Australia’s Amanda Spratt soloed the final 40km to claim a stunning silver in the women’s road race the 2018 UCI Road World Championships in Austria.

Reigning Olympic champion Anna Van der Breggen (Netherlands) soloed the final 39 kilometres of the race to to claim one of the most dominant victories ever seen at a World Championships. She finished over three minutes ahead of Spratt, with former world champion Tatiana Guderzo (Italy) taking bronze.
​
“I honestly I think I can be really proud with the silver medal. It caps off a great season for me,” said Spratt, who became just the sixth Australian woman in sixty years to reach the World Championships' road race podium.

Spratt, Grace Brown, Brodie Chapman, Tiffany Cromwell, Shara Gillow, Lucy Kennedy and Sarah Roy, were among the 149 starters to set out on the 156km course which featured an 85km loop before three punishing laps of a 24km circuit with 2400m of vertical climbing.

Spratt was caught up in a early crash but recovered and with the help of team mate Kennedy, was able to remain at the front of the race and in touch of the pre race favourite Dutch team and form part of the crucial breakaway.    

On the penultimate lap, Van der Breggen launched herself from the main field to join Spratt's group, and despite her best efforts, Spratt was unable to keep the wheel of the Dutchwoman.

Van der Breggen soloed to the biggest winning margin in thirty years (3mins 42secs), while Spratt powered the final 40km home on her own to finish two minutes ahead of Guderzo. 

“It was a tough race out there, the whole team did an incredible job throughout the first stage to get me fresh to the final,” said Spratt, whose season has included victory at the Santos Women's Tour Down Under and Emakumeen Bira, a stage win at the Giro Rosa and podiums at Amstel Gold and at Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
​
“That meant I could get into that break before the second last climb where I knew the Dutch would attack. I was waiting for that move. 

“Anna came across so quickly, I really tried to hold her wheel up that climb. She was honestly on another level today, she really deserves that title.”

Brunswick Cycling Club's Luke Plapp claimed silver in the junior men's time trial at the 2018 UCI Road World Championships in Innsbruck, Austria.

Plapp powered across the 27.8km course to post the fastest time of the day to that point, however Belgian Remco Evenepoel powered home to claim gold almost one and a half minutes ahead of the Australian. Italian Andrea Piccolo claimed bronze. 

The medal adds to the Melbourne cyclist's dual track world titles (Points Race & Madison) he won at the 2018 UCI Junior Track World Championships in Switzerland in August. 

WATCH >>> See Luke's ride here

Luke Plapp

I woke up so excited, just wanted to race and send it! 'No nerves, no hope' I thought to myself when the butterflies started flying around!

I wasn't sure how to feel about my time crossing the line. I was confident my time would be up there, but little did I know how much it would get beaten by!

Pretty stoked with the silver and has been an unreal couple of months. It is a bitter-sweet feeling of silver.  'Never put a number on to come second' but there was nothing I could have done to get the top step!

The course was crazy, it had a little bit of everything. So many climbs and so many descents!

Copyright Casey Gibson

Australian Cycling Team members Amanda Spratt, Gracie Elvin and Sarah Roy are celebrating after a dominant performance at the most prestigious women’s Tour on the calendar, the Giro Rosa. 
 
The three members of the Australian women's outfit Mitchelton-Scott combined with fellow Aussie Jess Allen, world time trial champion Annemiek van Vleuten (NED) and Jolien D’hoore (BEL).

van Vleuten made history by winning the final stage and securing the Tour win for the first time in the team’s seven-year history, while Spratt became the first Australian in 24 years to finish the Tour on the podium.

Spratt, who won stage six, grabbed third on GC and the green points jersey. 

“We came here wanting to win the Giro-Rosa as a team and Annemiek has done it and it is really thanks to the entire team. The riders, the staff, everyone has worked so hard for this, it’s giving me goosebumps to see how well we have all worked together," said Spratt. 

2018 Commonwealth Games gold medallist and triple World Championship medallist Katrin Garfoot, 36, has officially announced her retirement from cycling today.

“I am content with my journey over the past few years. I thank everyone involved and everyone who supported me,” said Garfoot. 

