Porte, Spratt headline Aust cycling team

After last year's selection controversy, Cycling Australia has named a full women's road race team for the world championships.

Australian cyclist Richie Porte

Richie Porte is set to lead the Australian team for the world road cycling championships. (AAP)

The texts started barely two days after Richie Porte crashed out of last month's Tour de France.

Back at his Monaco home, nursing a busted collarbone and another dashed goal, Porte and Cycling Australia technical director Brad McGee were already busy with the next plan.

Porte's goal is now a big result in the road race at the world road championships, from September 23-30 at Innsbruck, Austria.

The hilly worlds road race course suits Porte's strengths.

"The biggest goal is worlds now," Porte said.

"A couple of days after the crash, it was nice to get a message from Brad.

"He put that thought in my head and that motivated me to get my act together to get back before the season is out."

Porte's plan is to race at the August 25-September 16 Vuelta a Espana, where he will aim to build his form ahead of the worlds.

The Australian road championships teams announced on Wednesday are built around Porte and Amanda Spratt, who is in career-best form.

Likewise, Lucas Hamilton will lead a strong men's under-23 lineup.

Perennial contender Rohan Dennis is also a big medal chance in the elite time trial and Callum Scotson similarly will target a strong result in the men's under-23 event.

The retirement of Kat Garfoot after her Commonwealth Games gold medal means there will be no Australian in the women's elite time trial.

Garfoot won silver in the road race and bronze in the time trial at last year's worlds.

Last year, CA sparked controversy by not picking a full women's road race team.

Chloe Hosking and Rachel Neylan launched successful appeals and were added to the team.

Porte had enjoyed a strong season before he crashed out early in stage nine of the Tour.

Likewise, Spratt finished third overall in the Giro Rosa and won the Emakumeen Bira stage race in Spain.

Road captain Simon Clarke, Jack Haig, Damien Howson, Chris Hamilton, Rory Sutherland, Robert Power and Dennis will back Porte.

Spratt's teammates will be Tiffany Cromwell, Grace Brown, Brodie Chapman, Shara Gillow, Lucy Kennedy and Sarah Roy.

Joining Lucas Hamilton and Scotson in the men's under-23 team are Jai Hindley, Damian Stannard, Michael Storer and James Whelan.


Share

3 min read

Published

Source: AAP



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world