Cycling: Henderson, Roulston in full-size Games team

New Zealand Olympians Hayden Roulston (left) and Greg Henderson slingshot during the Men's Madison cycling final at the Beijing Olympics. Photo / Kenny Rodger

New Zealand will have a full quota of cyclists at the Commonwealth Games in October, with Pro Tour riders Greg Henderson and Hayden Roulston and the country's current world championship medallists among those selected.

The number of New Zealand riders in New Delhi will be the maximum allowed and 26 were named today.

There will be one competitor added to the men's road squad, while the selectors said they expected some track riders would cover on road events.

The men's road squad is headed by Henderson and Roulston, who are the team's most experienced campaigners with 11 Commonwealth and Olympic Games and eight medals between them.

National road champion Jack Bauer has also been included, as has Gordon McCauley, who will ride in the time trial, in which he won Commonwealth bronze four years ago.

The women's road team features Danish-born Linda Villumsen, who switched her allegiance to New Zealand this year, and Beijing Olympian Cath Cheatley.

Villumsen rides for top women's team HTC Columbia and was third in the world championship time trial last year and fifth in the road race at the Beijing Olympics.

Cheatley is a former world track championship medallist now racing in the United States, where she is leading the US national series.

The track squad is based around the contingent that won a record four medals at this year's world championships in Copenhagen.

They include world pursuit silver medallist Jesse Sergent and his bronze-winning men's pursuit colleagues Sam Bewley, Westley Gough, Marc Ryan and Peter Latham.

The women feature world points race silver medallist Lauren Ellis, as well as the two riders with whom Ellis won world bronze in the team pursuit, former world champion Alison Shanks and Rushlee Buchanan.

A full men's sprint squad has been chosen for the first time.

The youthful group is headed by Eddie Dawkins, 21, who was fifth at the world championships in the kilo time trail and was fifth in the team sprint with Sam Webster and Adam Stewart.

With the Commonwealth Games being part of the build-up to the 2012 London Olympics, Bike NZ High Performance director Mark Elliott said the squad contained both proven professionals and young riders having their first taste of a multisport event at this level.

He said the likes of Australia, Canada and Great Britain (competing as separate home countries) would make for a world-class event.

"While there are a handful of British riders opting for the European Championships instead, we have no doubt that this is a very, very strong competition," he said.

"We would like to think we can match our performances from the last two Commonwealths on the track, and with 16 years since the last road race medal, it would be nice to break that cycle."

The New Zealand cycling team for the Commonwealth Games:-

Men:

Track - Shane Archbold (Timaru), Sam Bewley (Rotorua), Eddie Dawkins (Invercargill), Westley Gough (Waipukurau), Peter Latham (Te Awamutu), Ethan Mitchell (Auckland), Marc Ryan (Timaru), Jesse Sergent (Feilding), Myron Simpson (Auckland), Adam Stewart (Christchurch), Simon Van Velthooven (Palmerston North), Sam Webster (Auckland).

Road - Jack Bauer (Nelson), Greg Henderson (Dunedin), Gordon McCauley (Auckland), Hayden Roulston (Christchurch) and one to be added.

Women:

Track - Kaytee Boyd (Waiuku), Rushlee Buchanan (Te Awamutu), Gemma Dudley (Levin), Lauren Ellis (Hinds), Joanne Kiesanowski (Christchurch), Jaime Nielsen (Hamilton), Alison Shanks (Dunedin).

Road - Catherine Cheatley (Wanganui), Melissa Holt (Cambridge), Linda Villumsen (Auckland).

- NZPA