British Cycling has confirmed the riders who will represent the country at the UCI Road World Championships in Copenhagen next week. Mark Cavendish, rumoured to be heading to Team Sky for 2012, is supported by six of its riders, plus Garmin Cervelo’s David Millar. The latter also contests the time trial, where he took silver last year, alongside Bradley Wiggins. Emma Pooley defends her rainbow jersey in the women’s time trial and also rides the road race alongside 2008 world champion Nicole Cooke.
Cavendish is bidding to become only the second British male professional cyclist to take the rainbow jersey in the road race, a feat achieved by the late Tom Simpson in 1965. Millar won the time trial world championship at Hamilton, Canada in 2003, but was stripped of his title after he was banned for doping.
With only two places available in the men's time trial, there's no place for Team Sky's Alex Dowsett, and the 22-year-old from Essex also misses out on a place in the road race team.
Besides Pooley and Cooke, the women's road race line-up also features 22-year-old Lizzie Armistead, a multiple world champion on the track and now also enjoying success since switching to the road, including a silver medal in the Commonwealth Games in Delhi last year behind Australia's Rochelle Gilmore.
The line-up confirmed by British Cycling for all events is shown below, and full details of next week’s championships can be found on the Copenhagen 2011 website.
Elite Men’s Road Race
Mark Cavendish
Steve Cummings
Chris Froome
Jeremy Hunt
David Millar
Ian Stannard
Geraint Thomas
Bradley Wiggins
Elite Men’s Time Trial
David Millar
Bradley Wiggins
Elite Women’s Road Race
Lizzie Armitstead
Katie Colclough
Nicole Cooke
Catherine Williamson (nee Hare)
Sharon Laws
Lucy Martin
Emma Pooley
Elite Women’s Time Trial
Emma Pooley
U23 Men’s Road Race
Mark Christian
Andy Fenn
Luke Rowe
Erick Rowsell
Scott Thwaites
Simon Yates
U23 Men’s Time Trial
Mark Christian
Junior Men’s Road Race
Owain Doull
Jon Dibben
Matthew Holmes
Sam Lowe
Alistair Slater
Junior Men’s Time Trial
Owain Doull
Jon Dibben
Junior Women’s Road Race
Elinor Baker
Hannah Barnes
Lucy Garner
Amy Roberts
Junior Women’s Time Trial
Elinor Barker
Hannah Barnes
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6 comments
Bad news about the regulations and Dowsett. He's on fire at the moment....
UCI Regs - riders aged under 23 who are signed to a UCI ProTeam can't compete in the under-23 events at the World Championships (though that doesn't apply to stagiaires who join team from 1 August-31 December)
I suspected there might be some rule or regulation intervening, thanks for confirming my suspicions, Simon
Nigel
As the point's been made about Alex Dowsett not being selected for either of the Mens Elite races, is there a reason why he's not been picked for U23 races either?
I've ridden it before and I just don't think it's steep enough for Gilbert. The finish gradient is not too dissimilar to last year's course in Oz really, and the rest of the course is flatter...Still Cav for me or maybe Hushovd again...
Outside tip for the rainbow jersey is Thomas.
Watching the video of the course, the last few k favours a classic rider. Gilbert will be the one to beat, but in the mix will be Thor, Cadel etc and Thomas.