The Australian Team opened the 2020 track season last weekend at the 2020 Oceania Track Championships in Invercargill in New Zealand. 

The Oceania Championships opened the busy 2019-20 summer of international track cycling which continues in November and December with the six-round Tissot UCI Track Cycling World Cup. 

Members of the Australian Team will contest the World Cup's second round in Scotland, round four in New Zealand, before a blockbuster round five on home soil at Brisbane's Anna Meares Velodrome from 13-15 December. 

"Overall these performances were good for the riders and coaches to assess how the preparation has been progressing," said Simon Jones, Performance Director, High Performance, Cycling Australia. "It is also pleasing from my perspective to see the progress from both the Podium and the Academy athletes with the World Cup season just about to start." 

Oceania Recap

Reigning scratch and team pursuit world champion Sam Welsford claimed dual gold the omnium and the Madison with Kelland O'Brien. Welsford dominated all four events in the omnium, before sealing Madison gold with victory on the double points final lap.

"The Australia and New Zealand showdown is always really intimate and personal, they throw it all at us, so they were really tough races," said Welsford. "Coming into Oceania, I had a bunch focus, targeting a couple of events like the Omnium and Madison, so to execute and nail some good results, is important for me."

Welsford will now turn his focus to a busy 2019-2020 UCI Track World Cup season in which he will contest three rounds - Scotland (November), New Zealand (December), Brisbane (December).  

"To get back on the track and set up a good season ahead is pretty vital for me," Welsford added. "I have a big World Cup season ahead, there will be a lot of racing, but I am looking forward to getting more and more accustomed to racing the World Cup races in the Madison and the omnium." 

O'Brien took silver in the 15km scratch race. 

In a dominant performance across the bunch races, Amy Cure claimed three gold at the Championships in the omnium, points race and Madison with Alexandra Manly. The three-time world champion Cure was all class on the way to winning all four events in the omnium, while in the Madison, Cure and Manly dominated the 30km final.

"I wasn't sure how I was going to go here as I've been a bit up and down lately, but I set myself up early by getting some wins, and I had a good buffer going into that points race," said Cure. "I don't mind a points race, it's always tough, but I just went in there and treated it like any other points race."

Reigning team sprint world champions Stephanie Morton and Kaarle McCulloch broke their Oceania Championship record (32.591secs) en route to gold. 
Morton then powered to gold in the sprint while Kaarle McCulloch, who posted a personal best to top sprint qualifying (10.759secs), won bronze. 

“I exceeded my expectations of where I was going to be at. I am not firing on all cylinders yet, but am ahead of where I thought I was going to be," said Morton after the Championships, her first competition since February's Track Worlds and since undergoing off-season knee surgery.  

“I haven’t raced the team sprint in a while and off the back of the surgery, I knew I didn’t have the strength and fitness traditionally I would have at Oceanias. Kaarle was great in giving me confidence in our ability as a team and it just showed that being able to work together and rely on your teammate, you will get the job done even when you’re not in the best form.”

Morton will now head back to Adelaide for six weeks of training before contesting the New Zealand (December) and Brisbane (December) rounds of the World Cup. 
“I am going to be training pretty hard leading into the World Cups as my offseason was pretty interrupted, but as per this week, I will be confident I will be able to go out there and still be competitive.

“But it is a great time to rehearse everything now, there are so many things behind the scenes that you have to get right to be a champion, whether it is nutrition or recovery, it is not just race day.” 

Nathan Hart, and Podium Potential Academy duo Matthew Richardson and Thomas Clarke, took silver in the team sprint (43.360secs) with New Zealand breaking the Oceania record (42.508) on the way to the gold medal. 
 
The Australian Cycling Team's Podium Potential Academy enjoyed strong results at the Championships with gold in the team pursuit, scratch race and individual pursuit.  
Conor Leahy, Godfrey Slattery, Lucas Plapp teamed with guest rider Joshua Duffy, to produce a dominant display to take gold in the team pursuit, catching a young New Zealand team in the final. 

"It was awesome, we had a pretty hefty goal in the way we were going to do our turns, and we stuck to it 100 percent, we couldn't have asked for a better outcome," Leahy said. "We took it conservatively in qualifying and then let it all out in the final. Once we got a sniff of them (New Zealand), it was a matter of hunting them down and catching them. 

In the women's team pursuit, Maeve Plouffe, Sam De Riter, Sophie Edwards and Alexandra Martin-Wallace (4:22.057) claimed silver. 

Plouffe's comeback following wrist surgery in July saw her grab four medals at the Championships including silver in the individual pursuit, bronze in the points race, plus a superb effort in the scratch race which saw her lap the field twice to win gold. 

"I was not expecting that at all. I had a pretty big ride with my teammates in the team pursuit earlier, and I have a pretty full schedule," said Plouffe. "Once I lapped the field, it was all about protecting myself and making sure the final sprint was perfect, and the end couldn't have gone any more perfectly."

Top qualifier Leahy took out the 4000m individual pursuit, with the Western Australian fending off New Zealand's former world champion Jordan Kerby in the final.
​
"I always tend to back up pretty hard, so I had good confidence that I could put it to Kerbs - he's a renowned IP, so I knew I had a good challenge ahead of me, but I just went out hard and tried to stick to as good a time as possible."

In the sprint, Matthew Richardson (9.797) clocked a personal best in qualifying, while Thomas Clarke (9.896) finished just off the podium in fourth.

The Australian Team wrapped up the Oceania Champs in Invercargill on the weekend with five gold medals highlighting the team's results:

• Madison - Amy Cure & Alexandra Manly - Gold
• Madison - Sam Welsford & Kell O'Brien - Gold
• Points Race - Amy Cure - Gold
• Sprint - Steph Morton - Gold
• Sprint - Kaarle McCulloch - Bronze
• Individual Pursuit - Conor Leahy - Gold
• Individual Pursuit - Maeve Plouffe - Silver
• Points Race - Maeve Plouffe - Bronze

Stephanie Morton powered to gold in the women's sprint over hometown favourite Olivia Podmore. 

"Off the back of knee surgery backing up is pretty tough so I just wanted to go out there and get the set up right and then whatever happened at the end happened, so to get the win. I'm really happy."

Kaarle McCulloch, who rode a personal best to top qualifying in 10.759secs, won bronze.

In the Madisons, Amy Cure and Alexandra Manly dominated the elite women's 30km final ahead of the New Zealand combination of Michaela Drummond and Jessie Hodges.

Kelland O'Brien and Sam Welsford won gold in the men's 40km event, sealing the win after Welsford took victory in the double points final lap.

Amy Cure made it three gold for the Championships after claiming points race gold to add to her scratch race victory earlier in the week.

Top qualifier Conor Leahy took out the elite men's 4000m individual pursuit, with the Western Australian fending off New Zealand's former world champion Jordan Kerby in the final.

"I always tend to back up pretty hard, so I had good confidence that I could put it to Kerbs - he's a renowned IP, so I knew I had a good challenge ahead of me, but I just went out hard and tried to stick to as good a time as possible."

Maeve Plouffe's comeback following wrist surgery continued with silver in the elite women's 3000m individual pursuit and bronze in the points race.

