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ARA Australian Cycling Team for 2023 UCI World Championships

19 Jul 2023 | 11:00 AMBy: Australian Cycling Team

An extraordinary squad of 121 athletes will represent the ARA Australian Cycling Team at the first all-in UCI Cycling World Championships this August.

Australia will compete in 10 disciplines in and around Glasgow, chasing rainbow jerseys in what’s been billed the biggest cycling event ever staged.

Freestyle BMX, BMX racing, cross-country, cross-country marathon, downhill, observed trials, road cycling, track cycling and para-cycling (road and track) will all be on the team’s program from August 3–13.

The ARA Australian Cycling Team named today by AusCycling includes:

84 elite riders (including 22 para-cyclists), 11 under-23s, and 26 juniors
Nine athletes competing in more than one discipline
Six defending world champions

They will be joined by 129 Australians competing in BMX Challenge and at least 108 who will contest the Gran Fondo.

Paul Brosnan, Chef de Mission for the ARA Australian Cycling Team, said: “This will be a massive event on a scale of major multi-sport games.

“We will have 350 athletes and 80 staff on the ground across Scotland, participating in almost every event on offer.

“With such an extraordinary cohort of riders, Australia will be among the most competitive nations. We’ve been preparing for this event for months, and our athletes are ready to show off what they can do on the world stage.”

Marne Fechner, CEO of AusCycling, said: “These World Championships will showcase the strength, breadth and depth of Australian cycling and riding across every discipline.

“There will be many a late night for Australian fans, who’ll be cheering on our heroes into the early hours of the morning. We know our amazing team will do us proud in Glasgow.”

The team was chosen in accordance with AusCycling’s selection policies.

To receive daily updates from Glasgow, sign up to the ARA Australian Cycling Team newsletter.

BMX Freestyle – Park

Logan Martin Australian BMX Freestyle rider — *Photo: The Agency / FISE*

Olympic champion Logan Martin headlines Australia’s BMX Freestyle campaign as he seeks a third career world title.

A win in Glasgow would make another exceptional season for Australia’s most decorated freestyle rider: Martin won the national title, Oceania title, and two rounds of the UCI World Cup this year.

He’ll be joined by Alec Danelutti, Joshua Matthews and a resurgent Jaie Toohey, who was fourth at the World Cup round in Montpellier.

Natayla Diehm will contest her first World Championship since returning from an ACL injury. Completing the team is Sarah Nicki, the reigning Oceania and national champion, who at 16 years old will be among the youngest riders at Glasgow Green.

Women Elite

Natalya Diehm (Lifecycle CC, QLD)
Sarah Nicki (Freestyle ACT BMX Club, ACT)

Men Elite

Alec Danelutti (Beenleigh BMX Club, QLD)
Logan Martin (Nerang BMX Club, QLD)
Joshua Matthews (QLD)
Jaie Toohey (Beenleigh BMX Club, QLD)

BMX Racing

Fresh from her World Cup win in Papendal, Saya Sakakibara will aim to continue her sparkling form when she contests the UCI BMX Racing World Championships in Glasgow.

The Australian champion, who was sidelined by concussion last year, will be joined by Lauren Reynolds, who’s booked her ticket for her 13th elite World Championship.

Rio Olympian and national champion Bodi Turner will make his first World Championship appearance since 2017. He will be the sole Australian in the elite men’s competition after Izaac Kennedy suffered a season-ending knee injury last week.

They’ll join the eight junior and under-23 athletes announced earlier this year.

Women Elite

Lauren Reynolds (Bunbury BMX Club, WA)
Saya Sakakibara (Southlake Illawarra BMX Club, NSW)

Men Elite

Bodi Turner (Maroondah BMX Club, VIC)

Men Under 23

Jesse Asmus (Nerang BMX Club, QLD)
Oliver Moran (Manning Valley BMX Club, NSW)
Matthew Tidswell (The Cove BMX Club, SA)

Women Junior

Sienna Pal (Terrigal BMX Club, NSW)
Teya Rufus (Maryborough BMX Club, QLD)

Men Junior

Noah Elton (San Remo BMX Club, NSW)
Joshua Jolly (Ballarat-Sebastopol Cycling Club, VIC)
Tommy Tucker (Pine Rivers BMX Club, QLD)

MTB Cross-country

Rebecca Henderson Australian cross-country mountain biker — *Photo: Matt Rousu*

After her World Cup podium in Val di Sole, Rebecca Henderson has reminded the field that she’s a force to be reckoned with. The Canberran has twice been a World Championship medallist, and Australian fans will be right behind her during the cross-country mountain bike events.

