Cycling New Zealand has selected a nine-strong group of promising teenagers to compete in the UCI Track Cycling Junior World Championships in South America in August.
The eight endurance riders and one sprinter show the spread of cycling talent throughout New Zealand with riders from Southland, Otago, Canterbury, Manawatu, Waikato and Auckland.
Half of the team won individual Oceania Championship titles and eight of the team won medals at the Oceania or Australian Championships, as well as dominating at the nationals.
“This is an encouraging group of young riders with five of them first-year juniors who could compete again next year,” said Cycling New Zealand’s Graeme Hunn.
“After the disruptions with Covid, this year we have had the benefit of returning to competition across the Tasman, which has provided a solid litmus test for our riders, and also some understanding of international competition before they travel.”
The only rider back from last year is Feilding’s Georgia Simpson, who competed at the junior worlds in Israel last year. She won two medals at the Oceania championships in the points race and madison, and joined in endurance competition with Meg Baker (Christchurch), who won four national titles, and Caitlin Kelly (Invercargill) who won two medals at the Oceanias as well as the national omnium and elimination titles.
The sole sprinter is outstanding Auckland prospect Jodie Blackwood, who won the sprint title at the both the Oceania and Australian Championships along with silver in the time trial at the Oceanias, as a first-year rider at under-19 level.
The male endurance squad is headed by exciting Southland prospect Marshall Erwood who took out four Oceania titles in the time trial, elimination scratch race and Madison.
Dunedin’s James Gardner won the Oceania honours in the points race and is a triple national champion in pursuit, omnium and points.
The trio of Matthew Davidson (Christchurch), Austin Norwell (Auckland) and Magnus Jamieson (Invercargill) complete the endurance team, picking up eight medals between them at the Oceania championships.
The team will be headed by lead coach Elyse Fraser along with Andrew Williams (men’s endurance) and the national assistant sprint coach Fionn Cullinane. The group will be managed by former Olympian Rushlee Buchanan.
The team to compete in the UCI Track Cycling Junior World championships in Cali, Colombia from 23-27 August is:
Female: Meg Baker (Christchurch), Jodie Blackwood (Auckland), Caitlin Kelly (Invercargill), Georgia Simpson (Feilding). Male: Matthew Davidson (Christchurch), Marshall Erwood (Invercargill), James Gardner (Dunedin), Magnus Jamieson (Invercargill), Austin Norwell (Auckland).
Coaches: Elyse Fraser (Christchurch) lead & female endurance; Andrew Williams (Christchurch) male endurance; Fionn Cullinane (Cambridge) sprint; Rushlee Buchanan (Cambridge) manager.