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.

Cycling Australia is pleased to announce a 16-rider team for the 2018 UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships to be held in Rio De Janeiro from 22-55 March 2018.

Reigning world champions Amanda Reid (NSW), David Nicholas (QLD) and Simone Kennedy (NSW) headline the team, which also features Paralympic champions and medallists.

2016 Paralympic Games silver medallists Alistair Donohoe (VIC) and Kyle Bridgwood (QLD) add experience to the team and will both be looking to reclaim world titles on the track.

Darcy Thompson (SA) receives his third national team selection, while Darren Hicks (SA) who claimed two medals at the Road World Championships earns his maiden selection on the track.

National champions Meg Lemon (SA), Emily Petricola (VIC) and Gordon Allan (NSW) will also feature.

2016 world champion and Paralympic bronze medallist Jessica Gallagher (VIC) will be looking to reclaim her sprint title with new Pilot Lara Tucker (QLD) as they eye the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

In the men's Tandem events Brad Henderson (SA) and Thomas Clarke (SA-Pilot) will contest the sprint events and Kieran Murphy (SA) and Lachlan Glasspool (SA-Pilot) the endurance races.

Australian Cycling Team for 2018 UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships
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• Gordon Allan (NSW-C2)
• Kyle Bridgwood (QLD-C4)
• Alistair Donohoe (VIC-C5)
• Jessica Gallagher (VIC) and Lara Tucker (QLD-Pilot)
• Brad Henderson (SA) and Thomas Clarke (SA-Pilot)
• Darren Hicks (SA-C2)
• Simone Kennedy (NSW-C3)
• Meg Lemon (SA-C4)
• Kieran Murphy (SA) and Lachlan Glasspool (SA-Pilot)
• David Nicholas (QLD-C3)
• Emily Petricola (VIC-C4)
• Amanda Reid (NSW-C2)
• Darcy Thompson (SA-C1)

Cycling Australia is pleased to announce an experienced four-rider team for the 2018 UCI Track World Championships to be held in Apeldoorn, Netherlands from February 28 - March 4 2018.
 
In line with the CA High Performance Strategy, the Commonwealth Games has been set as the benchmark event of the year, rather than Track Worlds, and this is reflected in the smaller than usual team for the event.
 
This is a one-off strategy for 2018, as the 2019/2020 Track Worlds will be part of Olympic qualification.
 
Dual 2017 silver medallist Stephanie Morton (SA) will line up in the sprint, keirin and 500m time trial looking to pull on the rainbow jersey following success at the opening round of the Tissot UCI Track World Cup and Oceania Track Championships.
 
2012 team sprint world champion and 2016 sprint silver medallist Matthew Glaetzer (SA) will tackle the sprint and keirin. As well as lining up in the 1km time trial, an event he became the first person to ride under one minute at sea level at the Manchester Track World Cup in November.
 
In endurance events eight-time world champion Cameron Meyer (WA) will defend his points race title while also partnering Callum Scotson (SA) in the Madison, as they look to improve on silver from a year ago. Scotson will also compete in the scratch race.
 
The four selected athletes competed in the first two UCI World Cups in Poland and Manchester targeting Olympic events, with Glaetzer winning men's sprint in Poland, Meyer and Scotson winning the men's Madison and Morton winning silver in the sprint and bronze in the keirin, and will head into the World Championships with confidence.
 
With the focus on the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games the team has been carefullly selected with individual and team long term goals in mind, and in alignment with Cycling Australia's 2020 strategy.
 
Australian Cycling Team for 2018 Track World Championships – Apeldoorn, Netherlands, Feb 28 - March 4 2018.
 
Stephanie Morton
Matthew Glaetzer
Cameron Meyer
Callum Scotson