In the men’s races, Australian champion Sam Fox will line up for his first elite Worlds alongside Cameron Ivory, who has chosen to skip the Marathon race to focus on XCO.

Commonwealth Games medallist Zoe Cuthbert will fly the Aussie flag in the under-23 women’s races. She’ll hope for a high placing after scoring her best-ever World Cup result earlier this year.

In the Marathon event, national road champion Brodie Chapman will go back to her MTB roots when she takes on the 96-kilometre race. Tali Lane Welsh and Joel Green will ride the men’s Marathon race, while Caleb Dodds will represent Australia in E-MTB.

These riders will join the junior riders who were selected last month.

Women Elite

Rebecca Henderson (Canberra Off-Road Cyclists, ACT)

Men Elite

Sam Fox (Launceston MTB Club, TAS)
Cameron Ivory (Launceston MTB Club, TAS)

Women Under 23

Zoe Cuthbert (Canberra Off-Road Cyclists, ACT)

Men Under 23

Joel Dodds (Ipswich CC, QLD)
Domenic Paolilli (Hawthorn CC, VIC)

Men Junior

Jack Ward (Yarra Ranges Mountain Bikers, VIC)
Cohen Jessen (Surf Coast Mountain Bike Club, VIC)
Levi Dougherty (RATS CC, QLD)

Cross-country Marathon

Women Elite

Brodie Chapman (University of Queensland CC, QLD)

Men Elite

Joel Green (Seymour Broadford CC, VIC)
Tali Lane Welsh (Bendigo & District CC, VIC)

E-MTB

Men Elite

Caleb Dodds (Ipswich CC, QLD)

MTB Downhill

Troy Brosnan Australian downhill mountain biker — *Photo: Matt Rousu*

Twenty-three riders will represent the ARA Australian Cycling Team at the UCI Downhill MTB World Championships in Fort William.

Three-time medallist Troy Brosnan will contest his 12th world titles since he burst onto the scene as a back-to-back junior world champion. Fourth in Val di Sole shows the South Australian is on track to fight for rainbows in the Scottish Highlands.

Australian champions Luke Meier-Smith and Sian A’Hern are also among the elite squad. A’Hern’s 10th place at Val di Sole will give her confidence, while Meier-Smith will be aiming for a successful return from a collarbone fracture.

There will be two sets of siblings in the team, with 2019 junior world champion Kye A’Hern and 2022 junior runner-up Remy Meier-Smith also earning selection.

Among the younger members of the squad are Jackson Connelly, Oliver Davis, Elise Empey and Oceania champion Lia Ladbrook, who will be making their elite World Championship debuts.

The team is rounded out by Ellie Smith and Josh Arcus, adding to the 12 junior downhillers selected in May.

Arabella Green, Cassie Voysey and Sam Hill were also selected but unable to compete.

Women Elite

Sian A'Hern (Canberra Off-Road Cyclists, ACT)
Elise Empey (Mansfield Mt Buller CC, VIC)
Lia Ladbrook (Beechworth Chain Gang, VIC)
Ellie Smith (Central Coast MTB Inc, NSW)

Men Elite

Kye A'Hern (Canberra Off-Road Cyclists, ACT)
Josh Arcus (Hunter Mountain Bike Association, NSW)
Troy Brosnan (Inside Line Inc, SA)
Jackson Connelly (Albury Wodonga CC, NSW)
Oliver Davis (Albury Wodonga Mountain Bikers, VIC)
Luke Meier-Smith (Manning Great Lakes Tip Riders, NSW)
Remy Meier-Smith (Manning Great Lakes Tip Riders, NSW)

