Cycling: Evergreen Miller trying again

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Veteran Graeme Miller, who was controversially overlooked for last year's Sydney Olympics, will make another attempt at winning over the selectors when he lines up in the national road championships on Sunday.

With the carrot of Commonwealth Games selection, the championships, on a hilly, 192.5km course near New Plymouth, have attracted many of New Zealand's best.

Belgium-based Scott Guyton will find the testing course to his liking and will be among the favourites, as will Brendon Cameron, who followed a good season in the United States with victory in last month's Taupo-Napier Classic.

Cameron was a reserve for the 4000m team pursuit squad at the Olympics.

Gordon McCauley will ride against doctor's advice to rest a knee injury in his attempt to ride at a second successive Commonwealth Games after failing to finish in Kuala Lumpur in 1998.

All four road riders from Malaysia are back for Sunday's race, with Guyton, Miller and Glen Mitchell set to join McCauley on the start-line.

Mitchell will race the clock to get back from the world championships to ride and chase a third title.

He and Brendan Vesty failed to finish the world championships but should be well prepared for Sunday's race. Mitchell also failed to finish the Olympic road race.

Top track rider Lee Vertongen will switch to the longer distance but might struggle in such a strong field.

Glen Thomson, another better known for his deeds on the track, will attempt to defend the road title he won in Te Awamutu last year.

But with a total of only 27 cyclists allowed under the quota system for Manchester, some riders will be expected to double up, which could see versatile riders like Thomson and Cameron being named in the road and track squads.

Rosalind Reekie-May will attempt to bridge a nine-year gap in winning the women's title.

Representing Canterbury, she last won in 1992.

Now with Waikato, she takes good form into the race, having finished third in the Tour of Idaho and then 22nd in the world championships.

Fiona Carswell (nee Ramage) will defend her title, with Reekie-May and Annalise Farrell, who is based overseas, likely to be her strongest challengers.

The junior men race tomorrow, the women on Saturday and the elite and under-23 men on Sunday.

The championships start with time trials in all grades today.