Ahead of the 2024 UCI Road World Championships, Cyclingnews is taking a deep dive into the key teams for the elite road races, starting with Australia.
History
It’s been some time since Australia has walked away from a UCI Road World Championships with an elite gold medal, as the nation hasn’t taken to the top step in the senior ranks at Road Worlds since the now-retired Rohan Dennis claimed the men’s time trial title in 2018 and 2019. Before that, it was Cadel Evans who in 2009 became the first Australian ever to win an individual elite road world title when he claimed the road race.
However, there is plenty of reason for hope that another could step up soon with the podium placings still flowing in recent years. Olympic gold medallist Grace Brown has led the way with her runner-up spots in the individual time trial in 2023 and 2022.
Michael Matthews, who claimed the U23 men’s world title back in 2010, has also been on the road race podium as recently as 2022 where he took third and it was also bronze in 2017 and silver in 2015, plus he was part of the third-place mixed time trial team in 2022. In the women’s elite road race, it has been Amanda Spratt who has ventured into the medals for the nation most recently, taking third in 2019 and second in 2018.
The junior ranks have been the strongest area for Australia in recent editions, with Oscar Chamberlain and Felicity Wilson-Haffenden sweeping up the U19 time trial rainbow stripes for the nation last year.
Line up
Elite women, road race – Neve Bradbury (eligible for U23), Grace Brown, Brodie Chapman, Sarah Gigante, Ruby Roseman-Gannon and Amanda Spratt
Elite women, time trial – Grace Brown, Brodie Chapman and Isabelle Carnes (eligible for U23)
Elite men, road race – Jack Haig, Jai Hindley, Michael Matthews, Ben O’Connor, Nick Schultz, Chris Hamilton, Michael Storer and Jay Vine
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Elite men, time trial – Jay Vine
U23 men, road race – Alastair Mackellar, Luke Tuckwell and Fergus Browning
U23 men, time trial – Hamish McKenzie and Patrick Eddy
Junior women – Lauren Bates and Emily Dixon
Junior men – Alex Eaves, Max Goold, Will Heath, Wil Holmes
Key Riders
The Australian men’s team at the Paris Olympic Games, which also included Michael Matthews and Ben O’Connor (Image credit: Ed Sykes/SWpix.com)
After winning gold at the Paris Olympic Games it is hard to look beyond Grace Brown as the focal point for the Australian team’s elite title hopes. No matter what happens in Zürich the Victorian has already delivered a spectacular farewell season but adding a rainbow jersey to the the two silver medals she has claimed in the time trial over the past two editions of the World Championships would make it the ultimate send-off.
Then there is also Michael Matthews, who didn’t have the Olympics he may have been hoping for but a third win at the Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec against a powerful field is a good indication that the rider who has risen to the podium on multiple occasions at the Road World Championships is heading toward Zürich with some powerful form. Should the 4,470m of elevation gain across the 273.9km be too much for Matthews, Australia has that base well covered between Ben O’Connor, Jai Hindley, Jack Haig and Jay Vine.
The options for Australia also extend beyond the elite ranks, with another strong time trial card in Hamish Mackenzie in the U23 men, the rider having taken bronze in the category in 2023. Then there is Neve Bradbury – who was on the Giro d’Italia Women’s podium and won the brutal Blockhaus stage – as while she’s clearly earned her place on the elite women’s team she is also still under-23 so qualifies for that title as well, which is awarded to the top participant from that category in the combined elite and U23 women’s road race.
Strengths
Between a golden effort at the Olympic Games and looming retirement, motivation and confidence couldn’t be much higher for Brown in the time trial. A final world title tilt could ratchet up the pressure, particularly given the 32-year-old has just been one step away from that coveted rainbow jersey the last two years, but after gold in Paris Brown is already walking away with nothing left to prove. Throw in Brodie Chapman, who has stepped onto four individual time trial podiums this season, as another challenger in the race against the clock plus Isabelle Carnes as a U23 option and the women’s time trial is an event not to miss for the Australian fans.
