Australia introduced its Paris Olympic Video games highway and observe biking staff on Saturday, with Grace Brown and Michael Matthews spearheading the squad for the lumpy, Classics model highway races in Paris.
Simon Clarke and Luke Plapp will probably be becoming a member of Matthews on the highway. The twin Australian champion Plapp – who on the final Olympics was a part of the bronze medal profitable observe endurance squad – can be an apparent option to contest the time trial. Brown, who will probably be seeking to step up within the race in opposition to the clock, will probably be joined within the highway race by Australian champion Ruby Roseman-Gannon and the ever dependable domestique Lauretta Hanson.
“Tokyo was a particular expertise for me, however ending fourth within the particular person time trial left me with a want to go for extra,” stated Brown who has introduced her plans to retire from skilled biking on the finish of the yr. “I’ve large targets in Paris and that’s to go after a medal on the primary day of competitors.”
The 32.4km males’s and ladies’s time trials in Paris open the biking occasions on July 27 and the 273km lengthy males’s highway race will probably be on Saturday August 3 whereas the 158km ladies’s highway race is on Sunday August 4.
“For the highway race, I am excited to hitch Lauretta and Ruby within the combat for one more nice consequence,” stated Brown. “We’re a small staff, however I imagine our particular person attributes actually complement one another, which is able to permit us to turn into favourites for the race.”
It is going to be a second Olympic Video games look for Brown, Clarke and Plapp whereas Roseman-Gannon, Hanson and Matthews will probably be making their debut.
“It’s really an honour to symbolize Australia on the Olympics,” Matthews stated. “It’s been a dream of mine since I knew what the Olympics was.
“I’ve been shut to creating the staff two instances now and to have a course that fits me so effectively it’s a dream come true.”
Matthews and Brown have been apparent decisions to steer the groups given their traits as riders and up to date outcomes. Brown is a two-time World Championship time trial silver medallist and in April claimed first at Liège-Bastogne-Liège whereas Matthews, who has taken 4 Tour de France phases by way of his profession, claimed second at Milan-San Remo in March. There was, nevertheless, fierce competitors for the remaining spots, with each the boys’s and ladies’s highway race squad qualifying for simply three riders, whereas the top-ranked groups have been entitled to 4.
The highway and observe biking groups have been initially scheduled to be launched on Monday June 24 nevertheless have been delayed by an enchantment, although no additional data on the enchantment was given.
The observe biking runs from Monday August 5 to Sunday August 11, with Matthew Glaetzer lining up for his fourth Olympics as he races alongside Matthew Richardson, Leigh Hoffman and Kristina Clonan on the dash staff.
Sam Welsford will probably be taking over his third Olympics as a part of the observe endurance squad, after having taken bronze as a part of the staff pursuit squad in Tokyo and silver in Rio. His Tokyo teammate Kelland O’Brien can even be returning whereas Conor Leahy and Oliver Bleddyn will probably be rounding out the quartet as they make their debut.
Georgia Baker can be lining up on the Video games for a 3rd time as a part of the observe endurance squad alongside Alexandra Manly, Maeve Plouffe and a debuting Sophie Edwards and Chloe Moran.
The Australian BMX and mountain bike groups will probably be introduced subsequent week.
Australian 2024 Olympic highway and observe biking staff
Highway – ladies
- Grace Brown
- Ruby Roseman-Gannon
- Lauretta Hanson
Highway – males
- Michael Matthews
- Simon Clarke
- Luke Plapp
Monitor endurance – ladies
- Georgia Baker
- Alexandra Manly
- Maeve Plouffe
- Sophie Edwards
- Chloe Moran
Monitor endurance – males
- Kelland O’Brien
- Sam Welsford
- Conor Leahy
- Oliver Bleddyn
Monitor dash – ladies
Monitor dash – males
- Matthew Glaetzer
- Matthew Richardson
- Leigh Hoffman