​German-born Garfoot began competitive cycling in 2011 at the age of 29 after being encouraged by her husband Chris to purchase a three-race license with the Gold Coast Cycling Club. 

Garfoot enjoyed immediate success on the local circuit before dominating Australia’s domestic scene in 2013, claiming overall honours in the Cycling Australia National Road Series.
 
The World Tour beckoned, with Garfoot joining the Orica/AIS team in 2014 where she amassed a number of World Tour podium appearances in her debut season.  

After officially becoming an Australian citizen in 2013, Garfoot made her Australian team debut at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games where she won time trial bronze. 

At the UCI Road World Championships, Garfoot rewrote the Australian cycling history books, firstly by becoming the first Australian woman in history to win two medals in one event after claiming back-to-back time trial bronze in 2016 and 2017.  

At the 2017 World Championships, Garfoot’s road race silver saw her become just the second Australian woman after Anna Wilson to claim dual medals in the same year.  

In the history of the Road World Championships, Garfoot stands with Michael Rogers as the only two riders to claim three medals for Australia. 

Garfoot made her Olympic debut at the 2016 Games in Rio and, after having come down with a badly timed flu in the lead up to the event, she finished as the highest placed Australian in ninth in the time trial, while also contesting a brutal women’s road race. 

In 2018, Garfoot claimed her third consecutive time trial national title at the FedUni Road National Championships to take her career tally to four after storming to the 2017 road crown.  
​
In her final professional cycling event raced in her hometown, Garfoot claimed Commonwealth Games gold with an emphatic victory in the time trial. 

“After the Commonwealth Games I wanted to see if life swept me up and it sort of has. I did not feel like training anymore,” revealed Garfoot. 

“My cycling career was an intense time for me and now I want to enjoy life with my friends and family. 

“A lot of people asked me "what comes next for you". I am not certain of what that is, but I am taking my time to mull over some ideas and see what comes of it.”

Cycling Australia CEO Steve Drake paid tribute to Garfoot.

“From her first race with her local club to the absolute pinnacle representing her adopted country at the Olympic and World Championships, Kat has had an amazing cycling journey.

“While Kat’s international results are worthy of high praise, it is her passion, dedication and commitment to excellence that will be her lasting legacy. 

“Kat is clearly a gifted athlete, but she has also provided a great example to women that it is never too late to try competitive cycling. 

“We wish Kat all the best in the next chapter of her life and we hope to see her around a bike race very soon.”

Katrin Garfoot Career Highlights 
​

• Olympic Games: Rio 2016 - Ninth –Time Trial; 
• Commonwealth Games: Gold – Time Trial – 2018 Commonwealth Games; Bronze - Time trial – 2014 Commonwealth Games
• World Championships: Silver – Road Race – 2017 UCI Road Cycling World Championships; Bronze – Time Trial – 2016 UCI Road Cycling World Championships; Bronze – Time Trial – 2017 UCI Road Cycling World Championships 
• National Championships: 2016, 2017, 2018 Time trial champion; 2017 Road Race champion 
• Oceania Championships: 2015, 2016 Time trial champion; 2013 Road Race champion 
• Winner Santos Women’s Tour 2016; Chrono Champenois - Trophée Européen 2016; 

Just three weeks out from the 2018 Tour de France, Richie Porte (BMC Racing) has claimed his biggest season victory to date, the Tour de Suisse.

​Biggest victory of my career!" Porte tweeted.

Porte finished more than a minute clear on the overall standings, sealing the overall victory after the final stage time trial won by his team-mate Stefan Küng.

"It's absolutely incredible. Winning the team time trial and then the guys did such a fantastic job all week and to win this race, it means a lot to me.

“I’m ready for the Tour de France. I did a good race here. I’m not at the top of my form just yet so I am excited for July.”

“Before this race, I hadn’t raced since Tour de Romandie. I was at home for the birth of my son two weeks ago and I’ve only had one night at home with him so, I think it’s great for me to get to go home for a bit of time before a training camp and then hopefully I’ll be better at the Tour de France.”

Just seven weeks after Steele von Hoff broke four vertebrae in a high-speed racing crash, cycling’s ‘Man of Steele’ has produced a superhuman performance to win the GC2018 men’s road race.

