Experienced road cycling squad named for World Champs

Niamh Fisher Black of New Zealand on the podium after taking the victory in the U23 category at 2022 Road World Championships
Photo: PHOTOSPORT

A 29-strong squad, largely comprising World Tour riders and European-based professionals, has been selected to contest road races at next month’s World Cycling Championships in Glasgow.

The six riders in the elite and under-23 combined women’s race have an average age of 22 years and are led by current under-23 road world champion Niamh Fisher-Black.

She is joined by fellow World Tour riders Kim Cadzow and Mikayla Harvey. The team includes UCI Continental team riders Ella Haris, Ella Wyllie and Ally Wollaston, who doubles up in the track competition earlier in the week.

There is plenty of experience and talent for a power-designed time trial leaded by Commonwealth Games medallist Georgia Williams, Wyllie who was sixth in the under-23 time trial last year, and Oceania champion Georgia Perry.

George Bennett of UAE Team Emirates
Photo: PHOTOSPORT

The men’s road team is headed by World Tour riders George Bennett, Patrick Bevin, Laurence Pithie and Corbin Strong along with UCI Pro team riders James Oram and Ryan Christensen from Bolton Equities Black Spoke.

Nelson’s Finn Fisher-Black and Oceania champion Tom Sexton will race the individual time trial.

Logan Currie heads the under-23 team, after finishing fourth in the time trial at Wollongong last year, joined by Jack Drage and Lewis Bower who are both based in professional teams in Europe.

There are full squads in both junior line-ups with some exciting young talent including a trio from the Black Magic Women’s Team who have been competing in Europe.

The road cycling team will contest time trials from 9 to 11 August in the medieval town of Stirling, 43kms from Glasgow, which was the historic site of the famous battle in the 13th century when William Wallace defeated the English.

The road courses all conclude with a 14km city circuit like the course used for the 2014 Commonwealth Games, when Jack Bauer won the silver medal.

For the first time the UCI has combined incorporating road and track for able-bodied and Para-cyclists, mountain bike downhill, marathon, and cross-country, BMX racing, freestyle and flatland, trials, indoor and a Gran Fondo at the one event.

There will be 13 cycling disciplines over 11 days,

New Zealand’s track, mountainbike and BMX teams have already been named.

The teams are:

Elite Men (Road): George Bennett (UAE Team Emirates, Nelson), Patrick Bevin (Team DMS, Taupo), Ryan Christensen (Bolton Equities Black Spoke, Hamilton), James Oram (Bolton Equities Black Spoke, Auckland) Laurence Pithie (Groupama-FDJ, Christchurch), Corbin Strong (Israel Premier-Tech, Invercargill).

Time Trial: Finn Fisher-Black (Groupama-FDJ, Nelson), Tom Sexton (Bolton Equities Black Spoke, Invercargill).

Elite & U23 Women (Road): Kim Cadzow (Jumbo-Visma, Wanaka), Niamh Fisher-Black (Team SD Worx, Nelson), Ella Harris (Wahoo-LifePlus, Dunedin), Mikayla Harvey (UAE-Team Emirates, Wanaka), Ally Wollaston (AG Insurance-Soudal Quick-Step, Cambridge), Ella Wyllie (Wahoo-Lifeplus, Auckland).

Time Trial: Georgia Perry (Waikato), Georgia Williams (EF Education-TIBCO-SVB, Auckland), Wyllie.

U23 Men (Road): Lewis Bower (Equipe Groupama-FDJ, Auckland), Logan Currie (Bolton Equities Black Spoke, Ashburton), Jack Drage (Hagens Berman Axeon, Christchurch).

Time Trial: Currie

Junior Men (Road): Carter Guichard (AG2R Citroen, Wanaka), Eli Tregidga (Gepla-Watersley, Queenstown), Finn Wilson (Auckland).

Time Trial: Noah Hollamby (Oxford Edge, Timaru), Elliot Robertson (New Zealand Cycling Project, Wellington)

Junior Women (Road): Maia Barclay (Black Magic Women’s Cycling, Auckland), Bonnie Rattray (Black Magic Women’s Cycling, Auckland), Georgia Simpson (Feilding), Ruby Spring (Black Magic Women’s Cycling, Auckland).

Time Trial: Maia Barclay, Muireann Green (Black Magic Women’s Cycling, Wanaka).

-RNZ