Women Junior

Georgia Henness (Jindabyne Trail Stewardship, NSW)
Alix Luckman (South Coast United Mountain Bikers, NSW)
Zali Miklas (Greenvalleys Mountain Bike Club, NSW)
Sacha Mills (Outlook Riders Alliance, QLD)
Jessica Sheridan (Fat Tyre Flyers, VIC)

Men Junior

Lewis Allbon (Canberra Off-Road Cyclists, ACT)
Rye Carlyon (Red Hill Riders MTBC, VIC)
Mitchell Claxton (Yarra Ranges Mountain Bikers, VIC)
Nathan Dabbs (Mansfield Mt Buller CC, VIC)
Kael Foale (Inside Line Inc, SA)
Will Ireland (Southern Highlands CC, NSW)
Jed Stanton (Red Hill Riders MTBC, VIC)

Para-cycling Road

Emily Petricola Australian para-cyclist — *Photo: UCI*

Thirteen Australians will contest the para-cycling road events in Dumfries.

New to para-cycling, Alana Forster will make her World Championship debut after winning the national title in January. Hand-cyclist Lauren Parker also makes her para-cycling Worlds debut, but from a vastly different background – the para-triathlon world champion is no stranger to success at this level, albeit in another sport.

The rest of the team is comprised of seasoned campaigners. Among them is nine-time world champion Carol Cooke, who will continue her storied career when she lines up for the T2 time trial and road race.

Cooke joins Kaitlyn Schurmann, Meg Lemon, Paige Greco, Emily Petricola, Darren Hicks and Stuart Jones among those who medalled at last year’s Worlds. Alistair Donohoe, however, has been forced to withdraw with a foot injury.

Previously a medallist on the track, Keiran Murphy returns to World Championship racing on the road with a new tandem pilot in Michael Freiberg, a former elite national champion.

David Nicholas and Grant Allen complete Australia’s team for para-cycling on the road.

Women

Kaitlyn Schurmann (Port Adelaide CC, SA) – C1
Paige Greco (Lifecycle CC, QLD) – C3
Alana Forster (Ballarat Sebastopol CC, VIC) – C5
Meg Lemon (Port Adelaide CC, SA) – C4
Emily Petricola (St Kilda CC, VIC) – C4
Lauren Parker (Newcastle Hunter CC, NSW) – H3
Carol Cooke (St Kilda CC, VIC) – T2

Men

Keiran Murphy (Port Adelaide CC, SA) & Michael Freiberg (pilot – Midland CC, WA) – B
Darren Hicks (Norwood CC, SA) – C2
David Nicholas (Bathurst CC, NSW) – C3
Grant Allen (Port Adelaide CC, SA) – H4
Stuart Jones (Parramatta CC, NSW) – T2

Para-cycling Track

Australian para-cyclists Jessica Gallagher and pilot Caitlin Ward on the track — *Photo: Alex Whitehead / SWpix.com*

The combined track cycling and para-cycling programs will see Australia’s best para-cyclists take centre stage in the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome.

Emily Petricola and Amanda Reid return as defending world champions, looking to retain their rainbow bands.

Jessica Gallagher and her pilot Caitlin Ward will return to British soil just over a year after winning dual Commonwealth Games gold in Birmingham. They will be joined by fellow tandem riders Beau Wootton and Byron Davies, who will be making their World Championship debut.

Alana Forster, Paige Greco, Meg Lemon, Darren Hicks and David Nicholas are among those who will be fighting for rainbows on both track and road.

Rounding out the squad are Gordon Allan, Michael Shippley, Erin Rowell and Tahlia Clayton-Goodie, all with strong medal hopes.

Unfortunately, Alistair Donohoe will not be able to defend his scratch race title, having been forced to withdraw with a foot injury.

Women

Jessica Gallagher (St Kilda CC, VIC) & Caitlin Ward (pilot – Blackburn CC, VIC) – B
Tahlia Clayton-Goodie (Geelong and Surf Coast CC, VIC) – C2
Paige Greco (Lifecycle CC, QLD) – C2
Amanda Reid (St George CC, NSW) – C2
Meg Lemon (Port Adelaide CC, SA) – C4
Emily Petricola (St Kilda CC, VIC) – C4
Erin Rowell (Geelong CC, VIC) – C4
Alana Forster (Ballarat Sebastopol CC, VIC) – C5

Men

Beau Wootton (Port Adelaide CC, SA) & Byron Davies (pilot – Balmoral CC, QLD) – B
Gordon Allan (Parklife CC, NSW) – C2
Darren Hicks (Norwood CC, SA)– C2
David Nicholas (Bathurst CC, NSW) – C3
Michael Shippley (Balmoral CC, QLD) – C4

Road

Having secured the maximum quota possible, Australia will field competitive teams for the elite road races in Glasgow.