Wearing the green and gold at his first major Games at the age of 30, Von Hoff won a mass sprint to the finish of the 168.3km race at Currumbin Beachfront and teammate Cameron Meyer chased down the leaders over the final 10km. Welshman Jonathan Mould won silver, with South African Clint Hendricks, took the bronze.

The entire Australia team of Von Hoff, Meyer, Matthew Hayman and workhorse Callum Scotson produced a herculean effort to set up Steele’s triumph.

Von Hoff said after the race; “I was so close to not making the cut, there were lots of people checking up on me and Cycling Australia checking up on me after my rehab, it was so good to have all that support.

“I don’t think I’ve absorbed it yet, but I will later on tonight.”

Team mate and GC2018 time trial gold medallist Cameron Meyer finished inside the top 10 in ninth place and was thrilled with the team’s performance to get Steele across the line in pole position;

“It was exactly the tactics we said. We had Steele for the sprint and me for the last lap. Matty (Hayman) set the tempo for me to attack. It’s really clicking.”

“There was pressure – the girls won this morning!” added Meyer.

The Australian women’s team executed their pre-race plan to perfection, with favourite Chloe Hosking taking gold in a bunch sprint to end the 112km women's road race on Sunday. 

​A field of 49 set out for six laps of the 18km picturesque course  which began just after sunrise at the Currumbin Beachfront.

​Australia’s six-rider team of Hosking, Kat Garfoot, Sarah Roy, Shannon Malseed, Gracie Elvin and Tiffany Cromwell drove the pace at the front of the peloton for much of the first half of the race, with a solid effort from Malseed and Elvin to ensure Hosking was protected in the bunch.

In a nail biting final lap, the Australians held off several challenges, with Cromwell, Garfoot and Roy delivering Hosking in a clinical lead out to the line, which saw Hosking sweep past the front pack and to gold. 

Georgia Williams of New Zealand and Welsh rider Danielle Rowe completed the podium, with Roy and Cromwell in fifth and sixth respectively.

Hosking had to fight back tears after crossing the line, and credited her five teammates for helping set up her triumph.

"I wish all six girls could have it (gold) on their CV, road cycling is such a cruel sport in that sense and I wouldn't have won today without those girls and I'm so grateful," she said.

The 27-year-old, who placed third in the road race at the 2010 Delhi Games and overcame a serious crash during a race in Europe just two weeks ago, said pride and relief were her over-riding emotions,

"It's so special to win on home soil. People say for road cycling Commonwealth Games isn't that big a deal but you know what? I'm Commonwealth Games champion and it's a big deal.

"I'm so happy and really proud of myself."

WOMEN’S TIME TRIAL

Gold Coast local Katrin Garfoot obliterated the field to win gold in the GC2018 women’s individual time trial, an upgrade from her bronze at the Glasgow Games four years ago.
 
Garfoot, the heavy hometown favourite, was a class above in the women's event, which was 13km shorter than the men's, coming in at a distance of 25.5km, and included an 800m steep section known as "the beast" en route to the finish line.
 
Leading at every checkpoint, Garfoot eventually stopped the clock at 35:08.09, almost one minute ahead of silver medallist and defending champion Linda Villumsen of New Zealand, while Scotland's Katie Archibald was fourth.
 
"I knew I needed to go out hard. I was scared I was going to go too hard. I know the road, I know the lines, I know everything, but it doesn't protect you from the pain.
 
"It was really exciting to be in front of a home crowd with all my friends and family watching. I've worked hard, and for it to come together for a gold medal is just extraordinary. It has never worked (out) like this before."
 
Both Meyer and Garfoot will be aiming for a GC2018 golden double when they contest the Road Race on Saturday.

​MEN’S TIME TRIAL

Meyer delivered Australian cycling’s 11th gold medal of the Games in a dominating win in the men’s time trial.
 
In hot conditions, Meyer conquered the tricky course in 48 minutes 13.04 seconds to chase down the morning's previous-best time set by New Zealand's two-time Olympic rowing gold medallist Hamish Bond.
 
