Australia introduced its Paris Olympic Video games street and observe biking group on Saturday, with Grace Brown and Michael Matthews spearheading the squad for the lumpy, Classics type street races in Paris.
Simon Clarke and Luke Plapp shall be becoming a member of Matthews on the street. The twin Australian champion Plapp – who on the final Olympics was a part of the bronze medal profitable observe endurance squad – can be an apparent option to contest the time trial. Brown, who shall be trying to step up within the race in opposition to the clock, shall be joined within the street race by Australian champion Ruby Roseman-Gannon and the ever dependable domestique Lauretta Hanson.
“Tokyo was a particular expertise for me, however ending fourth within the particular person time trial left me with a need to go for extra,” mentioned Brown who has introduced her plans to retire from skilled biking on the finish of the yr. “I’ve massive targets in Paris and that’s to go after a medal on the primary day of competitors.”
The 32.4km males’s and girls’s time trials in Paris open the biking occasions on July 27 and the 273km lengthy males’s street race shall be on Saturday August 3 whereas the 158km girls’s street race is on Sunday August 4.
“For the street race, I am excited to hitch Lauretta and Ruby within the battle for one more nice end result,” mentioned Brown. “We’re a small group, however I imagine our particular person attributes actually complement one another, which is able to permit us to turn into favourites for the race.”
It will likely be a second Olympic Video games look for Brown, Clarke and Plapp whereas Roseman-Gannon, Hanson and Matthews shall be making their debut.
“It’s really an honour to signify Australia on the Olympics,” Matthews mentioned. “It’s been a dream of mine since I knew what the Olympics was.
“I’ve been shut to creating the group two occasions now and to have a course that fits me so effectively it’s a dream come true.”
Matthews and Brown have been apparent selections to guide the groups given their traits as riders and up to date outcomes. Brown is a two-time World Championship time trial silver medallist and in April claimed first at Liège-Bastogne-Liège whereas Matthews, who has taken 4 Tour de France levels by his profession, claimed second at Milan-San Remo in March. There was, nevertheless, fierce competitors for the remaining spots, with each the boys’s and girls’s street race squad qualifying for simply three riders, whereas the top-ranked groups have been entitled to 4.
The street and observe biking groups have been initially scheduled to be launched on Monday June 24 nevertheless have been delayed by an enchantment, although no additional data on the enchantment was given.
The observe biking runs from Monday August 5 to Sunday August 11, with Matthew Glaetzer lining up for his fourth Olympics as he races alongside Matthew Richardson, Leigh Hoffman and Kristina Clonan on the dash group.
Sam Welsford shall be taking over his third Olympics as a part of the observe endurance squad, after having taken bronze as a part of the group pursuit squad in Tokyo and silver in Rio. His Tokyo teammate Kelland O’Brien may even be returning whereas Conor Leahy and Oliver Bleddyn shall be rounding out the quartet as they make their debut.
Georgia Baker can be lining up on the Video games for a 3rd time as a part of the observe endurance squad alongside Alexandra Manly, Maeve Plouffe and a debuting Sophie Edwards and Chloe Moran.
The Australian BMX and mountain bike groups shall be introduced subsequent week.
Australian 2024 Olympic street and observe biking group
Street – girls
- Grace Brown
- Ruby Roseman-Gannon
- Lauretta Hanson
Street – males
- Michael Matthews
- Simon Clarke
- Luke Plapp
Observe endurance – girls
- Georgia Baker
- Alexandra Manly
- Maeve Plouffe
- Sophie Edwards
- Chloe Moran
Observe endurance – males
- Kelland O’Brien
- Sam Welsford
- Conor Leahy
- Oliver Bleddyn
Observe dash – girls
Observe dash – males
- Matthew Glaetzer
- Matthew Richardson
- Leigh Hoffman
