Australian team for Para-cycling Road World Championships

Cycling Australia is pleased to announce the Cyclones team to contest the 2011 Para-cycling Road World Championships being staged in Roskilde, Denmark from 5 to 12 September 2011

At last year's championships Sue Powell claimed silver in the women's C4 time trial and bronze in the road race while Michael Gallagher was the silver medallist in the C5 time trial. Both hope to be on the podium again and their form so far this season indicates they are in the running.

"I will be pleased if our known performers like Sue and Michael can medal again but I am really looking for an overall improved performance across the board with everyone improving their results from last year," said Cycling Australia Para-cycling Performance Director, Peter Day.

Earlier this month Powell and Gallagher headlined the Australian team at the Sydney round of the UCI Para-cycling Road World Cupwhere the hosts collected five gold, six silver and five bronze medals from the 37 medal events contested. It was an impressive performance against the world's best and gave the riders valuable experience to use in their medal assault in Denmark.

"Whilst World Cups are always significiant to the individual rider and for qualification points the World Championships are two or three steps up the ladder in terms of intensity and the number of riders cabable of winning," said Day. "That means there is definitely more pressure on everyone competing."

In Sydney Powell won both the time trial and road race and Gallagher was second in both C5 events behind the reigning world champion. Victorian Carol Cooke, a recent convert to Para-cycling after a lengthy career in Para-rowing, impressed with victory in both T2 (tricycle) events. In the men's tandem road race Australia clinched gold and silver with Bryce Lindores and pilot Sean Finning edging out Kieran Modra and pilot Scott McPhee for the win.

Claire McLean collected two bronze medals and Tasmanian Ryan Hughes was third in the C4 road race while West Australian H3 hand cyclist Nigel Barley claimed silver in the time trial and bronze in the road race.

Local rider Jayme Paris was the only starter in the C1 classification in both the time trial and road race at the Sydney World Cup and so was not eligible for a medal.

But Paris hopes to win two gold medals next year in London to add to her bronze medal from the Beijing Paralympic Games.

Paris,Gallagher, McLean, Powell, Lindores, Finning, Modra, McPhee, Barley and Tripp are currently in Italy at the AIS European Training Centre preparing for the second round of the World Cup being raced in Segovia, Spain from where they hope to add valuable Paralympic qualification points to Australia's tally.

The Australian Team for the 2011 UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships is listed below.

• Carol Cooke (AUS19610806 Northcote VIC) T2

• Kerry Knowler (AUS19670826 Phillip ACT) Pilot O'Connor BW

• Melissa Leckie (AUS19840207 Collinswood SA) H2

• Claire Mclean (AUS19730704 Carlisle WA) C5

• Brandie O'Connor (AUS19731224 Phillip ACT) BW

• Jayme Paris (AUS19890427 Quakers Hill NSW) C1

• Susan Powell (AUS19670530 Melba ACT) C4

• Nigel Barley (AUS19740927 Parkerville WA) H3

• Sean Finning (AUS19850122 Castlemaine VIC) Pilot Lindores

• Michael Gallagher (AUS19781214 Sydenham VIC) C5

• Ryan Hughes (AUS19860604 East Launceston TAS) C4

• Bryce Lindores (AUS19860912 Nobby Beach QLD) BM

• Scott McPhee (AUS19920102 Wayville SA) Pilot Modra

• Kieran Modra (AUS19720327 Hallett Cove SA) BM

• Craig Parsons (AUS19650618 Attadale WA) H1

• Michael Taylor (AUS19681001 Bendigo VIC) H2

• Stuart Tripp (AUS19700613 Elwood VIC) H4