Sophie Edwards (cycling) was elevated to the Australian endurance squad this year in time for her first Commonwealth Games. Edwards was another elite cyclist picked up by the Talent Identification Program by the South Australian Sports Institute. She used to ride with her Dad who worked as an accountant next to the velodrome and would drive 45 mins and back to take Edwards to train. Her breakthrough performance was a bronze medal at the 2018 World Junior Championships in the individual pursuit where she broke Amy Cure’s eight-year age group record. Solid performances on the road in Europe and the Tour Down Under – including a fifth-place finish on stage 2 this year – have cemented her as a rider to watch. Edwards has a Bachelor of Health and Medical Sciences from the University of Adelaide and is the women’s officer at the Adelaide Cycling Club where her aim is to promote more women to take up cycling.