MORE

• Event: Oceania Track Championships
• Date: 16 -19 October 2019
• Location: SIT Zero Fees Velodrome Surrey Road Invercargill
• Live Stream: Watch all sessions live via Cycling Southland
• Results: Results by event
• Program: Complete 2020 event programme​

Dianne Manson.

Amy Cure and Sam Welsford’s omnium victories highlighted day two action at the Oceania Track Cycling Championships at Invercargill’s SIT Zero Fees Velodrome.

Three-time world champion Cure was all class on the way to winning the elite women’s omnium won the scratch race, tempo and elimination rides before comfortably accounting for the field in the points race.

“I wasn’t sure how I was going to go here as I’ve been a bit up and down lately, but I set myself up early by getting some wins and I had a good buffer going into that points race,” said Cure, the reigning team pursuit world champion and a former points race world champion. 

“I don’t mind a points race, it’s always tough but I just went in there and just treated it like any other points race.”

Like Cure, reigning scratch and team pursuit world champion Welsford dominated the elite men’s omnium, winning the first three events and then taking out the final sprint in the points race ahead of Stewart to secure victory.

Welsford was made to work by the New Zealand trio of Campbell Stewart, Regan Gough and Corbin Strong, with only nine points separating the top three riders heading into the final ten laps of the points race.

“I enjoy racing against the New Zealanders. It is always good and fair racing between us and it is really enjoyable. I was happy with my form so early in the season,” said Welsford.

In the men’s sprint, Nathan Hart (9.755) topped qualifying with Matthew Glaetzer (9.782​), Matthew Richardson (9.797) and Thomas Clarke (9.896) ensuring four Australians finished inside the top six. 

The quartet progressed to the quarterfinals where Clarke edged Glaetzer in three heats, Sam Webster (NZL) defeated Richardson and Hart’s run was ended by Jordan Castle (NZL). 

In the semi finals, Eddie Dawkins (NZL) pushed Clarke into the bronze medal ride off against Castle which the kiwi took in straight heats.

MORE

• Event: Oceania Track Championships
• Date: 16 -19 October 2019
• Location: SIT Zero Fees Velodrome Surrey Road Invercargill
• Live Stream: Watch all sessions live via Cycling Southland
• Results: Results by event
• Program: Complete 2020 event programme​

Aussie sprinter Matthew Glaetzer is ready to rip up the boards at Brisbane’s Anna Meares Velodrome when it hosts the 2019-2020 Tissot UCI Track Cycling World Cup from 13-15 December.

“This season for us is Oceanias and then the World Cups and that finalises with the Brisbane World Cup so that will be exciting for us to host a world cup and we’re excited to really rip for that one,” said 2018 sprint world champion Glaetzer.

Glaetzer will be joined by a host of the Australian Cycling Team’s best as they battle for gold and valuable qualifying points for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

“Racing is the best preparation for a big event like the Olympics and the World Cup in Brisbane is exactly that,” said Glaetzer, who claimed two gold on the Anna Meares’ Velodrome at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. 

At December’s World Cup, Glaetzer is anticipated to line up in the team sprint, sprint and keirin, giving fans the opportunity to catch the world’s fastest in action each of the three days of racing. 

“It is us preparing and trying to dial in on things we need to focus on and that’s different for each person. So it’s a great dress rehearsal for us to really get in some good form and perform with the pressure of the crowd and everything going on around that.”

The World Cup

The 2019-2020 TISSOT UCI Track Cycling World Cup will host the world’s best track cyclists as they battle for gold and valuable qualifying points for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

The 2019-2020 UCI Tissot UCI Track Cycling World Cup was secured by the Queensland Government via Tourism and Events Queensland in partnership with Brisbane City Council via Brisbane Marketing and Cycling Australia.

Tickets

Ticket prices start at $10 for morning sessions, while fans can get along to the evening’s finals action for as little as $30. Family and Series passes are also available so you can catch the action with your friends. 

>>> Ticket options 

Schedule

• FRI 13 DEC: Team Pursuit and Team Sprint
• SAT 14 DEC: Men’s Omnium, Women’s Madison, Men’s Keirin, Women’s Sprint
• SUN 15 DEC: Women’s Omnium, Men’s Madison, Women’s Keirin, Men’s Sprint

Follow

• brisbanetrackworldcup.com
• Facebook.com/UciWorldCupAus
• Twitter.com/UCIWorldCupAus
• Instagram.com/UCIWorldCupAus

The Australian Cycling Team has opened the 2020 Oceania Track Championships with three gold medals. 
 
​Reigning world champions Kaarle McCulloch and Stephanie Morton broke their Oceania Championship record on the way to taking out the elite women's team sprint. The pair clocked 32.591secs to fend off the challenge from the young New Zealand pairing of Olivia Podmore and Ellesse Andrew (33.540). 
 
"It definitely did go to plan tonight. I think we were both surprised by the time as we are in pretty deep training.  So to come out and do a 32.6, only four-tenths of a second off our Worlds time, it shows we are in good shape," said McCulloch. 

"Not the ideal offseason for me with knee surgery, so I had to rely on Kaarle a lot tonight to get me through. But as a team, we executed what we wanted to and put a great time on the board," said Morton. 
 
Podium Potential Academy members Conor Leahy, Godfrey Slattery, Lucas Plapp teamed with guest rider Joshua Duffy, to produce a dominant display to take gold in the elite men's team pursuit, catching a young New Zealand team in the final. 
 
"It was awesome, we had a pretty hefty goal in the way we were going to do our turns, and we stuck to it 100 percent, we couldn't have asked for a better outcome," Leahy said. "We took it conservatively in qualifying and then let it all out in the final. Once we got a sniff of them (New Zealand), it was a matter of hunting them down and catching them."
 
In the elite women's team pursuit, the Podium Potential Academy quartet of Maeve Plouffe, Sam De Riter, Sophie Edwards and Alex Martin-Wallace (4:22.057) claimed silver as New Zealand (4:19.040) won gold. 
 
Later in the session, a daring moving from Plouffe paid off when she lapped the field to win the elite women's 10km scratch race.
 
"I was not expecting that at all. I had a pretty big ride with my teammates in the team pursuit earlier, and I have a pretty full schedule," said Plouffe. "Once I lapped the field, it was all about protecting myself and making sure the final sprint was absolutely perfect, and the end couldn't have gone any more perfectly."

Nathan Hart and Podium Potential Academy duo Matthew Richardson and Thomas Clarke took silver in the men's team sprint (43.360) with New Zealand breaking the Oceania record (42.508) on the way to the gold medal. 
 
Kell O'Brien took silver in the men's 15km scratch race.

MORE

• Event: Oceania Track Championships
• Date: 16 -19 October 2019
• Location: SIT Zero Fees Velodrome Surrey Road Invercargill
• Live Stream: Watch all sessions live via Cycling Southland
• Results: Results by event
• Program: Complete 2020 event programme

Australia’s Saya Sakakibara has won the ‘Ready Steady Tokyo’, the official Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games test event being staged on the BMX racing circuit.

The Japanese-born Sakakibara narrowly edged reigning world champions Alise Post on the line in front of an adoring Tokyo crowd.
​
The looming typhoon forced the consolidation of the three-day event into one day with riders running all motos, semi finals and finals on one afternoon.

