My worlds short team

There’s no doubt interest has never been as high for the announcement of the elite men’s squad that will tackle the course in Copenhagen, Denmark on Sunday, September 25.

With the international cycling scene drawing to a climax, the sports devotees long for the release of the Australian team that will assemble for the UCI Road World Championships.

Since Cadel Evans graced the winner's podium near his Swiss base of Mendrisio in 2009, draped in the rainbow jersey with a tear in his eye, selection for the men's squad has become a yearly highlight for me.

Why? Because those of us who closely follow this wonderful sport seem to have a healthy opinion, one way or another, on the final make-up of the Aussie squad.

Who should be in - who should be out?

It's like waiting for the announcement of our national cricket team about to embark on an Ashes series, or the Socceroos squad named ahead the next FIFA World Cup campaign, or even the final roster for the Wallabies as they prepare for an assault of Rugby's equivalent.

Flash back to 2010 when Robbie McEwen was a shock omission from the final line-up as Baden Cooke got a surprising call-up for the undulating laps around Geelong.

Commentary ran hot on the pros and cons of having Robbie in and/or out, and I can remember Shayne Bannan admitting he spent hours before deciding on the final nine who had the honour of representing in the green and gold.

The current 16-man elite 'long team' is a cracker – one that mirrors the reasons for Australia's top three world ranking as a cycling nation.

How Cycling Australia's National Performance Director, Kevin Tabotta and Matt White, the Professional men's co-ordinator, reduce the final selection to the allocated nine required for the gold medal men's road race in Denmark is beyond me.

Such is the depth of talent currently available on the professional roads of Europe and North America, I'm sure any combination is likely to do a fine job.

Only one thing is certain – the Aussie team will be missing the "Cadel factor". The reigning Tour de France champion will effectively end his season after the USA Pro Cycling Challenge in Colorado this weekend.

But does Australia need Cadel on the flat roads of Copenhagen? Probably not.

If anything, he would have been considered a better chance of snaring gold in the time trial but be that as it may – Cadel won't be there.

The Copenhagen course will be ideally suited to a specialist sprinter – a fast man who has the team support, individual strength and speed to topple the likes of Mark Cavendish and Andre Greipel (to name just two).

So, after deep thought and serious consideration, here are my final Australian nine-man team, in alphabetical order, for the Worlds.

Men's Road Race: Baden Cooke, Simon Gerrans, Matthew Goss, Leigh Howard, Heinrich Haussler, Matthew Hayman, Michael Matthews, Stuart O'Grady, Mark Renshaw.

Those who miss the cut are riders like Adam Hansen, Robbie McEwen, Rory Sutherland, Simon Clarke and Chris Sutton.

I feel the squad I've nominated is one of balance – a choice of riders who can win bunch sprints, a selection who have the power to clear over Geels Bakke near the finish, and the experience to drive a train in the final kilometres at the end of a long day.

I'd like to think there's plenty of back-up for any unforeseen circumstances over the 266km distance.

But who will be nominated to "go for gold"?

The obvious choice, given his outstanding first six months of the season is Matt Goss, but given illness which forced the Tasmanian's stage 2 withdrawal from the Vuelta, I'm starting to lean towards Mark Renshaw or Michael Matthews to do the job.

If all else fails by all means get Gossy going or even Haussler and Howard as each have the fast legs to challenge all-comers.

Either way, another rainbow jersey on the shoulders of an Australian beckons in 2011.