Matthews, Ewan, and Hosking to lead Australia’s Road Worlds team
Matthews, Ewan, and Hosking to lead Australia's Road Worlds team
Michael Matthews, Caleb Ewan, and Chloe Hosking will spearhead Australia’s campaign at the 2021 Road World Championships in Flanders next month.
Matthews – road race silver medalist in 2015 – and Ewan will lead an eight-rider men’s team for the 268 km road race which features some 42 climbs and roughly 2,500 metres of vertical gain. Joining Matthews and Ewan will be Luke Durbridge, Miles Scotson, Nick Schultz, Harry Sweeny, Rob Stannard, and Nathan Haas.
Fresh off a stage victory at the Ladies Tour of Norway – her first race post-COVID – Hosking will spearhead a seven-rider women’s squad that also includes two-time Worlds medalist Amanda Spratt, Tiff Cromwell, national champion Sarah Roy, Lauretta Hanson, Brodie Chapman, and Jess Allen. The women’s road race will be contested over 156 km with 20 climbs and just over 1,000 metres of elevation gain.
“The World Championship course in the Flanders region of Belgium will provide for a challenging and exciting race,” said Rory Sutherland, elite road coordinator for the Australian Cycling Team. “The 2021 Australian team is a unique combination of experienced veterans and debutant athletes from the rising generation, and we feel confident this combination will lead to a positive outcome.
“We are excited our talented U23 riders will now have the opportunity to compete on the world stage after a year pause due to COVID-19. It’s incredibly important to the future of AusCycling and the development of our next crop of Australian riders.”
Jarrad Drizners, Jensen Plowright, and Alastair MacKellar will represent Australia in the U23 men’s race, while new Ineos Grenadiers recruit Luke Plapp and Carter Turnbull will race in the U23 men’s time trial. It’s not yet clear who will race in the elite men’s and women’s time trials.
The 2021 Road World Championships will be held from September 19-26, starting with the elite men’s individual time trial.
Australian team for the 2021 Road Worlds
Men’s road race
- Michael Matthews, ACT
- Caleb Ewan, NSW
- Luke Durbridge, WA
- Miles Scotson, SA
- Nicholas Schultz, QLD
- Harry Sweeny, QLD
- Robert Stannard, NSW
- Nathan Haas, ACT
Women’s road race
- Chloe Hosking, ACT
- Tiffany Cromwell, SA
- Amanda Spratt, NSW
- Sarah Roy, NSW
- Lauretta Hanson, VIC
- Brodie Chapman, VIC
- Jess Allen, WA
U23 men’s road race
- Jarrad Drizners, SA
- Jensen Plowright, VIC
- Alastair MacKellar, QLD
U23 men’s time trial
- Lucas Plapp, VIC
- Carter Turnbull, VIC