“This meant extra laps for us on this very very long track,” said Sakakibara, 20. “I didn’t know how my legs would make it through the day but I think we got through. was trying to save my energy, like rolling the last straight.”

The Australian Cycling Team will open the 2020 track season at the 2020 Oceania Track Championships from October 16-19. 

• Event: Oceania Track Championships
• Date: 16 -19 October 2019
• Location: SIT Zero Fees Velodrome Surrey Road Invercargill
• Live Stream: Watch all sessions live via Cycling Southland
• Results: Results by event
• Program: Complete 2020 event programme

The Championships opens a busy summer of track cycling which included a 2019-2020 UCI Track World Cup season that will take in Brisbane for Round Five from 13-15 December.  
 
Reigning world champions in action include Steph Morton and Kaarle McCulloch will sport their rainbow jerseys in the team sprint, while also contesting the keirin and sprint. 

In the endurance events, points race world champion Alex Manly and team pursuit world champion Amy Cure will line up in the points race, Omnium and will team up in the Madison. 

Sam Welsford will don his rainbow bands in the scratch race and will pair with team pursuit world champion Kell O'Brien in the Madison. The duo will also take on the Omnium. 

Matt Glaetzer, Nathan Hart and Podium Potential Academy (PPA) athlete Matt Richardson will comprise the men's team sprint outfit, and will also line up in the keirin and sprint. 

The team pursuit outfits for Australia will be comprised of PPA riders in Luke Plapp, Godfrey Slattery, Conor Leahy, Alexandra Martin-Wallace, Sophie Edwards, Maeve Plouffe and Samantha De Riter.

Fellow PPA members Holly Takos and Tom Clarke will be in action in the sprint events. 

In addition to continental honours, riders will compete for valuable UCI points that will go towards Olympic qualification. 

A live results link and live streaming details will be available closer to the event. 

Australian Team

Sprint 

• Matt Glaetzer
• Nathan Hart
• Matt Richardson* 
• Tom Clarke*
• Steph Morton
• Kaarle McCulloch
• Holly Takos*

Endurance

• Amy Cure                             
• Alex Manly
• Alexandra Martin-Wallace*
• Sophie Edwards*
• Maeve Plouffe*
• Samantha De Riter*  
• Kell O'Brien*
• Sam Welsford*
• Luke Plapp*
• Godfrey Slattery*
• Conor Leahy*

* Podium Potential Academy

Details

• Event: Oceania Track Championships
• Date: 16 -19 October 2019
• Location: SIT Zero Fees Velodrome Surrey Road Invercargill
• Live Stream: Watch all sessions live via Cycling Southland
• Results: Results by event
• Program: Complete 2020 event programme

n atrocious conditions that felled the greatest cyclists in the world, Australia's Michael Matthews finished a gallant 24th in the 2019 UCI Road World Championships men's road race in Yorkshire.

‪"It was horrendous, not too many words can describe the day," said Matthews, the 2015 silver and 2017 World Championship bronze medallist who was just one of 45 finishers from 196 starters.

"It was one of those ones that winds you down. I tried to accelerate at the end, but I had nothing.

"In terms of conditions, that was the hardest race I've ever done."

The north of England saved the worst for last with the men's elite race set to live on in history as the definitive example of a “race of attrition".

Heavy rain during the night across the region forced Yorkshire 2019 organisers and the UCI to divert the 280km race away from the flooded northern section of the course.

With the diversion eliminating two key climbs in Buttertubs and Grinton Moor, while seeing an increase in the laps of the technical 14 kilometre Harrogate finishing circuit from seven to nine, pre-race team plans were changed in an instant.

An early breakaway of eleven riders was established inside the first twenty kilometres of the revised 261km battle, with the Australians controlling the pace of the peloton through dual reigning time trial world champion Rohan Dennis.

With team captain Rory Sutherland (UAE-Team Emirates) calling the shots while the entire team surrounded Matthews in an attempt to protect him from the atrocious weather, Dennis drove the pace of the peloton through horizontal rain for the next 120 kilometres.

Dennis' superb efforts reduced the breakaway's margin from two and half minutes down to ninety seconds as the race approached the Harrogate circuit. As they hit the first lap of the circuit, Dennis and Sutherland hung up their bikes for the day after a perfectly delivered team performance.

The race was quickly brought back together on the first lap and the urgent pace setting during the early Harrogate circuit laps saw riders shed from the peloton seemingly at every kilometre.. Riders who ended their race in this phase included Australians Mitchell Docker (EF Education First), Nathan Haas (Team Katusha Alpecin) and Luke Durbridge (Mitchelton-Scott).

Simon Clarke's (EF Education First) efforts came to an end on the third last lap, with Jack Haig (Mitchelton-Scott) the team's only remaining support rider for Matthews until he lost contact on the penultimate lap.

One of the many race favourites Mathieu van der Poel (NED) attacked with two laps to go alongside Matteo Trentin (ITA), Gianni Moscon (Italy), Mads Pedersen (NED), and Stefan Kung (SUI) and while this group appeared cohesive and capable, the main bunch began to fade.

Teams that needed to chase were fast running out of bullets, while mechanicals, exhaustion, hunger flats, hypothermia and old fashioned "getting dropped" had relentlessly whittled the riders from nearly 200 to well below 50.

Despite the lead group being just a tantalising 50 seconds up the road, the bunch struggled to get themselves coordinated, and with Trentin unable to muster a winning sprint, it was the 23-year-old Danish rider Pedersen who held his nerve and watts to take the win from Trentin and Kung.

‪"I knew it was always going to be difficult, a bit of a gamble of a race," Matthews added. "With four laps to go, when a group of five went, we didn't have any guys to go with it.

"I was trying to wait for the last two laps until I moved, but they didn't come back.

"I was wound down too much, the guys were gone, I think there was a sprint for fourth of fifth, but the race was over.

Team Director Brad McGee was proud of the team's overall campaign for the World Championships and in particular their performance on what was the most testing of days.

"One of the toughest! You saw some of the mightiest bike riders on the planet today just stopping suddenly; going from a potential performer to zero," McGee said. "Michael, gallant to the end, but just legless in the last half lap. It happened to Clarkey too; all the boys finished as if it was the hardest race they have ever done.

"I don't know how you prepare for a day like today, physically you can't do anything, mentally you have your strategy, and you are confident with that. At the end of the day, there is an element of being born and made for the mud.

"We didn't have that today. But we gave it everything we could, we stuck to the strategy, stuck together, fought until the end.

"They made the perfect adjustments according to how the race unfolded. In the end, we just didn't have the firepower to make an impact," McGee added.

PHOTOS 

By Casey Gibson

Australia's Amanda Spratt (Mitchelton-Scott) claimed the bronze medal in a stunning women's road race at the 2019 UCI Road World Championships in Yorkshire on Saturday. 

In one of the most incredible individual rides ever seen World Championship history, Dutch powerhouse Annemiek van Vleuten soloed the final 105 kilometres to claim the world champion's rainbow jersey. 

Following an epic battle in the chasing group across a punishing course, Spratt took the bronze behind 2018 world champion Anna Van der Breggen (NED). 

