Strong WAIS Squad Headed for Cycling World Champs

Cycling Australia has announced the final ‘Cyclones’ team to represent Australia at next week’s UCI Track World Championships . The Championships are being staged in Copenhagen, Denmark from 24 to 28 March.

Five Western Australian Institute of Sport athletes have made the team with WAIS-AIS brothers Cam and Travis Meyer likely to spearhead Australia’s track endurance team. AIS-WAIS sprint star Scott Sunderland will be looking to build on a strong domestic season, whilst Josie Tomic and Sarah Kent will form a crucial part of Australia’s women’s teams pursuit squad gunning for medals in Denmark.

The team was finalised yesterday after the completion of trials for the men’s track endurance group which has been trimmed to five with Western Australian Institute of Sport athlete Luke Durbridge – who won gold on the road and track at the 2009 Junior World Championships – the unlucky cyclist missing out on selection in the team.

“It was certainly one of the toughest decisions I’ve had to make,” said men’s endurance coach Ian McKenzie. “As I told the riders last night it’s been the hardest team to pick since 2004 because of the depth of talent in the group.”

“It’s a great position for a coach to be in but it’s always tough that someone has to miss out and this time it was Luke,” said McKenzie.

The team flies out to Denmark tomorrow and Cycling Australia High Performance Manager, Paul Brosnan, says the team overall is shaping up well.

“There are some very positive signs from training and we have high expectations as to how we’ll perform in Denmark,” said Brosnan. “Of course it all depends on how everyone else performs but the team environment, attitude and preparation have all been really positive.”

The team, with an average age of 21, includes the 15 members of the 2009 World Championship line up that put Australia on top of the medal table with a haul of four gold, four silver and two bronze medals. Joining them are 2009 Junior World Champions, Michael Hepburn and Megan Dunn, who are both 18-years-old. Former short track speed skater Emily Rosemond has also earned a place in her first elite track World Championships team.

– Cycling Australia