An eight-strong cohort of track and road cyclists are set to don the green and gold of Australia at the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games.

Capturing the best young talent Australian cycling has to offer, the contingent includes several athletes set to start at the international double this year after their concurrent selection to the team bound for the 2023 UCI Junior Track World Championships.

That includes Lauren Bates and Keira Will, both named to compete in track and road events, who were part of the Women’s Team Pursuit team that won gold at the Oceania Track Cycling Championships recently.

Liliya Tatarinoff and Tayte Ryan, who are the reigning sprint and time trial national champions respectively, join Bates and Will in the velodrome, alongside Noah Blannin and Samuel McKee.

“I’m so excited for the opportunity to represent Australia at the Commonwealth Youth Games,” Ryan said.

“This will be my first appearance internationally and I’m eager to prove myself on the world stage.”

“To be able to represent Australia at a Commonwealth Youth Games is unreal. To say it is an honour is an understatement. Travelling to Trinidad and Tobago will be a once in a lifetime opportunity and I can’t wait for August to come.”

Nate Hadden and Will Heath, who will both compete in road events, complete the team of eight.

Donna Rae-Szalinski, AusCycling Director of Pathways (Performance), congratulated the selected athletes, while noting the opportunity the Games present.

“The Commonwealth Youth Games offer an excellent opportunity for our young cyclists to gain experience on an international scale,” Rae-Szalinski said.

“Competing in a multi-sport environment is a valuable addition, which will enhance the potential learning opportunities for our pathway athletes.”

The Cycling Road and Cycling Time Trial events will take place around the roads of Couva in Trinidad, showcasing the best of the island, while the Track Cycling takes place in the National Cycling Velodrome in Trinidad.