"That was epic. It was the hardest race I have ever done. Every part of my body was cramping, my thumb cramping in the end," said Spratt, who became the first Australian woman to claim two World Championships road race medals after winning silver in 2018. 

"I am really proud. I really feel like I have won this bronze medal."

Spratt's team of Brodie Chapman (Tibco–Silicon Valley Bank), Tiffany Cromwell (Canyon–SRAM), Lucy Kennedy (Mitchelton-Scott), Lauren Kitchen (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope), Chloe Hosking (Ale-Cipollini) and Jessica Allen (Mitchelton-Scott) joined 152 starters from 49 nations for the 149km race from Bradford to Harrogate.

With the early pace set by the strong eight-rider Dutch outfit, debutant  Allen and Kitchen sheltered Spratt over the first 40 kilometres as the peloton approached the first major climb of the race, 'Lofthouse'. 

It was here Van Vleuten attacked as the climb further decimated the already dwindling peloton. Spratt took up the chase in a world-class nine-rider breakaway which included 2015 world champion Lizzie Deignan (GBR), reigning Olympic and world champion van der Breggen (NED), recently crowned 2019 time trial world champion Chloé Dygert Owen (USA) and Elisa Longo Borghini (ITA). 

With little cohesion in the chasing group, the powerful Dutchwoman established a lead of two minutes as she entered Harrogate for three laps of the challenging 14-kilometre town circuit. 

"Suffer suffer suffer. It was about who could suffer the most. I predicted it would be before the race and it was," said Spratt. "The race really opened after only 45 kilometres, and it was full gas racing which doesn't really happen very often.  

"I tried to play it smart, I chose to not participate in all the attacks but conserve and save my energy for the circuits, which was the smarter move. You only had some many bullets you could fire on this circuit and be careful how to use them, so I chose to wait to use them until later."

With the chasing group exploding as it approached Harrogate, Dygert launched a solo attack on Van Vleuten's lead. Spratt and Van Der Breggen shook the rest of the peloton including Deignan and Borghini, before absorbing a fading Dygert on the penultimate lap.  
With Van Vleuten's spectacular victory nearly complete some two minutes ahead, Van der Breggen attacked Spratt inside the final six kilometres and rode to the silver just seconds ahead of Spratt. 

"Once we got to the final circuit, everyone was dropping like flies," Spratt explained. "It was attack, after attack, after attack. One rider was dropped, then the next rider, then the next. It was survival of the fittest. 

"When Chloe (Dygert) was away, we weren't sure we could get her back, but once we did, we knew we were racing for a medal. In the end, Anna (van der Breggen) was just a little too strong in those last five kilometres."

Following her second straight World Championship medal, Spratt was content with what she considered an exhaustive performance.  
​
"It was a brutal, brutal race and everyone finished with the tank completely empty," said Spratt. "There is not a lot I could have changed. Yes, you come here, and you want to win, but honestly, no one coming here today was going to beat her. 

"Sometimes you have to realise when someone is having an exceptional performance as Annemiek did today. Congratulations to her, she is a worthy world champion. She was on another level today." 

Moments after crossing the line, Spratt paid tribute to her teammates for delivering her to the crucial part of the race in position. 

"Anyone watching the race saw how amazing the team were. We knew that Lofthouse climb would be supercritical and they did a great job of looking after me and protecting to that climb where it all exploded, so I am really grateful to the team," said Spratt. 

"I am so proud of this medal, but also of the work the girls, also the staff, put in this week. It has been a really incredible feeling within the group and the whole team, all the staff and the riders, boosted all of us up this week." 

Following her second medal at the past two World Championships, Spratt reflected on her performances. 

"I have to pinch myself sometimes because I don't think of myself as of one of those riders," Spratt admitted. "But it has happened twice now.  

"I have hit my stride last two to three years, and it shows that all the hard work is really paying off. I did put a lot of pressure on myself, but I had excellent preparation. 

"I will take a lot of confidence out of this heading towards Tokyo 2020." ​

The Australian women's team is preparing for a sufferfest in Yorkshire when they tackle the 150km women's road race at the 2019 UCI Road World Championships on Saturday 28 September.  

Beginning in Bradford, riders will take in the Yorkshire Dales for 108km of testing terrain before hitting the tricky, technical Harrogate finishing circuit for three laps. Race & Course details.

The third longest race on the women's calendar for the season with almost 2,500m of climbing including an uphill run to the finish line, the women's peloton believes there will be nowhere to hide in Saturday's race. 

“I think it still just as hard as I remember, we died a thousand deaths up the the Lofthouse Climb on Wednesday in training," Spratt joked. "But that climb will be really critical  I comes early so it will be interesting to see how that affects the race as a whole.

“I think it will be on, just be a sufferfest, it’s going to be how much can you suffer on Saturday."

Spratt, the 2018 silver medallist, enters the race in stellar form and will be supported by a strong green and gold outfit of Brodie Chapman (Tibco–Silicon Valley Bank), Tiffany Cromwell (Canyon–SRAM), Lucy Kennedy (Mitchelton-Scott), Lauren Kitchen (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope), Chloe Hosking (Ale-Cipollini) and Jessica Allen (Mitchelton-Scott). 

“The preparation has gone really well, I am fit, I am strong, targeting this again," Spratt said. "I am excited, I think we have a great Australian team, a lot of depth and experience.

"I think everyone on the team will contribute to a great result and I am really looking forward to it."

Kennedy who was a standout while on her debut at the 2018 World Championships, is nervously excited for the unknown.

“I am preparing for the hardest race I have ever done basically, there are no easy sections on this course whatsoever," said Kennedy who has enjoyed multiple wins in 2019 including Kennedy at Durango-Durango Emakumeen Saria and the San Sabastian Classic. “Watching the junior boys on Thursday, they were all on their knees.

“I am less nervous because I have done it once before, but more nervous because the 2018 course suited me better.

"It is a tricky and technical course, and I like that aspect, but there is the unknown of this course."

"It is going to be brutal, super aggressive and hopefully great to watch," said Hosking, who heads into the Championships in hot form after claiming stage wins in Italy and Spain this month. 

Team captain Tiffany Cromwell is predicting the mental challenge will prove the decisive factor on Saturday.

"It is definitely tough, we all knew that, we all expected that," Cromwell said. "It is going to be a race of attrition, a real mental race.  The person who wins on Saturday will be the strongest mentally." 

​Sixteen-year-old debutant Patrick Eddy finished twenty-first in a typically frantic junior men’s road race at the 2019 UCI Road World Championships in Harrogate on Thursday. 

“That was probably the craziest thing I’ve ever done,” said Bendigo’s Eddy, who finished 19th in the junior (under 19) men’s time trial on Monday. “It was on from the start, you had to be focused the entire time.”

The pace was frantic at the start of the 144.5km race, with wind and rain pelting the 120 riders from 41 countries as they wound through the Yorkshire Dales. 

The USA, UK and New Zealand outfits set the early tempo, with the race beginning to splinter as the peloton hit the first of three major climbs, with Eddy keeping a close eye on the moves from the main bunch.  

