Dinham, Edmondson late call-ups to race 'relentless' road Worlds course

Strong performances at the Tour de France have seen Matt Dinham and Alex Edmondson receive last-minute selection for the Australian Men's Road Race team at the 2023 World Cycling Championships in Glasgow.

Matthew Dinham

Matthew Dinham (dsm-firmtech) in action on the final ascent of Col du Grand Combier at the 2023 Tour de France. Source: AFP / ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT/AFP via Getty Images

Watch the UCI Cycling World Championships on SBS VICELAND and SBS On Demand from August 4-13, with track, road, mountain bike, and BMX events all LIVE and FREE to Australian audiences.

Late withdrawals from Caleb Ewan (Lotto Dstny) and Robert Stannard (Alpecin-Deceuninck) have seen dsm-firmtech teammates Dinham and Edmondson brought in to bolster the Australian men's road race team in Glasgow.

Stannard was forced to miss the World Cycling Champs due to a doping suspension. Ewan opted to sit out after his form wasn't where he wanted it to be in the lead-up to the high-stakes event.
"When we were talking to him [Ewan], he was talking about not being able to be at a hundred per cent," Australian team sports director Mathew Hayman said.

"To finish Tour de France and then prepare for a world title requires a fair bit of willpower and strength to get out there, get all that training done, and specific training for this world title.

"He just didn't feel like he was up to the level to be here and represent the team and decided to give the spot to somebody else who could."
Dinham and Edmondson were subbed in instead. Hayman praised Dinham's top 30 performance in Stage 1 of the Tour de France in his first year as a professional, as well as his season as a whole.

"He comes from a bit of a mountain biking background [and is] pretty good on the technical circuit. A deserved, deserved opportunity.

"He was always on our long list."

Like Dinham, Edmondson also raced his first Tour de France in July. Edmondson brings a wealth of experience to the team as an Australian representative at the Olympics and Commonwealth Games on the track.

"We felt like this circuit, particularly the technicalities in the final there with his lead-out skills and his ability to position would come in handy," said Hayman.

"So very good replacements!"

Dinham and Edmonson will race in the green and gold tonight (AEST) with Australian teammates Simon Clarke, Michael Matthews, Luke Durbridge, Lucas Plapp, Kaden Groves and Harry Sweeny.

Matthews will lead the team, hoping to go one place better than his silver medal at last year's World Road Race Championships in Wollongong.
"The circuit's just relentless," said Clarke when asked about the course.

"There's no real point where you'll be just sitting in and biding your time and waiting for the race to happen. I just can't see anywhere where you'll be able to really relax.

"As a result, it'll really become a race of attrition where you need to be able to take that load for the whole race without relaxing and then highlight where or when the critical moment is to push on and make a move or follow a move. Then stick it out to the finish.

"I think it's gonna be one of the harder Worlds we've seen in quite a while."

Share
Watch the FIFA World Cup 2026™, Tour de France, Tour de France Femmes, Giro d’Italia, Vuelta a España, Dakar Rally, World Athletics / ISU Championships (and more) via SBS On Demand – your free live streaming and catch-up service. Read more about Sport
Have a story or comment? Contact Us

Watch the FIFA World Cup 2026™, Tour de France, Tour de France Femmes, Giro d’Italia, Vuelta a España, Dakar Rally, World Athletics / ISU Championships (and more) via SBS On Demand – your free live streaming and catch-up service.
Watch nowOn Demand
Follow SBS Sport
3 min read
Published 6 August 2023 3:00pm
Updated 6 August 2023 5:04pm
By SBS Sport
Source: SBS


Share this with family and friends