete an international participation period of at least three months in a team training and racing programme approved by Cycling NZ prior to competition or have a preparation plan approved by a selection panel before July 20.
Although Lucas beat both Anderson and Harvey to finish second at the New Zealand championships, Barras said the two under-23 riders were considered for selection after Cycling NZ was notified that the pair would be competing in Europe ahead of next month’s race.
He said their selection was still subject to form.
Barras also defended the decision to use just half of their allocation.
New Zealand qualified six riders for the women’s road race but will send a team of three.
‘‘There were very few riders who even participate at just a level of racing that indicates you’re suited to a world championships, especially a world championships that is very, very challenging and very, very hilly.’’
‘‘It’s not that we don’t think very highly of her as a bike rider.’’ Martin Barras of Cycling NZ defends the omission of Sharlotte Lucas