Hosking, Neylan selected to ride in Bergen

Cycling Australia has been forced to add two women cyclists to their original selection of just five for the world road championships.

Australian cyclist Rachel Neylan

Rachel Neylan is a late addition to Australia's team for the UCI Road World Championships. (AAP) Source: Getty

Cycling Australia's decision to only pick five women for the world road championships has backfired.

After Chloe Hosking and Rachel Neylan won their appeals against the controversial selection call, the selectors decided to add them to the team.

It is a major win for the two cyclists, after considerable rancour in Australian cycling about the original decision.

As the No.3 ranked nation, Australia could send a full team of seven riders to next week's worlds in Bergen, Norway.
The 2017 UCI Road World Championships will be held in Bergen, Norway from 167-24 September and will be broadcast on SBS Viceland and streamed online.
But the selectors decided to only pick five, with new Cycling Australia high performance director Simon Jones defending it as going for quality over quantity.

A selection review panel upheld the cyclists' appeals on Wednesday, putting the matter back in Cycling Australia's court.

The national governing body decided to tell the selectors to pick a team of seven and, with time quickly running out before the worlds, Hosking and Neylan were added.

They will join original selections Gracie Elvin, Katrin Garfoot, Shara Gillow, Sarah Roy and Amanda Spratt.

Hosking tweeted "and then there were 7" and Neylan used social media to explain why she had appealed.

"Every organisation needs to constantly rejuvenate to improve ... I'm supportive of evolution," Neylan said.

"However this is about Australian women's road cycling, we have a team that can challenge for gold, we deserve the full opportunity to do that.

"I wanted to do all I could to respectfully put our case forward and give this team the optimal performance resource they deserve - a complete seven-rider selection.

"I am extremely proud today to be named ... (for) my fourth world championships in the green and gold alongside Kat, Sarah, Gracie, Shara, Amanda and Chloe."

Jones said with the worlds fast approaching, it is time to move forward and focus on the racing.

"I take this opportunity to welcome Chloe and Rachel to the team," he said in a CA statement.

"I'm also looking forward to sitting down and meeting the team face to face in Bergen and discussing my vision, ideas and plans for the future."

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2 min read
Published 15 September 2017 4:55am
Updated 15 September 2017 4:59am
By Cycling Central
Source: Cycling Central


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