The punchy road race also offers another chance for Brown to deliver an attacking effort, much like the one that netted her Liège-Bastogne-Liège this year and she’ll have the experience of two former trade squad teammates, Amanda Spratt and Chapman, to call on for support. Plus the women’s team has its bases covered on the unpredictable course, with Ruby Roseman-Gannon a solid card if a reduced bunch sprint should eventuate while Neve Bradbury and Sarah Gigante will be at home on the climbs.
The elite men’s road race team is also big on options, with Matthews having proven just how strong he can be at the end of a testing day of racing once again in Canada and also having an impressive history of performing in the rainbow race. Still, if the amped-up level of climbing in Zürich proves a step too far, the alternatives are laid on thick given the squad has three riders who have stepped onto a Grand Tour overall podium in Hindley, O’Connor and Haig. They also have Vuelta a España mountains classification winner Jay Vine. The spread of options will keep the rivals guessing and with the likes of Tadej Pogačar and Remco Evenepoel as such strong favourites, the pressure is likely to go on other teams to control the race.
The U23 and junior men’s categories of the time trial are also areas where there are clear opportunities for Australia, with Hamish Mackenzie – who came second in the junior time trial in 2022 – stepping straight onto the podium when he made the move into the U23 ranks last year. With another year of experience and development with Hagens Berman Jayco and the shift to Jayco-AlUla slated for next year, he will likely be looking to shift up a step or two this time around. The junior category, where Australia swept up both time trial titles last year, also offers up another serious contender in Wil Holmes, who last month on the track set a new junior men’s 3,000m individual pursuit world record.
Weaknesses
The time trial may overall be a strength for the nation but in the men’s elite race against the clock, it hasn’t been at all smooth sailing. Luke Plapp, who had been laser focussed on the discipline through the season with Paris and Zürich in mind had a horrible crash in the Olympic Games race against the clock so ultimately had to bow out of the road race in Paris and was also later replaced on the World Championships squad. Jay Vine was next in line and while the 2023 Australian champion is clearly a worthy substitute, he certainly hasn’t had the opportunity to focus and build toward the time trial like his predecessor, as he suffered spinal injuries in a brutal crash in April. A Vuelta a España performance that left him with the polka-dot jersey is clear evidence of a strong bounce back but a question remains over how much of a toll the less-than-ideal season run-in will take during the 46.1km race against the clock.
In the elite road races, Australia have what is not so much a weakness to deal with, but a clear strength from their opposition to try and counter. In the women’s race year after year, no matter what the terrain, the Dutch are able to line up with a team full of potential winners such is the strength of that nation in women’s cycling. They have won six of the last eight world road race titles and with Demi Vollering leading the way look as strong as ever. In the men’s road race, the overwhelming issue is how to counter the strength of some stand-out individuals such as Tadej Pogačar (Slovenia) – who has already won both the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France this season and is now steaming toward a potential triple crown – and dual Paris gold medallist Remco Evenepoel (Belgium). Australia has a strong group of riders but, just as is the case for the vast majority of the peloton, the odds wouldn’t be in their favour when it comes to going toe to toe with Pogačar or Evenepoel.
The view from Australia
Australia – with its awkward middle of the night time zone for watching European-based cycling events – may have had its tolerance for late night cycling viewing stretched a little of late between the Olympic Games, where Brown probably prompted a few household waking shouts when she claimed gold, and Ben O’Connor’s tenacious effort to hold red at the Vuelta. Still, the powerful showing will have fanned hopes of more so many will be braving the overnight viewing once again.
Cycling may not be the biggest of draws in Australia but the nation which is prepared to deliver public holidays in honour of an Australian Rules Football final and a horse race is quick to get on board no matter what the sport if the country is on top. Given recent results, another work out for the coffee machine could help fuel some unforgettable cycling viewing. A rainbow jersey may even be enough to get cycling to break through onto the sports pages of the mainstream media in the midst of football finals fever.