The American duo of Quinn Simmons and Magnus Sheffield lead a five-man breakaway to a lead of 35-seconds as the race hit Harrogate for three laps of the 14-kilometre finishing circuit, with Eddy tucked inside the main peloton which had whittled down to just 30 riders. 

The Victorian continued his strong ride as the main group kept the lead quintet to within a minute, but with the race exploding across the wet Yorkshire roads, Simmons launched a decisive attack on the penultimate lap of the circuit.

Italian Alessio Martinelli went solo in pursuit of the American on the final lap, with Eddy giving his all in attempt to go with the Italian. However, the punishing race had taken its toll, with Eddy finishing a gallant twenty-first. Martinelli and Sheffield rounded out the podium. 

“The first half I was pretty stressed, I am not going to lie, but being in the right spot at the right time was the most important thing,” said Eddy. “When I got over the first climb, I was just hating life, but after that, it was the funnest thing I’ve ever done. 
​
“I was really relaxed that second half. There was a point where I knew there was a major climb coming up and I had to move up. 
“And I got there and from there I just felt amazing.”

After the race, Eddy reflected on his World Championship debut.  “The guys back at the hotel have been awesome, just to meet all of them and to be around guys like Rohan and Luke after the time trial it was an incredible experience,” Eddy added. 
​
“The staff, the coaches, the mechanics, the soigneurs have all been behind me this week and it really helped out there today.” ​

Twenty-year-old Kaden Groves (Mitchelton-Scott) is looking forward to a 'brutal' under 23 road race at the 2019 UCI Road World Championships in Yorkshire.  

Groves arrived in Yorkshire on Tuesday ahead of Friday's 173km under 23 road race where he will team with Samuel Jenner (Team Wiggins Le Col), Liam Magennis (Drapac-Cannondale Holistic Development Team), Harry Sweeny (EvoPro Racing) and Nicholas White (Team BridgeLane)​​. 

"We have such a strong line up with a bunch of guys who can all play a role to achieve the best possible result," he explained. "We are all mates and have a great relationship having raced together either at the Tour de L’Avenir or as teammates on the past seasons.

"I think the course suits me really well, just the right amount of climbs for me and a somewhat technical finishing circuit. Obviously it's going to be a hectic race, under 23 racing is not controlled and as the biggest race of the year.

"I am expecting it to be brutal."

A latecomer to cycling in 2014, the Sunshine Coast Cycling Club cyclist claimed an Australian junior road title in less than two years later, before putting himself on the radar of international teams with a stage win in China at the 2017 Tour of Fuzhou. 

Joining Mitchelton's development squad in 2018, Groves then switched to join SEG Racing for 2019. Riding under the Team Australia colours at the 2019 Tour de I'Avenir, Groves claimed a podium finish in one of the toughest stages.  

"This year's edition of the Tour de L’Avenir was always going to be a hard one, it consisted of many hilltop finishes and stages for the climbers but not so many for the sprinters,” said Groves, who admitted the second place has fuelled his hunger for the top step. 

"With breakaways staying away every stage, I needed to go up the road for opportunities, I finished second on stage six which was honestly a huge disappointment and I wanted to win so I’m not satisfied.”

For the latter half of 2019, Groves has joined Mitchelton-Scott’s WorldTour outfit as a stagiaire, and as one of the youngest in the field, he tested himself in three classics in Belgium. 

"Both Brussel and Antwerp were great opportunities to race in a new environment with my future teammates. These one-day races will also play an important role in the lead up to the World Championships," Groves added. 

2019 UCI Road World Championships - M23 Road Race

• Samuel Jenner (Team Wiggins Le Col), Liam Magennis (Drapac-Cannondale Holistic Development Team), Harry Sweeny (EvoPro Racing), Nicholas White (Team BridgeLane)​​, Kaden Groves (Mitchelton-Scott)
• Starts 2pm (11pm AEST), Estimated Finish 6.30pm (3.30am AEST)
• 173km, Doncaster to Harrogate 
• worlds.yorkshire.com/the-races/men-u23-road-race​
• Watch live in Australia - Streaming to SBS OnDemand and Cycling Central website 

South Australia's Rohan Dennis emphatically defended his time trial world title in a stunning performance at the 2019 UCI Road World Championships in Yorkshire on Wednesday. 

The 29-year-old dominated the 54-kilometre individual race against the clock from start to finish, taking the world champion’s rainbow jersey by more than one minute. 

"It might have looked easy out there today, but there has been a lot of work off the bike behind the scenes to get myself ready for today," said Dennis. "I am happy that I have been able to produce what I knew I could to get these rainbows back.. 

“It really shows that I am not going anywhere.  That I am here to win, and I am here to continue winning in the future."

The final rider of 57 to take to the 54-kilometre course from Northhallerton to Harrogate, Dennis powered to a 19 second advantage over teenage sensation Remco Evenepoel (Belgium) at the first time check at the 16.7 kilometre mark. 

Maintaining a steady rhythm and pace set by his coaches, Dennis extended his margin to more than a minute at the 37-kilometre checkpoint. 

Dennis continued his momentum through the technical, undulating sections outside of Harrogate before soaring to a second straight rainbow jersey in a time of 1hour 05:05secs, 68-seconds ahead of Evenepoel with Filippo Ganna (Italy) a further 45 seconds back. 

"I only saw the course for the first time last Saturday, and we loved it instantly. My coach Brad said I was made for it," remarked Dennis. "I was confident before the race as I knew we had hit all of the numbers in training. 

"So today there was nothing left but to let the legs do the talking. I knew I had done all the work and to execute what I could on the road.  

"And I was comfortable with my pace from the start. When I saw I was up by 20 seconds, I felt good. Then I was up by 60, so I knew just had to stay calm, keep a good rhythm and don't take risks down the hill. 

"It was a really nice course so whoever designed it, thanks for that - good job!"

Dennis' preparation for his title defence in Yorkshire was remarkably different to that of twelve months ago with a steady diet of training blocks feeding his pursuit for a second rainbow title.

"It has been the toughest period of my career, it was almost breaking," revealed Dennis, who enjoyed an emotional celebration with wife Melissa and eight-month-old son Oliver at the finish. "To have my family here this year was so special. My wife is an angel. 

"While I have been home for the last ten weeks, it has been tough for both of us. There have been testing times, with ten weeks between races, there were a couple of times I'd throw in the towel. 

"But I have a lot of great people in my corner, pushing me to keep my head on. So thank you to my wife, my coach, my psychologist. 

"It was a team effort, and that's really why I was so emotional. A lot of people helped me get here, so it's great to repay them."

Dennis' considerable winning margin allowed time for a victory salute as he crossed the line, with the Adelaide cyclist pointing to his head as a reminder about what lead him to the victory. 

"I was reminding myself today was all in my head," Dennis said. "It was the work I did off the bike on my mental state to make sure I am strong mentally, and that is what got me through today.  

"I've done a lot of work with my sports psychologist David Spindler. I mean physically I have always had it, but it was always the negativity in my head thinking not the positive things.

"And out there today I didn't waiver once which I had struggled with all year up until today. That work has been super important, and today, we nailed it."

In what was his thirteenth consecutive year representing the green and gold, a journey which began with ninth in the junior time trial at the 2007 World Championships, Dennis thanked his supporters in Australia. 

