Australian cycling team Orica-GreenEDGE plans to make up for the narrowest of defeats in last year's team time trial by winning gold at the world championships in Spain.
The TTT in Ponferrada on Sunday will be Orica-GreenEDGE's chance to turn the tables on Omega Pharma-Quick Step which has won the past two trade-team editions.
The six-man team announced on Thursday includes four Australians: Luke Durbridge, Brett Lancaster, Michael Hepburn and Damien Howson.
"We're going to the world championships for one reason and that is to win the gold medal," sport director Matt White said in a statement.
"We finished third, a little off the pace, in our first attempt two years ago.
"Last year we were agonisingly close, which was incredible when you think the race was over one hour and four minutes and we lost by 0.8 of a second."
The 2014 team, which is rounded out by Canadian Svein Tuft and Jens Mouris from the Netherlands, is the same as last year except Howson comes in for South African Daryl Impey.
"But he (Howson) is no stranger to world championships as he was the world champion last year in the under 23 individual time trial," White said.
The world championships run from September 21-28.
Apart from the team time trial, Australia has favourites in the men's road race (Simon Gerrans) and men's under 23 event (Caleb Ewan).
Orica-GreenEDGE on Thursday also announced its women's time trial team for Sunday.
The team includes four Australians: Annette Edmondson, Melissa Hoskins, Jessie MacLean and Amanda Spratt.
Completing the outfit are Swede Emma Johansson and Italian Valentina Scandolara.
Sport director Gene Bates said Orica-GreenEDGE was aiming for a medal despite losing Loes Gunnewijk and Shara Gillow from the line-up due to injury.
"We have a really strong team, we are really motivated and everyone is really fresh in the mind and looking forward to putting a great race together," Bates said in a statement.
"I think a podium is a realistic goal for us."
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