Cycling: Selectors give road squad chance to shine

Sarah Ulmer has already successfully switched from the track to the road. Picture / Herald On Sunday

Sarah Ulmer heads New Zealand's determined bid for road medals in Melbourne. In naming a full team of 33 for cycling events at the Commonwealth Games, Bike NZ has been given licence by the National Olympic Committee to name road-specific riders.

BikeNZ has not named riders for specific track events but envisages a split of about 15 road and 12 track cyclists to contest all events at the Games. There will also be a full team of six mountainbikers.

In the past, the road squad has often been supplemented by track riders once they have completed their track commitments.

"We have not delivered on the road in the past," said NOC secretary-general Barry Maister yesterday. "We have given their selectors a fair bit of licence and they have responded by identifying specific road riders."

Ulmer will be backed by five other road riders in a full team of six, with Melissa Holt also likely to join her in the road time trial. Alison Shanks is set to start only in the time trial.

Gordon McCauley, named for both, has already been identified as one of the "workhorses" on the road with his target the 40km time trial. He will be joined in the time trial by Peter Latham, who will also ride the road race, and Logan Hutchings, who is likely to contest only the time trial.

Greg Henderson, seen as perhaps New Zealand's best gold medal hope, is set to ride just the road race as are US-based Glen Mitchell, Robin Reid and Hayden Roulston.

Henderson, like Ulmer, was a gold medallist on the track in Manchester with his storming victory in the points race.

Ulmer ruled the track with her domination of the 3000m individual pursuit at the 2002 Games. This quickly proved to be the springboard for further success at the World Championships and then the Athens Olympics. Ulmer and Henderson have already successfully switched from the velodrome to the road.

New Zealand's track success in the recent past has been in the endurance races, with bold showings in the individual and team pursuits, the scratch and points races.

BikeNZ high performance director Michael Flynn has his sights set on an eight-medal haul in Melbourne.

"The team is an incredibly strong group of competitors across all disciplines.

"On their day any one of the selected team members could be a medal prospect."

Veteran Otago mountainbike rider Kashi Leuchs heads the strong - three men, three women - team to contest the cross-country races.

Ulmer, Henderson and Leuchs bring a wealth of experience to the team which will prove invaluable to younger riders including teenagers Paddy Walker and Clinton Avery.


New Zealand Commonwealth Games cycling team

Jason Allen (Blenheim), Richard Bowker (Auckland), Tamara Boyd (Christchurch), Toni Bradshaw (Auckland), Fiona Carswell (Christchurch), Timothy Gudsell (Te Awamutu), Justin Grace (Auckland), Hayden Godfrey (Christchurch), Melissa Holt (Cambridge), Greg Henderson (Dunedin), Logan Hutchings (Papamoa), Michelle Hyland (Cambridge), Joanne Kiesanowski (Christchurch), Peter Latham (Te Awamutu), Gordon McCauley (Auckland), Glen Mitchell (US), Robin Reid (Blenheim), Hayden Roulston (Ashburton), Marc Ryan (Timaru), Nathan Seddon (Dunedin), Catherine Sell (Wanganui), Adam Stewart (Christchurch), Alison Shanks (Dunedin), Sarah Ulmer (Cambridge), Paddy Walker (Auckland), Elizabeth Williams (Auckland), Susie Wood (Nelson).

Mountain bike: Clinton Avery, MTBXC (Rotorua), Sonia Foote, MTBXC (Rotorua), Rosara Joseph, MTBXC (Wellington), Kashi Leuchs, MTBXC (Dunedin), Mike Northcott, MTBXC (Taupo), Robyn Wong, MTBXC (Wellington).