"Australia is always backing me through the tough times and the good times," he added. "It is good to have that support from the national body Cycling Australia. 
​
"I have been a part of this team at every World Championships since 2007. It has been a good, long-lasting relationship, so let's keep it going." 

Reigning Australian champion Luke Durbridge, the 2009 junior and 2011 under 23 world champion, finished thirteenth, three minutes behind Dennis. 

Dennis and Durbridge will now switch the focus to Sunday's 280km road race where they will team with 2015 world championship silver medallist Michael Matthews (Team Sunweb), Simon Clarke (EF Education First), Mitchell Docker (EF Education First), Nathan Haas (Team Katusha Alpecin), Jack Haig (Mitchelton-Scott) and Rory Sutherland (UAE-Team Emirates). ​

Photos © Casey Gibson

Amanda Spratt finished just outside the top ten in eleventh in a rain-soaked elite women's time trial at the 2019 UCI Road World Championships in Yorkshire, England, on Tuesday. 

The torrential rain that had earlier caused havoc in the under 23 race, forced a forty-minute delay to the start of the women's 30.3-kilometre race from Ripon to Harrogate.

The twenty-second of 53 riders to set out on the course, Spratt powered across the longest time trial of her professional career in a time of 46mins 09.09secs.

With the second-fastest time of the day to that point, Spratt found herself in the hot seat and it was a nervous wait to see if she could hold on to the medal position. However, nine riders would better her time to the line pushing her to eleventh overall. 

"It was really hard, a challenging course, I think they threw everything at us with the rain, flooding, ups and downs, flats, it had everything to it," said Spratt. "I hadn't started my warm-up, so the delay wasn't too much of a stress for me. And it helped to watch the 23s to see how they took the corners and how the roads were. 

"Obviously the 23s had horrendous weather as we did. It was sketchy out there, you had to take a bit of caution, but at the same time, you still wanted to keep the pace as much as you could." 

The time trial continues the recent expansion of the thirty-two-year-old Spratt's repertoire ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, in addition to the looming home Road World Championships in Wollongong in 2022. 

"It was a challenge my coach Gene Bates set for me a year and a half ago to put more effort into the time trial, and I accepted that challenge," said Spratt, who last raced a time trial at a World Championships as a 17-year-old in 2004. "And I am happy with the way it has progressed. 

"I can't sit here and compare myself with everyone else too much. We had a plan, in terms of power and how I wanted to pace it so in terms of the plan, we have to be happy with that. 

"I gave everything I could out there." 

Spratt also revealed encouragement from her Mitchelton-Scott teammate Annemiek van Vleuten, a two-time time trial world champion, has inspired her in her return to the time trial. 

"She really started focusing on that only three or four years ago, and look where she is now, and I really draw inspiration on that," Spratt said adding. "For me, it is a long term project. I was excited to get here and have my first time trial race and I hope to improve on that."

"I think this is something that you have to put the time and effort into. It doesn't happen overnight and I am willing to put that effort into it."
In one of the most stunning performances ever seen at a Road World Championships, Chloé Dygert Owen (USA) became the youngest person to win a road time trial world title after obliterating the course and her rivals to win by 1 minute and 32 seconds over two-time defending champion Annemiek van Vleuten (NED) and Anna van der Breggen (NED). 

Earlier in utterly treacherous conditions, Liam Magennis (Drapac-Cannondale Holistic Development Team) finished 29th in the under 23 men's time trial at the 2019 UCI Road World Championships in Yorkshire. 

Persistent rain throughout the night and early morning meant the race became a battle not just to the Harrogate finish line, but to stay upright. Riders were forced to negotiate a number of puddles, including one which stretched the width of the road, with many crashing when navigating through the ankle-deep water. 

Reigning Oceania and National champion Magennis delivered a superb effort and remain unscathed across the 30.3km course, clocking a time of 43mins 11.03seconds. 

In what he described as the toughest, and wettest time trial of his career, Magennis later admitted the tricky conditions almost got the better of him. 

"I started off pretty well until I got to the puddles across the road in the first ten kilometres," said Magennis. "They slowed me down and put me on edge a little. 

​

"But I tried my best out there. Kept it upright so I'm happy. 

"I'm happy to be in one piece and look forward to Friday now."  

Magennis will now have a few days to dry out and recover ahead of Friday's Under 23 road race where he will team with Kaden Groves (SEG Racing Academy), Samuel Jenner (Team Wiggins Le Col), Harry Sweeny (EvoPro Racing), Nicholas White (Team BridgeLane)​​.

The event was won by Dane Mikkel Bjerg who powered to an extraordinary third straight rainbow jersey. 

A superb effort from sixteen-year-old debutant Patrick Eddy has seen him place inside the top twenty in the junior (under 19) men’s time trial at the 2019 UCI Road World Championships in Harrogate. 

The 47th of 63 riders to set off down the ramp on Monday, reigning Australian champion Eddy powered over two laps of a 13.7km circuit around the town of Harrogate to sit eighth after completing his ride.

Eddy’s time of 40mins 30.40secs ultimately placed him nineteenth in the world after the remaining sixteen riders had completed their runs over the course. 

“Tough, really tough, pretty long and I was happy to get it done,” said Bendigo’s Eddy. “It was awesome, had a lot of people cheering, it was so cool to be out there wearing the Aussie colours.

“Those last two kilometres I tried switching on the jets as much as I could, you have to give it all.  
“I was happy to be that cooked at the end.”

In stunning scenes, Italian Antonio Tiberi won the event despite suffering a mechanical just moments after leaving the start ramp which forced him to change his bike. The Netherlands’ Enzo Leijnse and German Marco Brenner completed the podium. 

Eddy will now turn his attention to Thursday’s 144.5km junior road race from Richmond in the Yorkshire Dales to Harrogate.

“A couple of easy days and reassess for the road race, it will be a good opportunity. I am really keen.”

Preview for women's, under 23 and junior time trials at the 2019 UCI Road World Championships in Yorkshire. 

WOMEN'S 

• ​Amanda Spratt (Mitchelton-Scott)
• Tuesday 24 September - Start Time 3:21.30pm (12:21.30am AEST)
• Women's Course - 32km - worlds.yorkshire.com/women-elite-individual-time-trial
• Live broadcast via SBS OnDemand / Cycling Central from 2340 AEST 

In 2004, a seventeen-year-old debutant from the Blue Mountains found the podium of the UCI Road World Championships in Italy with bronze in the junior women’s time trial. 

Almost 15 years later to the day, the now 32-year-old Amanda Spratt (Mitchelton-Scott) will have another crack at a World Championship time trial podium when she lines up in the women’s race on Tuesday.

"This will be my first time trial at the World Championships since being a junior in 2004, and I have great memories of that, I got the bronze medal,” said Spratt. "This is one event I get really nervous about, but I think it is a good challenge for me. I think I am ready for it, I wouldn’t have put my hand up for it if I didn’t think it was the right time." 

Spratt will tackle a 32.5km course from Ripon to Harrogate on Tuesday afternoon, with Spratt’s Mitchelton-Scott teammate Annemiek van Vleuten a hot favourite as the two-time reigning world champion.

