ARA Australian Cycling Team named for Gravel World Championships

National champion Courtney Sherwell will lead a 15-strong ARA Australian Cycling Team when they compete at the 2024 UCI Gravel World Championships from October 5-6 in Belgium.

Bendigo native Sherwell will be joined by fellow Victorians Sarah Gigante and Neve Bradbury, who were selected as wildcard entries.

Nicole Frain and Tiffany Cromwell both earned their selection through the UCI Gravel World Series in Scotland, Sweden, Belgium and South Africa, while Brianna Samuhel qualified with her 10^th place finish at Gravelista.

Nine Aussies will take their place on the start line in the elite men category.

Kobe Hetherington, Tom Chester, Ben Spenceley, Matthew Shepard and race winner Connor Sens qualified via Gravelista earlier this year, while Oliver Stenning earned selection with a fourth place finish at Seven in Western Australia.

Internationally based Australians Freddy Ovett and Nathan Haas secured their place on the team via The Gralloch race in Scotland.

Current elite men's national champion Brendan Johnston was an automatic selection but elected not to compete in Belgium.

Australia qualified 35 athletes for the UCI Gravel World Championships which includes automatic qualification for national champions, with 20 Australians competing in the age group categories.

2024 UCI Gravel World Championships journeys from Halle to Leuven through the Brabantse Wouden National Park, a unique landscape with old forest cores and open landscapes. The women’s course covers 134km while the men race over a 181km distance.

The team was selected according to AusCycling’s selection policies.

More information on the 2024 UCI Gravel World Championships, including the event schedule, can be found on the event website HERE.

ARA Australian Cycling Team to compete at 2024 UCI Gravel World Championships

Elite Men

Laurens Black (ADF Cycling Club)
Tom Chester (Canberra Cycling Club)
Nathan Haas
Kobe Henderson (Bendigo & District Cycling Club)
Freddy Ovett
Connor Sens (Bendigo & District Cycling Club)
Matthew Shepherd (Perth MTB Club)
Ben Spenceley (Lidcombe Auburn Cycle Club)
Oliver Stenning (Sunshine Coast Cycling Club) 

Elite Women

Neve Bradbury (St Kilda Cycling Club)
Tiffany Cromwell (Norwood Cycling Club)
Nicole Frain (Hobart Wheelers Dirt Devils)
Sarah Gigante (Brunswick Cycling Club)
Brianna Samuhel (Parklife Cycling Club)
Courtney Sherwell (Bendigo Mountain Bike Club)