CYCLING: The Australian Commonwealth Games Association has announced the 41-member team nominated by Cycling Australia for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow from July 23 to August 3, 2014.

The team features 32 Games debutants and is highlighted by six (five reigning) Commonwealth Games gold medallists, five reigning world champions and a host of Olympic and Paralympic gold medallists.

CEO of the Australian Commonwealth Games Association Perry Crosswhite is looking forward to seeing the cycling team perform in Glasgow.

"The success of our cycling team in Delhi was phenomenal and made a significant contribution to our medal tally,” Crosswhite said. “We realise the competition will be tougher in Scotland, but this is a strong team and we expect it will do well."

TEAM OVERVIEW

Headlining the team is triple 2010 Commonwealth gold medallist Anna Meares, who with her fourth Games team selection equals Kathy Watt for most appearances by an Australian cyclist in Games history. Meares, who boasts six Games medals including four gold, has the opportunity to surpass Watt (seven medals including four gold) as Australia’s most successful cyclist.

2010 sprint gold medallist Shane Perkins becomes just the eighth Australian male cyclist to have contested three Games, while Olympian Matthew Glaetzer receives his first nod.  Fellow debutants Stephanie Morton, Nathan Hart and Peter Lewis complete the track sprint team.

A well-rounded seven-member men’s road team includes versatile Simon Clarke, Australia’s best-placed finisher in the road race at the 2013 UCI World Championships and claimed the 2014 Herald Sun Tour.  Pro Tour veteran Mark Renshaw adds a wealth of experience to the team, with the 31-year-old tasting Commonwealth success with track gold in 2002.

2010 time trial bronze medallist Luke Durbridge, reigning time trial national champion Michael Hepburn and Rohan Dennis, who finished second overall at recent Tour of California, return for their second Games.  Nathan Haas, who completed his first grand tour at last month’s Giro d’Italia, and rising star and dual under-23 national champion Caleb Ewan, will make their debuts.

The six-member women’s road team features reigning national road champion Gracie Elvin, Oceania time trial champion Shara Gillow and 2010 Games bronze medallist Chloe Hosking. Tiffany Cromwell, Katrin Garfoot and Melissa Hoskins – who will contest both the road and track in Glasgow – round out the team.

A multi-talented men’s track endurance squad features dual reigning world champion Alexander Edmondson, 2014 team pursuit world champions Glenn O'Shea, Luke Davison and Miles Scotson and dual 2010 gold medallists Jack Bobridge and Scott Sunderland.

An experienced women’s track endurance squad features reigning points world champion Amy Cure, four-time reigning national and 2014 world championship medallist Annette Edmondson, plus dual road and track representative Hoskins.

The Tandem Para-cycling selections are led by seven-time Paralympian Kieran Modra, who will be piloted by 2010 Commonwealth team sprint champion Jason Niblett.  He is joined by two-time world and reigning Paralympic champion Felicity Johnson (Holly Takos – Pilot), Paul Kennedy (Thomas Clarke - Pilot) and Brandie O'Connor (Breanna Hargrave - Pilot).

Dual mountain bike Olympian Daniel McConnell, currently ranked number one in the Commonwealth and fourth in the world, and Rebecca Henderson who has flourished in the MTB World Cup Series over the past few seasons, head a six-member cross-country mountain bike team.  Peta Mullens, Tory Thomas, Andrew Blair and Cameron Ivory have also been selected.

“Our team is flush with experienced world, Commonwealth, Paralympic and Olympic Games champions and medallists,” said Kevin Tabotta, National Performance Director of Cycling Australia. “Having the Para-cycling team join the team for Glasgow will be a new and extremely positive experience for us, and we also have many debutants heading to Glasgow with big ambitions.”

While the 2010 Games in India proved to be Australian cycling’s most successful in history with 21 medals, including 14 gold, Tabotta expects tough competition in all disciplines in Glasgow.

“Glasgow will surely be our greatest challenge with superb depth of fields, so the quality of competition will be first-rate and our team is preparing hard to challenge for podium spots."

Cycling Australia

TEAM LISTS

ROAD
Men
    Simon CLARKE (27, VIC)
    Rohan DENNIS (24, SA)
    Luke DURBRIDGE (23, WA)
    Caleb EWAN (19, NSW)
    Nathan HAAS (25, ACT)
    Michael HEPBURN (22, QLD)
    Mark RENSHAW (31, NSW)

Women
    Tiffany CROMWELL (25, SA)
    Gracie ELVIN (25, ACT)
    Katrin GARFOOT (32, QLD)
    Shara GILLOW (26, QLD)
    Chloe HOSKING (23, ACT)
    Melissa HOSKINS (23, WA)

TRACK
Endurance Men
    Jack BOBRIDGE (24, SA)
    Luke DAVISON (24, SA / Formerly NSW)
    Alexander EDMONDSON (20, SA)
    Glenn O'SHEA  (24, SA  / Formerly VIC)
    Miles SCOTSON (20, SA)
    Scott SUNDERLAND (26, WA)

Endurance Women
    Amy CURE (21, TAS)
    Annette EDMONDSON (22, SA)
    Melissa HOSKINS (23, WA)

Sprint Men
    Matthew GLAETZER (21, SA)
    Nathan HART (21, ACT)
    Peter LEWIS (24, NSW)
    Shane PERKINS (27, VIC)

Sprint Women
    Anna MEARES OAM (30, SA / Formerly QLD)
    Stephanie MORTON OAM (23, SA)

Para-Cycling (Tandems)
Men
    Paul KENNEDY (36, ACT)
    Thomas CLARKE Pilot (19, ACT)
    
    Kieran MODRA AM (42, SA)
    Jason NIBLETT Pilot (31, SA)

Women
    Felicity JOHNSON OAM (43, SA)
    Holly TAKOS Pilot (18, SA)
    
    Brandie O'CONNOR (40, ACT)
    Breanna HARGRAVE Pilot (31, SA)

MTB
Men
    Andrew BLAIR (35, ACT)
    Cameron IVORY (22, NSW)
    Daniel McCONNELL (28, VIC)

Women
    Rebecca HENDERSON (22, ACT)
    Peta MULLENS (26, VIC)
    Tory THOMAS (35, VIC)