Australia’s best cyclists are on their way to Birmingham to take on the Commonwealth

Sprint star Caleb Ewan heads a hot squad of 34 cyclists wheeling towards golden glory for Australia at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games beginning in late July.

A winner of five individual stages in the Tour de France, the aptly nicknamed “Pocket Rocket” is an explosive sprinter heading to his second Commonwealth Games after debuting in Glasgow in 2014.

The well-balanced Australian squad of Para and able-bodied cyclists, featuring 23 Team Members making their Games debut, and is tipped to thrive against top-flight riders from around the Commonwealth in cycling events which will be split between Birmingham and London.

Australia’s cyclists were dominant at the Gold Coast Games in 2018, claiming 14 golds from 23 medals won overall in 26 events. But this time England especially will provide formidable opposition with their familiarity with the courses where the cycling events will be held.

Adelaide’s Matthew Glaetzer and Rohan Dennis, along with Daniel McConnell from Canberra, are competing in their third Commonwealth Games.

Caleb Ewan, 27, is in the midst of a busy season after stating his desire to represent Australia in Birmingham following success in southern France earlier this year. He recently rode in the Giro d’Italia, another of road racing’s prestigious Grand Tours, and will look to star again in his fourth Tour de France, which begins on July 1, before heading to the United Kingdom for the Commonwealth Games.

Matthew Glaetzer is aiming for a hat-trick of Commonwealth Games gold medals in the Keirin after success at Glasgow in 2014 and the Gold Coast four years ago.

The 29-year-old sprinter, who has overcome thyroid cancer to return to international racing, also won the one-kilometre time trial on the Gold Coast. After winning the Keirin at the Australian Championships three months ago, he said he was still feeling some discomfort but looking forward to peaking in Birmingham.

“It doesn’t feel like I am at my best yet. I’m in a lot of pain all the time, but I am going fast, so I can’t complain,” Glaetzer said.

“This is really just the first competition as I’m building into the season, so it is very encouraging to have such strong results very early.”

Alexandra Manly, 26, originally from Kalgoorlie and now living in Adelaide, is part of the Australian women’s road team after debuting on the Gold Coast four years ago on the track and taking gold in the women’s team pursuit.

“It’s an honour to be selected in the Australian Team for the Birmingham Games. It came as surprise, but I am very excited about the opportunity,” Manly said.

“Winning gold in the team pursuit at the Gold Coast Games will always be one of my fondest memories. To be selected in my second games is super special and this is my first Australian road team I’ve been selected in.”

Manly will ride alongside Grace Brown, Brodie Chapman, Ruby Roseman-Gannon and Sarah Roy in the women’s road race team, who looking to add to Australia’s golden history in the event, with Aussie riders winning gold at three of the last four Commonwealth Games.

On the boards of the velodrome, emerging star Maeve Plouffe is becoming a force. The 22-year-old has been in superb form this season and recently won a gold medal at the UCI Track Nations Cup in Canada. Balancing university studies with her cycling career, Plouffe showed great endurance in Canada and is confident of further improvement for her Commonwealth Games debut in Birmingham.

Geelong’s Jessica Gallagher, 36, continues to display her immense sporting talents being named to her second Commonwealth Games, another chapter in her illustrious career. Legally blind due to Best's disease, a rare condition, Gallagher started to lose her eyesight when she was a teenager bringing a premature end to her promising netball career.

However, upon discovering Para-sport, Gallagher excelled, going on to represent Australia in alpine skiing at the Winter Paralympics winning bronze medals at the Vancouver 2010 and Sochi 2014 Games, representing Australia in athletics at the London 2012 Summer Paralympics, before turning to Para-cycling. Her bronze medal victory in Para-cycling at the Rio 2016 Paralympics, meant Gallagher became the first Australian athlete to win medals at both a Summer and Winter Paralympics.

She then went on to compete at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, finishing second in the women’s Tandem 1000m Time Trial and Tandem Sprint events at the Games, she’s now looking to be bold in gold in Birmingham.

“It’s incredibly exciting. When I made the decision to return to cycling it was for the opportunity to represent Australia at the Commonwealth Games,” Gallagher said.