The versatile cyclist, who finished fourth in the points race the track on Sunday, mastered the two steep climbs and avoided any drama over the tough 38.5km Currumbin course, while lady luck cruelled the hopes of teammate Callum Scotson who finished in fourth.
 
Speaking after his gold medal ride, Meyer said, "It's been a while since I've done a time trial and I broke my collarbone in the last one I did, so luckily I stayed upright this time and I couldn't be more thrilled than I am today.
 
“I've got to thank all the stuff who got behind me and prepared me for
today, they did everything right and my coach Tim Decker who said
'give it a crack'."
 
"It was only two weeks ago that we decided, it was Tim Decker who knew I had good aerobic form and I was concentrating on the points race which is a 45-minute effort and today is roughly the same," Meyer said.

"And he said 'Cam I reckon you could have a crack in the time trial', and I said 'why not? Let's have a go'. We scrambled a bike together, did my measurements and I had nothing to lose and somehow it paid off."
 
It was a devastating start for Scotson as he suffered a rear wheel puncture just five minutes into his ride, losing 30 seconds and valuable momentum with the swift wheel change, eventually finishing in 49mins 35.65secs.
 
“It wasn’t to plan, little my own fault, I didn’t nail the line on the corner and went near the barrier and to the stones.  I heard the puncture, but you have to not panic in that situation, you know you’ve lost time, but you had to treat it like it hadn’t happened til it finished.”
 
“Nothing I would change apart from the puncture, it is a really fast course, I had fun out there.”

Commonwealth Games Australia is pleased to announce a strong 36-member team to contest the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Reigning Commonwealth Games champions Stephanie Morton, Matthew Glaetzer and Annette Edmondson headline the track selections, in addition to the return of 2010 Gold medallists Cameron Meyer and Kaarle McCulloch.  

Reigning road national champions Alexander Edmondson and Shannon Malseed, triple world championship medallist Katrin Garfoot and 2006 Commonwealth Games road race gold medallist Mathew Hayman feature in the road selections. 
The team will vie for 26 gold medals - track (16), para-cycling track (4), road (4), and mountain bike (2) competitions in Brisbane and on the Gold Coast from 4-15 April. 

Australian Team Chef de Mission Steve Moneghetti welcomed the athletes on to the Australian Team.

“We enjoyed strong success at Glasgow 2014 from the Cycling team, so with the depth and experience we have in this team we look forward to more success at Gold Coast 2018,” he said.

“The cycling program is an incredibly exciting one for fans, with competition at the new Anna Meares Velodrome, road cycling events that are free and open to all spectators and mountain biking at the Nerang trails.

“With many of these athletes spending a lot of time abroad, Gold Coast 2018 provides a unique chance for these athletes to compete in front of a home crowd,” Moneghetti said. 

With the announcement of the 36 cyclists today, the Australian Team currently numbers 222, or just under half the anticipated total of 470 athletes.

TEAM OVERVIEW

The men’s track endurance squad is replete with rainbow jerseys, with reigning team pursuit world champions Samuel Welsford, Kelland O’Brien, Leigh Howard, Alexander Porter and Nicholas Yallouris, plus individual pursuit world champion Jordan Kerby; named in their first Games’ team.  

Three-time world champion Leigh Howard will also debut, with eight-time world champion and triple 2010 Games Gold medallist Cameron Meyer rounding out the strong line up.  

Defending scratch race Gold medallist and dual world champion Annette Edmondson, dual 2014 Games medallist and world champion Amy Cure and 2010 representative Ashlee Ankudinoff will lead the women’s endurance squad. 
Dual world champion Rebecca Wiasak, Rio Olympian Georgia Baker and rising star Alexandra Manly all receive their first Commonwealth Games’ selections.

“It’s really not that often someone gets to represent their country in a home Commonwealth Games in their career, so for me, it’s something very special that I’ll never forget,” said Cure, a dual medallist from 2014. 

“(I am) super excited to have the team pursuit on the calendar at the Games. I’m really excited to see what the team can achieve; as one of our three Olympic events, it’s great to get another opportunity to race this race in front of big crowds.”

