WAIS Trio Named in Cycling Long Team for Comm Games
Three WAIS athletes have been named in the long team for Australia’s track cycling squad for the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
Cycling Australia today announced Scott Sunderland, Melissa Hoskins and Isabella King in the extended Cyclones squad with the final announcement due to be unveiled in the first week of June.
Hoskins and King were members of the women’s team pursuit squad that claimed a bronze medal at the 2014 UCI Track World Cycling Championships in Cali, Columbia last month, whilst Scott Sunderland is a dual reigning Commonwealth Games champion.
WAIS head cycling coach Darryl Benson praised the trio on their nominations but said the hard work started now to ensure they take their place in Australia’s 2014 Commonwealth Games team.
“It’s nice recognition for each of them to be listed in the long team for the Commonwealth Games,” he said. “All of them will have to show between now and when the final team is announced that they’re in form and ready for the opportunity.”
Hoskins and King earned nomination in the women’s endurance roster, but will be line for different events than the one they claimed World Championship bronze in, as the Commonwealth Games track cycling schedule doesn’t include the Team Pursuit for women.
Instead, the duo will be in consideration for the scratch and points race as well as the individual pursuit, whilst Hoskins will also likely come into consideration for road selection, when that squad is announced in either May or June.
Benson said the timing of the Glasgow Games (July 23 – August 3), suggested she could emulate Luke Durbridge from the 2010 Delhi Games, when he rode in both track and road events.
“She (Hoskins) will definitely be considered on the road, and given her commitments with AIS-GreenEDGE it may actually suit her schedule better to be involved in the road set-up, however she’ll be looked at for both.”
Scott Sunderland is the reigning Commonwealth champion in the men’s 1km time trial and team sprint, but with the Busselton born athlete having switched focus post London Olympics, he has been nominated in the men’s endurance squad.
Despite this, Benson said if selected, he would likely be in consideration for events in both sprint and endurance disciplines.
“Scotty is the defending kilo (1km time trial) champ and in January this year he was the first Australian to ride a sub one-minute time trial at a World Cup event in Mexico. He’s very much in the frame to defend his title, but having switched to an endurance focus, he’ll also be considered for the scratch race and the men’s team pursuit,” Benson said.