Christie’s Games appeal dimissed
Jason Christie will not be riding at the Commonwealth Games, after the national road cycling champion had his appeal dismissed by the New Zealand Sports Tribunal.
Jack Bauer will lead New Zealand in the men’s road race, alongside Alex Frame, Shane Archbold and James Oram.
Hamish Bond (time trial) and Sam Gaze (mountainbike cross country) will also join the quartet on the start line, as long as they get through their priority races unscathed.
After winning the national championships in January - his second title in three years - Christie, told that he hoped the result would lead to Commonwealth Games selection.
‘‘I feel like I’ve put my hand up over the last few years actually, being consistent here. But there’s still been no consideration to go to worlds,’’ he said. ‘‘But I hope there will be. At the end of the day it’s up to them, they’re the people that do the selecting and they make the call at the end of the day.’’
However, the Tasman rider, who is not signed to a professional team, was not nominated by Cycling New Zealand for selection.
Christie challenged the selection of every rider other than Bauer, who has been confirmed as New Zealand’s designated leader.
In a statement, the New Zealand Sports Tribunal said: ‘‘Ultimately, while acknowledging Mr Christie is undoubtedly a talented cyclist who deserved and received serious consideration, the Tribunal cannot conclude that his omission was irrational or beyond the properly available discretion of the discipline panel. There is no material to suggest that regard was had to matters which were not relevant or that all his history and experience were not properly assessed.’’