Grace Brown headlines a star-studded women’s roster that also includes national champion Brodie Chapman. Amanda Spratt will make her 11th elite appearance while up-and-coming sprinter Ruby Roseman-Gannon earns her World Championship debut.

Brown, a silver medallist in last year’s time trial, will contest the race against the clock, as will neo-pro Georgie Howe.

The men’s team will see Michael Matthews seek a fourth career World Championship medal after winning bronze in Wollongong. The fast-finishing Caleb Ewan and Kaden Groves have been selected, while the rest of the team consists of leading Classics riders, including the experienced Simon Clarke.

Two-time world champion Rohan Dennis will contest the final ITT title of his career before retirement. Joining Dennis against the clock will be national champion Jay Vine in his Worlds debut on the road.

These 18 elite riders will join the five under-23 men and seven juniors named earlier this year.

Women Elite

Road Race

Grace Brown (St Kilda CC, VIC)
Brodie Chapman (University of Queensland CC, QLD)
Lauretta Hanson (Macedon Ranges CC, VIC)
Alexandra Manly (Central Districts CC, SA)
Ruby Roseman-Gannon (Brunswick CC, VIC)
Sarah Roy (Parklife CC, NSW)
Amanda Spratt (Penrith CC, NSW)

Individual Time Trial

Grace Brown (St Kilda CC, VIC)
Georgina Howe (VIC)

Men Elite

Road Race

Simon Clarke (Carnegie Caulfield CC, VIC)
Luke Durbridge (Midland CC, WA)
Caleb Ewan (Southern Highlands CC, NSW)
Kaden Groves (Sunshine Coast CC, QLD)
Michael Matthews (Vikings CC, ACT)
Robert Stannard (Manly Warringah CC, NSW)
Lucas Plapp (Brunswick CC, VIC)
Harry Sweeny (Hamilton Wheelers CC, QLD)

Individual Time Trial

Rohan Dennis (SA)
Jay Vine (Canberra CC, ACT)

Men Under 23

Patrick Eddy (Bendigo and District CC, VIC)
Brady Gilmore (Eastern Goldfields CC, WA)
Dylan Hopkins (Canberra CC, ACT)
Alastair MacKellar (Sunshine Coast CC, QLD)
Hamish McKenzie (Northern Districts CC, TAS)

Women Junior

Talia Appleton (Mansfield Mt Buller CC, VIC)
Mackenzie Coupland (Midland CC, WA)
Felicity Wilson-Haffenden (Hobart Wheelers Dirt Devils, TAS)

Men Junior

Oscar Chamberlain (Canberra CC, ACT)
Joshua Cranage (Norwood CC, SA)
Wil Holmes (Norwood CC, SA)
Cohen Jessen (Alpine CC, VIC)

Track

Australian men's team sprint cyclists led by Leigh Hoffman — *Photo: UCI*

As defending champions, Australia’s men’s team sprinters will arrive at Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome with high hopes. Tom Cornish, Matthew Glaetzer, Leigh Hoffman and Matthew Richardson will aim to repeat the feat from 12 months ago and secure another set of rainbow bands.

Queensland sprint queen and Commonwealth champion Kristina Clonan returns after last year’s promising World Championship debut as a track sprinter.

On the endurance side, Georgia Baker, Maeve Plouffe and Alex Manly rejoin Sophie Edwards and Chloe Moran in the national set-up as they continue to balance professional road aspirations with track cycling goals.

Likewise, Olympic bronze medallists Sam Welsford and Kelland O’Brien will return to the boards alongside Josh Duffy, Conor Leahy and young Oliver Bleddyn, the latter in his elite Worlds debut. The team pursuits will take on extra significance as Australia aims to secure more qualification points towards Paris 2024.