Commonwealth Games champions head NZ track cycling team for world championships

Commonwealth Games individual champions Aaron Gate, Ellesse Andrews and Bryony Botha head a 17-strong New Zealand track cycling team for the historic world championships in Glasgow.

They will be part of an ambitious plan by the sport’s ruling body, the UCI, to stage the world championships for 13 sports under its jurisdiction including Para-Cycling, over 11 days in and around Glasgow from August 2 to 9.

The world’s biggest cycling event will decide more than 200 rainbow jerseys over 13 world championships from seven different cycling disciplines.

The track world championships will also form a key qualification event for the 2024 Paris Olympics to add further status of the event.

Cycling New Zealand’s track team – named on Tuesday – is based on the successful group from last year’s Commonwealth Games where they secured a record 13 medals including eight gold medals.

Those gold medallists are all in the team for Glasgow aside from the retired Jordan Kerby and Corbin Strong, who is focussing on his WorldTour road opportunities this year.

The men’s endurance group is led by Aaron Gate – the first New Zealander to win four gold medals at the Commonwealth Games in 2022 – Campbell Stewart, George Jackson, Tom Sexton and Nick Kergozou along with the conditional return of Tokyo Olympic rider Regan Gough, after long-term injury.

Likewise the women’s endurance squad comprises Commonwealth Games medallists Botha, Michaela Drummond and Emily Shearman, with the addition of star prospect Ally Wollaston, who was a late injury-withdrawal last year. Highly promising Christchurch 21-year-old, Samantha Donnelly has also been added.

The successful women’s sprint trio of triple Commonwealth Games gold medallist Andrews, Olivia King and Rebecca Petch are joined with another welcome return from long-term injury in powerful sprinter Shaane Fulton.

In-form men’s sprinters Sam Dakin and the conditional inclusion of Callum Saunders round out the team.

“Overall it is a powerful and reasonably experienced squad. They are a tight-knit group who have enjoyed success together at the Commonwealth Games and Nations Cup, and have their sights fixed firmly on these championships as a key building block to the Paris Olympics,” said Cycling New Zealand high performance director, Ryan Hollows.

“This year we are aware that most of our endurance riders are coming straight out of professional road racing commitments in Europe but they have a 10-day track training block to fine-tune.

“They know each other well, and we are confident that they will knit together quickly when they come into the pre-event camp in Switzerland next month.

“There is a strong group of experienced riders and some exciting younger talent. It is going to be a massive couple of weeks in Scotland, and important for riders to focus on the job in hand despite the number of other world championships events in and around the city.”

The New Zealand track cycling world championship team is:

Men’s Sprint

Sam Dakin (Auckland), Callum Saunders (Marlborough) – conditional selection

Women’s Sprint

Ellesse Andrews (Canterbury), Shaane Fulton (Tasman), Olivia King (Waikato), Rebecca Petch (Waikato).

Men’s Endurance

Aaron Gate (Auckland), Regan Gough (Hawkes Bay) – conditional; George Jackson (Wellington), Nick Kergozou (Southland), Tom Sexton (Southland), Campbell Stewart (Manawatu). Keegan Hornblow (Tasman) – non-travelling reserve.

Women’s Endurance

Bryony Botha (Auckland), Samantha Donnelly (Canterbury), Michaela Drummond (Manawatu), Emily Shearman (Manawatu), Ally Wollaston (Waikato). Rylee McMullen (Waikato) – non-travelling reserve.