The Australian Olympic Committee has announced the latest nine cyclists selected to the team for Tokyo, eight road cyclists and a track endurance rider, headlined by four-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist Cameron Meyer.
As the Tokyo Olympics rapidly approach, Australia’s best cyclists have been selected to represent the green and gold on the roads of Japan, where three Commonwealth Games Australia alumni feature in the road lineup.
Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games individual time trial gold medallist Cameron Meyer heads to his second Olympics, after debuting on the track at the Beijing 2008 Olympics.
Meyer, who earlier in his career split his time on the roads and the velodrome, winning three track cycling gold medals at the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games, has shifted his focus to the roads with great success.
A former Tour de France team time trial stage winner, Meyer is the defending National Road Race champion.
He is joined on the team by Glasgow 2014 time trial silver medallist and two-time time trial world champion Rohan Dennis and dual world championship medallist Amanda Spratt, who are both heading to their third Olympics.
Richie Porte, who reached the podium at the 2020 Tour de France, heads to his second Games, while two-time Commonwealth Games representative Tiffany Cromwell joins Grace Brown, Sarah Gigante and Jack Haig in make their Olympic debut.
Track endurance rider Alexandra Manly will also make her Olympic debut after being selected to the team, Manly was part of the gold medal-winning 4000m Team Pursuit team at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.
It was a special selection for Cromwell who makes her Olympic debut after missing out on selection at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Games.
She will serve as the road captain for the team, a similar role she served at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games for the Australian team which resulted in Chloe Hosking winning gold in the road race.
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Chef de Mission of the Australian Olympic Team Ian Chesterman welcomed the new additions to the team.
“Congratulations to all the cyclists selected today for the Australian Olympic Team for Tokyo,” Mr Chesterman said to the AOC.
“The Team includes a vast array of experience and success at the highest levels, which will prove invaluable as they take on the best in the world in Tokyo.
“The road cyclists are all currently training and racing in challenging conditions around the world, and today’s selection is testament to the incredible effort and determination they have shown throughout their riding careers.
“While it’s a great day for the athletes, it’s also a day of celebration for the families, friends, supporters, teammates and coaches who have helped them achieve their Tokyo Olympic milestone. Thank you to Aus Cycling and all of the sport institutes who have helped train and develop these athletes to help bring the athletes to the level they are at today.
The new selections bring the number of selected athletes in the Australian Olympic Team to 111 of an expected 450-480, this number includes 53 Commonwealth Games Australia Alumni members set to compete in Tokyo.
Australian road cyclists selected to the Australian Olympic Team for Tokyo
| Name | Events | Age | State | Olympic Games Experience | Commonwealth Games Experience |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grace Brown | Time Trial, Road Race | 28 | VIC | Debut | |
| Tiffany Cromwell | Road Race | 32 | SA | Debut | 2014 – Road Race – 4th; 2018 – Road Road – 6th |
| Rohan Dennis | Time Trial | 30 | SA | 3rd (2012, 2016) | 2010 – Road Race – DNF, Individual Time Trial – 6th; 2014 – Road Race – DNF, Individual Time Trial – Silver |
| Sarah Gigante | Time Trial, Road Race | 20 | VIC | Debut | |
| Jack Haig | Road Race | 27 | VIC | Debut | |
| Cameron Meyer | Road Race | 33 | WA | 2nd (2008) | 2010 – 4000m Team Pursuit – Gold, Points Race – Gold, Scratch Race – Gold; 2018 – Track - Points Race – 4th, Scratch Race – 10th, Road – Individual Time Trial - Gold |
| Richie Porte | Road Race | 36 | TAS | 2nd (2016) | |
| Amanda Spratt | Road Race | 33 | NSW | 3rd (2012, 2016) |
Australian track cyclists selected to the Australian Olympic Team for Tokyo – Alexandra Manly selected today, joining other track riders who were selected March 2020
| Name | Events | Age | State | Olympic Games Experience | Commonwealth Games Experience |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashlee Ankudinoff | Endurance | 30 | NSW | 2nd (2016) | 2010 – 3000m Individual Pursuit; 2018 – 3000m Individual – 4th, Scratch Race – 17th, 4000m Team Pursuit - Gold |
| Georgia Baker | Endurance | 26 | TAS | 2nd (2016) | 2018 - Points Race - 11th |
| Annette Edmondson | Endurance | 29 | SA | 3rd (2012, 2016) | 2014 – Scratch Race – Gold, Individual Pursuit – Silver; 2018 – Team Pursuit – Gold; Individual Pursuit – Bronze |
| Matthew Glaetzer | Sprint | 28 | SA | 3rd (2012, 2016) | 2014 – Keirin – Gold, Team Sprint – Bronze, Sprint – 5th; 2018 – 1km Time Trial – Gold, Keirin – Gold, Team Sprint – Bronze |
| Nathan Hart | Sprint | 2nd (2016) | 2014 – Team Sprint – Bronze; 2018 – Team Sprint – Bronze | ||
| Leigh Howard | Endurance | Debut | 2018 – 4000m Team Pursuit – Gold, Points Race – 21st, Scratch Race – DNF | ||
| Alexandra Manly | Endurance | Debut | 2018 – 4000m Team Pursuit – Gold, Points Race – 4th | ||
| Kaarle McCulloch | Sprint | 2nd (2012) | 2010 – Team Sprint – Gold, 500m Time Trial – Silver, Sprint – DQ; 2018 – Team Sprint – Gold, 500m Time Trial – Gold, Keirin – Silver, Sprint – Bronze | ||
| Kelland O'Brien | Endurance | Debut | 2018 – 4000m Team Pursuit – Gold, Points Race – 8th | ||
| Luke Plapp | Endurance | Debut | |||
| Maeve Plouffe | Endurance | Debut | |||
| Alexander Porter | Endurance | Debut | 2018 – 4000m Team Pursuit – Gold | ||
| Matthew Richardson | Sprint | Debut | |||
| Sam Welsford | Endurance | 2nd (2016) | 2018 – 4000m Team Pursuit – Gold, Scratch Race – Gold |