“I’ve been extremely fortunate to find a wonderful tandem pilot, Caitlin Ward and be able to return to an environment with our coaching and support staff that has been so supportive. Being selected to represent Australia, like any athlete is a pinnacle of your career. It’s a reflection of the hard work and dedication to showcase what can be achieved.“

Commonwealth Games Australia Team Chef de Mission Petria Thomas OAM said the powerful cycling squad was one of the nation’s favourite teams. She is looking forward to their deeds in track and road cycling as well as on the mountain bike.

“This team includes returning Commonwealth Games gold medallists and highly experienced Australian representatives, as well as a group of talented cyclists making their debut and ready to take on the Commonwealth’s best at the Birmingham Games,” Thomas said.

“I know that they all will be working hard between now and the Games, ready to be bold, brave and brilliant in Birmingham. I wish them all the best for their preparations and competition, and hope they know we are all behind them.”

AusCycling CEO Marne Fechner knows the Cycling Team Members are ready to be bold, brave and brilliant in Birmingham.

“2022 has been a massive year for Australian cycling, and I’ve no doubt that the 34 athletes selected to the Australian Commonwealth Games team will make us proud and inspire the next generation of riders.

“It’s exciting to have a team that features such a strong mix of debutants and experienced athletes, who I know will wear the green and gold with passion and pride in Birmingham.

“I want to congratulate the athletes on their selection and thank Commonwealth Games Australia for their support over this Commonwealth Games cycle.”

Track cycling made its’ debut at the second edition of the Games in 1934 in London and has been on the program at every Games since. Track cycling at Birmingham 2022 will be held at The Lee Valley Velopark which was built for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Matthew Glaetzer can join an elite group of riders by becoming just the fourth track rider to win three consecutive gold medals in the same event at the Commonwealth Games after fellow Australians Gary Neiwand (sprint 1986, 1990, 1994), Brad McGee (individual pursuit 1994, 1998, 2002) and Anna Meares (time trial 2006, 2010, 2014).

Australia is aiming to continue its seven Games streak since Victoria 1994 as the top-ranked nation in track cycling at the Commonwealth Games.

Road racing is one of the toughest events at the Commonwealth Games with riders competing at the absolute limit of physical endurance just to get through the race. The men’s and women’s road races are mass start races with approximately 120 riders (men) and 50 riders (women).

The men’s road race traditionally has the highest number of entries of any individual event at a Commonwealth Games. The time trial’s status as a race that the rider contests alone has earned it the moniker ‘The race of truth’. Road cycling debuted at the Sydney 1938 British Empire Games. Australia will be looking to repeat their clean sweep of all four road cycling events at the last Games on the Gold Coast in 2018.

An area of outstanding natural beauty will give way to high-octane, thrill-a-minute drama during the mountain biking competition at Birmingham 2022. A cross-country course that includes a variety of terrain such as road sections, technical descents, steep climbs and single track awaits the competitors.

From a mass start, riders compete over a distance of 40 to 50kms for men and 30 to 40kms for women, comprising laps of between 4km and 6km. The first rider to cross the finish line is the gold medal winner. Mountain bike is the only cycling discipline in which Australia has never won a gold medal.

AusCycling EGM: Performance, Jesse Korf commented on the absence of Rebecca McConnell.

‘’The Commonwealth Games are wedged between two North American World Cups. Due to Rebecca's exceptional riding, she is placed first in the overall World Cup classification and this presents a conflict of schedule," Korf said.

"Bec loves to represent the Green and Gold and we are proud to see her perform at such a high level. Competing in the Commonwealth Games, however, would mean missing a World Cup and risking her standing in the overall standings.

"So for that reason, she indicated she would forego nomination. We are supportive of the decision given the opportunity she has, and look forward to seeing her in the green and gold in the future."

The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games will be held from Thursday 28 July to Monday 8 August. The Track Cycling events to take place at Lee Valley Velopark in London from Friday 29 July through to Monday 1 August.

The Mountain Bike events to take place Cannock Chase Forest on Thursday 3 August, the Road Time Trial event to take place at West Park, Wolverhampton Thursday 4 August, the Road Race event to take place at St Nicholas Park, Warwick on Sunday 7 August.