Australia’s sprint crew is awash with Commonwealth Gold with defending sprint champion Stephanie Morton to form a formidable women’s sprint duo with 2010 team sprint champion Kaarle McCulloch. 

2014 keirin Gold medallist Matthew Glaetzer will spearhead an impressive men’s sprint quartet with Rio Olympians Nathan Hart and Patrick Constable, and Jacob Schmid. 

A host of Australia’s WorldTour elite highlight the road selections, with reigning national champion Alexander Edmondson, 2006 Commonwealth Games road race Gold medallist Mathew Hayman, Steele Von Hoff, Mitchell Docker, Callum Scotson and Meyer, forming a versatile six-member men’s road squad.

“I have very fond memories of the 2014 Commonwealth Games from Glasgow, so I am really excited about lining up in the road race in 2018,” said Edmondson, who won Gold and Silver in the pursuit events on the track four years ago.
“Of course being a home games there’s a bit of added pressure, but we are going to have a home crowd cheering us on which is going to be huge.

“I’m really looking forward to the opportunity of racing in the green and gold on home soil!”

Triple world championship medallist and 2014 Commonwealth Bronze medallist Katrin Garfoot will head the six-member women’s team with reigning road national champion Shannon Malseed, dual national road champion Gracie Elvin and 2010 Games Bronze medallist Chloe Hosking, who gains a third team selection.

2010 team member Tiffany Cromwell returns while Sarah Roy makes her debut. 

“It's a bit of a pinch yourself moment,” said Hosking who becomes just the third Australian female cycling behind Anna Meares and Kathy Watt to be named to contest three Commonwealth Games. 
“To think I represented Australia at 20 in Delhi and I'm still racing and still getting stronger and still pulling on the green and gold. I would never have dreamt this growing up.”  

The Tandem Para-cycling selections are led by 2016 world champions Jessica Gallagher and Pilot Madison Janssen, while Bradley Henderson will make his debut with Pilot Thomas Clarke who won Bronze at the 2014 Games. 
2014 Bronze medallists and dual Olympians Daniel McConnell and Rebecca McConnell (nee Henderson) will contest the mountain bike cross-country competition.

“I'm very excited about the upcoming Games, to have a home Commonwealth Games is going to be a great experience,” said McConnell who grabbed a top ten finish at last year’s World Championships in Cairns. “I have pretty high expectations going into the Games.

“I really like the course, I think it suits my strength pretty well. I just want to get to the start line 100% fit and ready to go, if I can do that anything is possible.”
Similarly, Rebecca McConnell is hoping the home course advantage plays into her hands when she lines up against a world-class field.

“I have been fortunate enough to race on the course at the Nationals Series in January, it's a great course, with technical climbing and descending and the strongest rider will win,” said Henderson.  
“With world champions and World Cup winners in both the men's and the women's field the racing is going to be fast and exciting so we hope to see lots of spectators in April!”

Australia has enjoyed strong success at recent Games with a 24-medal haul including seven gold in Glasgow in 2014, and 21 medals (14 gold) in Delhi in 2010. 

Tickets still available to 12 sports across the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games competition schedule. 

Commonwealth Games Australian Cycling Team

ROAD

• Tiffany Cromwell                                
• Gracie Elvin                                       
• Katrin Garfoot                        
• Chloe Hosking                         
• Shannon Malseed*                
• Sarah Roy*                            
• Mitchell Docker*                     
• Alexander Edmondson                      
• Mathew Hayman                    
• Cameron Meyer                                 
• Callum Scotson*                                
• Steele Von Hoff*                    

MTB   

• Daniel McConnell                              
• Rebecca McConnell (nee Henderson)

TRACK ENDURANCE          

• Ashlee Ankudinoff     
• Georgia Baker*
• Amy Cure       
• Annette Edmondson  
• Alexandra Manly*
• Rebecca Wiasak*      
• Leigh Howard*           
• Jordan Kerby*
• Cameron Meyer         
• Kelland O’Brien*
• Alexander Porter*      
• Samuel Welsford*      
• Nicholas Yallouris*    

TRACK SPRINT

• Kaarle McCulloch      
• Stephanie Morton 
• Patrick Constable*     
• Matthew Glaetzer 
• Nathan Hart   
• Jacob Schmid*           

PARA TRACK (TANDEMS)

• Jessica Gallagher* / Madison Janssen* - Pilot         
• Bradley Henderson* / Thomas Clarke - Pilot

​* Commonwealth Games debutant

Cycling Australia (CA) is proud to announce the Australian Cycling Team. The name ‘Australian Cycling Team’ will now be used to encompass the national squad athletes, coaches and performance support staff, previously branded the CA High Performance Unit, or HPU. 

