World track sprinting queen Anna Meares will lead a team of 41 Australian cyclists at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
Meares will join Kathy Watt as the only Australian women cyclists to ride at four Commonwealth Games.
The London Olympics sprint gold medallist has six Commonwealth Games medals, including four gold, and is on the verge of passing Watt’s seven podium finishes, which also feature four wins.
Rising star Caleb Ewan, all-rounder Simon Clarke and Mark Renshaw are the biggest names in the seven-rider men’s road race team.
Other prominent riders such as Simon Gerrans, Richie Porte and Michael Rogers will not back up at the Games after riding in the Tour de France.
The Tour ends on July 27, with the Games individual time trial on July 31 and the Games road race on August 3.
Luke Durbridge, Rohan Dennis and Michael Hepburn are all potentially medal contenders for the time trial.
Nathan Haas, who has just finished the Giro d’Italia for the first time, will also ride in the men’s road race.
Australia dominated cycling at the 2010 Games in Delhi, winning 14 of a possible 18 gold medals and 21 medals in total.
The track team set five Commonwealth records.
Other features of the Glasgow cycling team include:
* Shane Perkins, a controversial figure at the Delhi Games, will be one of the riders to beat in men’s track sprinting at Glasgow. He apologised after flipping the bird to track officials following his disqualification from the keirin. Perkins is also the reigning Commonwealth sprint champion.
* Tiffany Cromwell, time trial specialist Shara Gillow and Australian champion Gracie Elvin are in the women’s road team along with 2010 Games bronze medallist Chloe Hosking, Katrin Garfoot and Melissa Hoskins.
* As a member of the women’s track endurance squad as well, Hoskins will be the only Australian cyclist competing in two disciplines at Glasgow.
* One of the highlights of the Games cycling will be the men’s team pursuit, where Australia are world champions. Two-time Olympian Jack Bobridge returns to the track to boost a powerful squad that also includes world champions Alex Edmondson, Glenn O’Shea and Luke Davison as well as Scott Sunderland.
* Tandem para-cycling will debut at the Games. Seven-time Paralympian Kieran Modra will have 2010 team sprint Commonwealth Games gold medallist Jason Niblett as his pilot. Two-time world and reigning Paralympic champion Felicity Johnson is another well-credentialled team member and Holly Takos will be her pilot.
* London Olympians Dan McDonnell and Rebecca Henderson will lead the mountain bike team.
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