"I have nothing to lose, I am not putting a number on the result, I just want to have a really good performance and I will be happy with that,” said Spratt who arrived in Yorkshire on Saturday to prepare for the varying course. “The first twelve kilometres is not super interesting, but after that, it gets quite up and down and a bit technical, so it has been good to see it and get a good feel for it.”

Following the time trial, 2018 World Championship silver medallist Spratt will spearhead a superb women’s outfit on Saturday seeking to win Australia’s first ever women’s road world title. Spratt will line up with Tiffany Cromwell (Canyon-SRAM), Lucy Kennedy (Mitchelton-Scott), Lauren Kitchen (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope), Brodie Chapman (Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank), Chloe Hosking (Ale-Cipollini) and Jessica Allen (Mitchelton-Scott) in the 150km race. 

"I love being back in the green and gold, and being in the Aussie team environment is great, you always feel so supported. And you kind of get that extra buzz when you’re out riding in this kit," Spratt said. "I look forward to when the other Aussie girls get here and we can start looking forward to the road race on Saturday."

 
UNDER 23

• Liam Magennis (Drapac-Cannondale Holistic Development Team) ​
• Tuesday 24 September - Start Time 11.29am (8.29pm AEST)
• Under 23 Course - 32km - worlds.yorkshire.com/men-u23-individual-time-trial/
• Live broadcast via SBS OnDemand / Cycling Central from 1910 AEST

Reigning Australian & Oceania champion Liam Magennis (Drapac-Cannondale Holistic Development Team) will make his Australian team debut in Tuesday’s under 23 time trial. 

"The course is good, it looks fast, pretty flat, a little bit technical, will be interested to see how it rides in the wet,” said Magennis, referring to the wet weather which is forecast for the region. “I am really keen to race."
  
 
JUNIOR 

• Patrick Eddy
• Monday 23 September @ 3.22pm 
• Junior Course - 27.6km - worlds.yorkshire.com/men-junior-individual-time-trial

Debutant Patrick Eddy, the reigning Australian champion, will be the first Australian rider on course when he takes on the 27.6km junior time trial on Monday. 

"I had a pretty nice recon of the course on Saturday," said Eddy. "I was a bit worried about a few of those corners, but I am now more confident with the course. And that is probably going to be one of the main factors in doing well on Monday." 

Australian athletes have started to arrive in Yorkshire ahead of the 2019 UCI Road World Championships to be held 21-29 September 2019. 

In all, twenty-one Australian athletes will feature in eight events in seven days in the time trial and road races in the under 19, under 23 and elite categories.

ABOUT #YORKSHIRE2019

• 🏳️‍🌈 2019 UCI Road World Championships
• 🏢 Yorkshire, England
• 🗓 21-29 September 2019
• 💻 Live broadcast via SBS OnDemand / Cycling Central 
• 💻 Schedule worlds.yorkshire.com
• 🇦🇺 Australian Team australiancyclingteam.com/roadworlds19
• #Yorkshire2019 #AusCyclingTeam

PREVIEW

Challenging time trials will push the world's best to the limit, with the course offering a fast and open start before undulating gradually on the approach to Harrogate.

For the Australian Team, Patrick Eddy (VIC) will line up in the Junior (Under 19) final, Liam Magennis (Drapac-Cannondale Holistic Development Team) in the Under 23, Amanda Spratt (Mitchelton-Scott) in the women's, while reigning champion Rohan Dennis (Bahrain Merida) and Luke Durbridge (Mitchelton-Scott) will contest the men's. 

"The time trials present a very good blend for the Australian Team with athletes at a different point in their approach in the discipline," said Brad McGee, Cycling Australia Technical Director – Road. "Rohan (Dennis) is focused on defending his world title, Amanda (Spratt) has recently expanded her repertoire, while it is pleasing to see Luke (Durbridge) back." 

The punishing road races (U19 148km/U23 192km/Men's 280km/Women's 150km) will feature climbs through the Yorkshire Dales before culminating with laps of a tough and technical Harrogate circuit.

The Under 23 team features Kaden Groves (SEG Racing Academy), Samuel Jenner (Team Wiggins Le Col), Liam Magennis (Drapac-Cannondale Holistic Development Team), Harry Sweeney (EvoPro Racing), Nicholas White (Team BridgeLane)​​.

Amanda Spratt (Mitchelton-Scott), the 2018 world championship silver medallist, will team with Brodie Chapman (Tibco–Silicon Valley Bank), Tiffany Cromwell (Canyon–SRAM), Lucy Kennedy (Mitchelton-Scott), Lauren Kitchen (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope), Chloe Hosking (Ale-Cipollini) and Jessica Allen (Mitchelton-Scott). 

The men's team is highlighted by 2015 world championship silver medallist Michael Matthews (Team Sunweb), Simon Clarke (EF Education First), Rohan Dennis (Bahrain Merida), Mitchell Docker (EF Education First), Luke Durbridge (Mitchelton-Scott), Nathan Haas (Team Katusha Alpecin), Jack Haig (Mitchelton-Scott) and Rory Sutherland (UAE-Team Emirates). 

"The commitment to the green and gold jersey from the riders, and their willingness to deliver on their appointed roles has been tremendous," said McGee. "Our key leaders appointed across all teams have the aspirations and ability to medal, and in order to achieve this, we have selected our best-supporting athletes. 

"The key now is how those athletes combine and play out the strategy on a very tough course and potentially tough conditions."

Following the late withdrawal of Grace Brown (Mitchelton-Scott) and Sarah Roy (Mitchelton-Scott) due to injury and illness, an Australian Team will not line up in the Teams Time Trial event. 

"Of course, it is disappointing for Australia and the riders, that we won't be lining up in the teams time trial," McGee said. "But when faced with the reality of losing two key riders to injuries on the eve of the Championships, we needed to keep the focus on the main objectives of the individual time trial and road races." 

TEAM AUSTRALIA SCHEDULE 

Monday 23 September - Men Junior Individual Time Trial - from 10pm AEST

• Patrick Eddy (VIC) 

Tuesday 24 September - Men U23 Individual Time Trial - from 7pm AEST 

• Liam Magennis (Drapac-Cannondale Holistic Development Team) 

Tuesday 24 September - Women Elite Individual Time Trial - from 11.40pm AEST

• Amanda Spratt (Mitchelton-Scott) 

Wednesday 25 September - Men Elite Individual Time Trial - From 10.10pm AEST

• Rohan Dennis (Bahrain Merida) & Luke Durbridge (Mitchelton-Scott) 

Thursday 26 September - Men Junior Road Race  - From 9.10pm AEST

• Patrick Eddy (VIC)

Friday 27 September - Men U23 Road Race - From 11.10pm AEST

• Kaden Groves (SEG Racing Academy)
• Samuel Jenner (Team Wiggins Le Col)
• Liam Magennis (Drapac-Cannondale Holistic Development Team)
• Harry Sweeney (EvoPro Racing)
• Nicholas White (Team BridgeLane)​​

