Cycling: Aussies quick to write off our hopes

The Australians appear to have convenient memory fade when it comes to picking Commonwealth Games winners and losers.

In a daily run-down, one of the local papers comes up with 10 names likely to figure in the medal stakes.

A day or two ago cycling was under the microscope. While Sarah Ulmer rated a brief mention, noting she had switched from track to road, no other New Zealand cyclist was cited.

But wasn't it on this same slick velodrome track two years ago that Greg Henderson stunned the cycling world with his win in the scratch race?

Henderson, also high, surely, among the favourites for the points race and even the road race on the last day, deserved at least a mention in a sport which will be dominated by the hosts, Britons and New Zealand.

While entries for individual events need not be confirmed until 24 hours before race time, a meeting of New Zealand's cycling management later today is expected to finalise participation in the various events.

New Zealand cannot look to the men's kilometre time trial to find a surprise early winner as they did at the last Games in Australia when Craig Adair grabbed opening night gold in Brisbane.

There will be no New Zealand entry in that, but Fiona Carswell and Elisabeth Williams will line up in the women's 500m time trial against favoured Australian sisters Kerrie and Anna Meares and England's Victoria Pendleton.

Carswell and Williams are also down to contest the sprint.

The third event on opening [Thursday] night, the men's 4000m individual pursuit, holds more hope, with New Zealand expected to put forward a full entry of three riders.

The New Zealand track team are now in the Games Village and had a two-hour workout at the velodrome last night.

Head coach Terry Gyde, sprint coach Tim Carswell and Bike NZ high-performance manager Michael Flynn have a number of options to consider before pencilling-in the names for the various events.

Jason Allen and Marc Ryan have been confirmed for the 4000m individual pursuit. The third rider will come from Peter Latham, Hayden Roulston or Tim Gudsell.

"It will be up to the coach [Gyde] to make that call," said Flynn. "It will be whoever he feels is in the best form."

Six riders remain in contention for the four-man pursuit team but not Henderson. He will be joined by Roulston and possibly Gudsell in the points race. Gudsell is also in line to join Henderson and perhaps Hayden Godfrey in the scratch race.

New Zealand will have a full representation in the women's points race with Joanne Kiesanowski, Catherine Sell and Tamara Boyd entered.

Paddy Walker and rookie Ali Shanks will be New Zealand's only two representatives in the 3000m individual pursuit.

They will find it tough, with Australian world champion Katie Mactier a hot pick to go one better than she managed in finishing second behind Ulmer at the Athens Olympics.

Mactier will be strongly supported by Kate Bates, who also gives the Australians a strong hand in the points and scratch races.

Adam Stewart, Justin Grace and Nathan Seddon are set to carry New Zealand hopes in the keiren and the sprint.

Flynn said that while it was hoped all 27 road and track cyclists would compete in at least one event, that was not necessarily certain.

"There is a chance one or two might not get a ride but we are certainly not saying that yet," Flynnsaid.

"But we are determined we will only pick on form."