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Australian Cycling Team – Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games:

Zoe Cuthbert	Women’s Mountain Bike Cycling	21	Debut	Watson	ACT	2602
Grace Brown	Women’s Road Cycling	29	Debut	Hawthorn	VIC	3122
Brodie Chapman	Women’s Road Cycling	31	Debut	Mt Glorious	QLD	4520
Alexandra Manly	Women’s Road Cycling	26	2nd (2018 – Gold: Women’s 4000m Team Pursuit)	Nairne	SA	5252
Ruby Roseman-Gannon	Women’s Road Cycling	23	Debut	Brunswick	VIC	3056
Sarah Roy	Women’s Road Cycling	36	2nd (2018 – 5th: Women’s Road Race)	St Leonards	Concord	NSW
Georgia Baker	Women’s Track Cycling – Endurance	27	2nd Games (2018 – 21st: Women’s Points Race)	Perth	TAS	7300
Kristina Clonan	Women’s Track Cycling – Sprint	24	Debut	Buderim	QLD	4556
Sophie Edwards	Women’s Track Cycling – Endurance	22	Debut	Tusmore	SA	5065
Jessica Gallagher	Women’s Para-Track Cycling – Tandem	36	2nd Games (2018 – 2nd: Women’s Tandem 1000m Time Trial & Women’s Tandem Sprint)	Seddon	VIC	3011
Breanna Hargrave	Women’s Track Cycling - Sprint	39	2nd Games (2014 – Bronze: Women’s Tandem 1000m Time Trial (Pilot) & Women’s Tandem Sprint (Pilot))	Crafers West	SA	5152
Alessia McCaig	Women’s Track Cycling – Sprint	19	Debut	Bendigo	VIC	3552
Chloe Moran	Women’s Track Cycling – Endurance	23	Debut	Rose Park	SA	5067
Maeve Plouffe	Women’s Track Cycling – Endurance	22	Debut	Rose Park	SA	5067
Alyssa Polites	Women’s Track Cycling – Endurance	19	Debut	Dandenong	VIC	3175
Caitlin Ward	Women’s Para-Track Cycling (Tandem Pilot)	28	Debut	Frankston South	VIC	3199
Sam Fox	Men’s Mountain Bike Cycling Men's Road Cycling	21	Debut	Trevallyn	TAS	7250
Daniel McConnell	Men’s Mountain Bike Cycling	36	3rd Games (2014 – Bronze: Men’s Mountain Bike; 2018 – 7th: Men’s Mountain Bike)	Coombs	ACT	2611
Rohan Dennis	Men’s Road Cycling	32	3rd Games (2010 – 6th: Men’s Individual Time Trial; 2014 – Silver: Men’s Individual Time Trial)	Vale Park	SA	5081
Caleb Ewan	Men’s Road Cycling	27	2nd (2014 – 12th: Men’s Road Race)	Moss Vale	NSW	2577
Luke Durbridge	Men’s Road Cycling	31	3rd Games (2010 – Bronze: Men’s Individual Time Trial, 11th: Points Race; 2014 - 9th: Men’s Individual Time Trial)	Greenmount	WA	6056
Miles Scotson	Men’s Road Cycling	28	2nd (2014 – 7th: Men’s Points Race)	Evanston Park	SA	5116
Tom Cornish	Men’s Track Cycling – Sprint	22	Debut	Menai	NSW	2234
Josh Duffy	Men’s Track Cycling – Endurance	21	Debut	Invermay	TAS	7248
Graeme Frislie	Men’s Track Cycling – Endurance	21	Debut	Bacchus Marsh	VIC	3340
Matthew Glaetzer	Men’s Track Cycling – Sprint	29	3rd (2014 – Gold: Men’s Keirin, Bronze: Men’s Team Sprint; 2018 – Gold: Men’s Keiren & 1000m Time Trial, Bronze: Men’s Team Sprint)	Paradise	SA	5075
Leigh Hoffman	Men’s Track Cycling – Sprint	22	Debut	Whyalla	SA	5600
Conor Leahy	Men’s Track Cycling – Endurance	23	Debut	Secret Harbour	WA	6173
James Moriarty	Men’s Track Cycling – Endurance	21	Debut	Carindale	QLD	4152
Luke Plapp	Men’s Track Cycling – Endurance	21	Debut	Maribyrnong	VIC	3032
Matthew Richardson	Men’s Track Cycling – Sprint	23	Debut	Warwick	WA	6024
Beau Wootton	Men’s Para-Track Cycling - Tandem	23	Debut	Aldinga Beach	SA	5173
Luke Zaccaria	Men’s Para-Track Cycling (Tandem Pilot)	29	Debut	Landsdale	WA	6065