Saturday 28 September - Women Elite Road Race - From 8.40pm AEST

• Brodie Chapman (Tibco–Silicon Valley Bank)
• Tiffany Cromwell (Canyon–SRAM)
• Lucy Kennedy (Mitchelton-Scott)
• Lauren Kitchen (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope)
• Amanda Spratt (Mitchelton-Scott)
• Chloe Hosking (Ale-Cipollini)*
• Jessica Allen (Mitchelton-Scott)*

Sunday 29 September - Men Elite Road Race - From 5.40pm AEST

• Simon Clarke (EF Education First)
• Rohan Dennis (Bahrain Merida)
• Mitchell Docker (EF Education First)
• Luke Durbridge (Mitchelton-Scott)
• Nathan Haas (Team Katusha Alpecin)
• Jack Haig (Mitchelton-Scott)
• Michael Matthews (Team Sunweb)
• Rory Sutherland (UAE-Team Emirates) 

FOLLOW

• web @ australiancyclingteam.com  |  facebook @AustralianCyclingTeam  
• instagram @australiancyclingteam  |  @AusCyclingTeam ​

Less than five years ago, Brodie Chapman (Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank) paid the bills as a bike courier for nine hours a day and her holidays included bike-packing around Japan. Fast forward to 2019 and bikes are still all of Chapman's world as one of the leading riders on one of the toughest international sporting circuits.

Chapman first turned heads in 2018 when she soared to the overall victory at the Women's Herald Sun Tour. Continuing her brilliant form in 2019, Chapman claimed the overall victory plus two stage wins in the Tour of the Gila.

"Enjoying cycling creates good form," remarked Chapman. "Of course, I feel strong and capable and I always train with racing in mind. I don't get driven by meticulous training programs or power PB's as much as I do by the thought that this session might help get a teammate or myself to the podium at the end of the race," Chapman said. 

A latecomer to the sport, Chapman revealed she has learned on the job by absorbing as much knowledge and skill from her teammates and rivals. 

"I observe other riders who I aspire to, I follow them in the peloton and try and mimic how they move, especially some of the other more experienced Australian riders because I have followed their progression and subconsciously trust them a lot," she said. 

"I am constantly working on how to improve my approach to racing, I am totally consumed by the task at hand and I do what needs to be done in the moment and I make that my prerogative. 

"I have worked very hard to get a grasp of road racing, constantly putting myself in situations where I feel scared and uncomfortable and knowing this is exactly what is necessary to improve. There is no sidestepping it."

  
Along with her amazing talent and athletic ability, it is her love of racing that has really made Chapman one of the strongest riders in Australia and it is the progression and thrill of the sport that has propelled her to the top. 

"I love road racing because of the constant progression, I don't envision this special moment where I have totally 'nailed it' or 'made it' because I feel my entire career will just be showing up and giving it a go with some occasional trips to the top step of the podium. 

"I truly enjoy the thrill of racing so I will keep seeking that."

Chapman will form a strong Australian women's team that will take on the world in Yorkshire at the 2019 UCI Road World Championships on Saturday 28 September.  Chapman will line up with Tiffany Cromwell (Canyon-SRAM), Lucy Kennedy (Mitchelton-Scott), Lauren Kitchen (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope), Amanda Spratt (Mitchelton-Scott), Chloe Hosking (Ale-Cipollini) and Jessica Allen (Mitchelton-Scott). 

"I have expressed over and over to anyone who will listen that I am incredibly inspired and motivated by the professionalism and drive of the Australian Team," Chapman said. "In my experience last year, and in the lead up to Yorkshire, the entire team is 100% committed to a team objective and more or less have clear goals for themselves to be a crucial part of the strategy towards the rainbow stripes.
 
"I think it's obvious we have a great team leader in Amanda Spratt, with her consistent form, her years of experience as both a lead and a support rider, not to mention a silver at the worlds last year! 

"I think we have a really diverse team in terms of strength and experience, so it should all come together nicely."

The Elite Women's Road Race is LIVE from 2040 AEST-0115 AEST on SBS OnDemand and Cycling Central website. 

SBS OnDemand and Cycling Central will bring the 2019 Road Worlds from Yorkshire into the homes of Australians all week! 

SCHEDULE 

Tuesday 24 September 2019

​Men's U23 Time Trial LIVE
1910 AEST - 2155 AEST
Streaming to SBS OnDemand and Cycling Central website

• Liam Magennis (Drapac-Cannondale Holistic Development Team)

Tuesday 24 September 2019

Women's Elite Time Trial LIVE
2340 AEST - 0215 AEST
Streaming to SBS OnDemand and Cycling Central website

• Amanda Spratt (Mitchelton-Scott)

Wednesday 25 September 2019

Men's Elite Time Trial LIVE
2210 AEST - 0115 AEST
Streaming to SBS OnDemand and Cycling Central website

• Rohan Dennis (Bahrain Merida)
• Luke Durbridge (Mitchelton-Scott)

​
Friday 27 September 2019

Men's U23 Road Race LIVE
2310 AEST - 0425 AEST
Streaming to SBS OnDemand and Cycling Central website

Team Australia 

• Kaden Groves (SEG Racing Academy)
• Samuel Jenner (Team Wiggins Le Col)
• Liam Magennis (Drapac-Cannondale Holistic Development Team)
• Harry Sweeny (EvoPro Racing)
• Nicholas White (Team BridgeLane)​​

Saturday 28 September

Elite Women's Road Race LIVE
2040 AEST – 0115 AEST
SBS OnDemand and Cycling Central website before SBS Viceland at 2245 AEST

Team Australia

• Brodie Chapman (Tibco–Silicon Valley Bank)
• Tiffany Cromwell (Canyon–SRAM)
• Lucy Kennedy (Mitchelton-Scott)
• Lauren Kitchen (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope)
• Amanda Spratt (Mitchelton-Scott)
• Chloe Hosking (Ale-Cipollini)*
• Jessica Allen (Mitchelton-Scott)

​
Sunday 29 September

Men's Road Race LIVE
1740 AEST – 0115 AEST
SBS OnDemand and Cycling Central website before SBS Viceland at 2255 AEST

Team Australia

• Simon Clarke (EF Education First)
• Rohan Dennis (Bahrain Merida)
• Mitchell Docker (EF Education First)
• Luke Durbridge (Mitchelton-Scott)
• Nathan Haas (Team Katusha Alpecin)
• Jack Haig (Mitchelton-Scott)
• Michael Matthews (Team Sunweb)
• Rory Sutherland (UAE-Team Emirates)

In her fourth UCI BMX SX World Cup final of 2019, Saya Sakakibara has finished fourth in the eighth World Cup round held in Rock Hill, USA.

"I had a good day today," Sakakibara said. "I went through all the motos in first and second and I had a really good lap in my semi-final. I even had the second fastest lap for the day.

"It's really exciting to come away with the fourth and there are a lot of positives to come away from this weekend. I'm really looking forward to training again and ready to do it all again in Argentina."

Two crashes ended Kai Sakakibara's runs in the 1/8 finals in both rounds, while Anthony Dean suffered a dramatic crash in round seven and was forced out of round eight. 

UCI Rankings after Rd8:

Men

• Kai Sakakibara: 13th 380 points
• Anthony Dean: 23rd 245 points

Women

• Saya Sakakibara: 8th 515 points