The 55-strong group of Olympic and Paralympic cycling discipline athletes will receive program support for Track and Para, and Individual Athlete Performance Support (IAPS) for Road and BMX, and form the core group from which CA launches its Tokyo 2020 attack.

Meet the Athletes:  Track  |  Road  |  BMX  |  Para-cycling

Athletes named in the Australian Cycling Team have achieved, or have the potential to achieve, success at the highest level and are acknowledged and supported under the Australian Sports Commission’s athlete categorisation guidelines as Podium Potential or above. Specifically, the team consists of 22 Track athletes, 15 Para (Track & Road), 13 Road and five BMX athletes (4 Super-cross and 1 Freestyle), with an Olympic and Paralympic event focus.

CA’s Performance Director, Simon Jones, said that the new name (Australian Cycling Team) explains more simply what we are, and what we are about, and provides a clear destination for those further down the athlete pathway to aspire towards.

“The Australian Cycling Team is a group of world-class athletes who have achieved success at the highest level, or who are on their way, with huge potential. Being part of the team means that they will be supported with the best possible coaching and performance support they need to achieve their goals.

“Underpinning the team is our national high performance network of state institutes and state bodies, which will continue to play a key role in the athlete pathway by identifying and supporting a further 74 Emerging and Developing international athletes with the objective of preparing them for a successful progression into the Australian Cycling Team, based at the Adelaide Super-drome.”

Athletes in the Australian Cycling Team may receive a range of individualised performance support services, such as:

• Performance coaching
• Performance support, including medical, physical therapies and performance specialists (strength and power, nutrition, biomechanics, skill acquisition, engineering and technology, physiology, psychology / behaviours)
• Training facilities and equipment
• Travel and logistics
• Financial support from the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) via dAIS performance-based support and the Australian Cycling Team athlete living support and / or Individual Athlete Performance Support (IAPS), and Personal Excellence (off-bike endeavours)

Athletes can also receive financial support from the AOC Medal Incentive Fund, which is performance-based funding following podium performances in Olympic disciplines at identified benchmark competitions

Jones said it was important to note that inclusion in the Australian Cycling Team does not provide automatic selection to World Championships, Commonwealth Games, Olympic or Paralympic teams.

“Those opportunities still have to be earned, according to the respective discipline selection criteria” Jones said.

“We want a supportive yet challenging environment that sees athletes reaching their potential and achieving their goals and dreams. We want a system that provides upward pressure for limited places in the Podium categories from the athlete pathway which is supported by our state institutes and state sporting body partners that make up the High Performance Network, and by BMXA and MTBA.

The new Australian Cycling Team provides a clear destination for the Emerging and Developing athletes in the high performance network to aspire to be part of the next generation of champions.

The announcement of the team has been supported by the release of a number of new documents and collateral, and a dedicated Australian Cycling Team website.

The Performance 1st summary sets out the team’s gold medal targets, and the performance and operational support that the athletes will have access to.

The Australian Cycling Team High Performance Plan provides a one-page summary of the key elements of the Australian Cycling Team Strategy 2020 – 24, delivered by Simon Jones in October 2017. A dedicated website features profiles of the selected athletes along with updated Australian Cycling Team Discipline Specific Selection Criteria for all the key events of the year, including timelines for selection period, appeals process and team announcements.

CA’s Australian Cycling Team Strategy 2020 – 24 prioritises resources into Olympic and Paralympic cycling events and athletes with the desire and capability to perform at a world-class level. Aside from any funding or investment obligations, the Olympics and Paralympics are the world’s biggest multi-sport events and give us the chance to inspire and capture the imagination of a huge audience, including the future stars of our sport.