Mixture of Youth and Experience for
England Cycling Team for Melbourne Games
British Cycling's resident Aussie, Larry Hickmott, runs an eye over the England cycling team which will be heading to Melbourne early next year.
Update: Since the original press release, two riders have had to withdraw from the team. Bradley Wiggins has commitments in Europe at the same time as the Games and will be unable to compete in Melbourne. Ben Swift is another non-starter having injured his knee and despite surgery which appears to have fixed the problem, it was decided to let the injury heel properly instead of perhaps injuring it again in preparing for the Games.
It seems like no time at all since everyone in the UK was enjoying the glow of success that surrounded the highly acclaimed 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games. However early next year, the Commonwealth Games are back on the agenda for our top athletes and today (Mon 24th October), the England cycling team for the Melbourne Commonwealth Games has been released.
When preparing this article and looking through the photos from the last Games, all the emotion and excitement of 2002 came flooding back and reinforced to me just what a magic competition the Commonwealths is. Personally, that may be because, when I was growing up in Australia, the Commonwealth Games was always a big deal.
Certainly the rivalry between the "Home" nations of the UK and the former colonies, which make up the Commonwealth, is at its fiercest in the sporting arena (just think of the recent Ashes and British Lions battles). Plus, the Scots and Welsh in turn also enjoy their chance to take on the English, something they so rarely get the opportunity to do in Olympic sports like cycling.
I know from talking to Jason Queally, to name but one, that the accolades from success at the Games, ensure that most athletes on this side of the World will be prioritising the Commonwealths this year and placing them above even the World Championships.
OFFICIAL ENGLAND PRESS RELEASE
Team for Melbourne 2006
The Commonwealth Games Council for England has announced a 25-strong cycling team for Melbourne which is packed with Olympic, World and Commonwealth medallists. The England team includes double World Champion Rob Hayles and Sydney Olympic champion Jason Queally. 
Jason Queally (left), Gold medallist in the men's 1km time trial at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, is likely to renew his rivalry with Scot Chris Hoy in that event subject to Hoy's section for Scotland. Hoy won the 1km title in Athens and pipped Queally to gold at the Manchester 2002 Commonwealth Games. But Queally, riding better and faster than ever, took silver ahead of Hoy at the 2005 World Track Championships in Los Angeles in March and has already stated that his big aim this year is the Commonwealths.
As well as Queally, Jamie Staff the former BMX World Champion who trains in the USA - is also selected for Melbourne. Jamie struck gold in the Team Sprint in Los Angeles along with Hoy and Queally. Up and coming sprinter Matthew Crampton is also selected for England and is looking like he'll be the third rider in the Team Sprint. It promises to be a real battle for England between not only them and the Aussies but also the Scots, who could field Chris Hoy, Craig MacLean and Ross Edgar.
England can also field the team pursuit quartet that won gold at the World Track Championships, Steve Cummings, Rob Hayles, Paul Manning and Chris Newton all feature in the team for Melbourne. Add to that mixture Bradley Wiggins who rode the event for Great Britain in Athens, Ed Clancy who was also part of that World Championship winning team in Los Angeles and two youngsters, Junior World Champion Andrew Tennant and Ian Stannard, and you've got a potent squad. Competition for places in Melbourne in the England team is sure to intense and should enhance their chances of doing well there.
Stotfold's Victoria Pendleton, winner of the Women's Sprint title at the 2005 World Track Championships in Los Angeles, returns to Commonwealth Games action in Melbourne wearing the colours of England. After just missing out on the medals in Manchester, when the Aussies gave her a rough time, in Melbourne Victoria will be well prepared for the battles ahead after four years of international competition and is one of the favourites for the medals. It will be interesting to see who the Canadians send as they have the current Olympic champion in Lorri-Ann Muenzer. 
Strong line-up for Mountain Biking ...
England also have strong medal hopes in the mountain biking event in Melbourne. Liam Killeen won bronze as a 20-year-old at Manchester 2002 ? his first senior international event. He finished fifth at last year's Olympics and was the highest placed Commonwealth rider in the 2005 World Cup Series, finishing ninth overall. Killeen also finished 16th at the 2005 World Championships held in Livignio, Italy last month. England team-mate Oli Beckingsale (left) was ninth in Livignio and also has realistic medal hopes after an outstanding 2005.
The England cycling team also features several promising young cyclists who medaled at last year's Commonwealth Youth Games in Bendigo. Ian Stannard won gold in the men's time trial, with Nikki Harris winning gold in the women's mountain bike event, while Matthew Crampton, Amy Hunt and Ben Swift were also in the medals in Bendigo.
Ann Hogbin, Chef de Mission of Team England at the Commonwealth Games, said: "I'd like to congratulate members of the cycling team on their selection for the Commonwealth Games and wish them the very best of luck in their preparation for Melbourne and at the Games themselves."
On the road
Road Pros Missing...Going through the team, you may notice that many major Road names are missing from the mens road team - riders such as Roger Hammond and Jeremy Hunt - they will of course be otherwise tied up in the Spring Classics in Europe - and it begs the question how the road season in Europe will affect the Australian squad and other countries who have many riders based in Europe. 
The team though does have the best Women road riders headed by Rachel Heal (left) who won a bronze medal last time in Manchester. Rachel had a great World Championships in support of Nicole Cooke as did Charlotte Goldsmith who will be there with Rachel in Melbourne. Those two, along with Emma Davies Jones, will be the most experienced in the Womens Road Team and are likely to be supported by a number of the endurance riders like Amy Hunt and Nikki Harris.
The last Commonwealth Games was significant for many reasons, not least for being held in Manchester. But it was also where the home teams introduced the 'SI' bike, which was to carry many riders to World and Olympic glory. Ironically, at Manchester, the SI bike wasn't enough to help English riders win a Gold medal (Scotland's Chris Hoy gave the bike its first gold experience in the Kilo) and that stat alone is sure to be a motivating factor with England's riders as they prepare to cross to the other side of the world for the Games next year. We wish them every success.
Olympic medals won by Melbourne Team England cyclists:
Sydney 2000 Rob Hayles (bronze, team pursuit), Paul Manning (bronze, team pursuit) Chris Newton (bronze, team pursuit), Jason Queally (gold, 1km time trial; silver, sprint), Bradley Wiggins (bronze, team pursuit).
Athens 2004 Steve Cummings (silver, team pursuit), Rob Hayles (silver, team pursuit; bronze, madison), Paul Manning (silver, team pursuit), Chris Newton (silver, team pursuit), Bradley Wiggins (gold, individual pursuit; silver, team pursuit; bronze, madison).
Important Dates:
Track: 16-19 March -- Taking place in the Vodaphone Arena where the 2004 World Championships were held, the venue is next to the famous Melbourne Cricket ground and close to the centre of Melbourne. The events in the track cycling program are over four days.
Road Race: 26 March -- The Road Race event will be set around the beautiful Royal Botanic Gardens, minutes from Melbourne's city centre. The Royal Botanic Gardens Circuit was used for the 1998 Australian Cycling Championships.
Road Time Trial: 21 March -- Held on the St Kilda Foreshore and Beach Road (Time Trial at St Kilda Foreshore and Beach Road) the Cycling Time Trial takes in one of Melbourne?s traditional competitive and recreational Cycling locations, the foreshore area of St Kilda and scenic Beach Road. Competitors in this event depart at one-minute intervals to face the challenge of maintaining their speed and concentration in a personal battle against the course, the elements and the clock.
Mountain Bike XC: 23 March -- These take place on the world-class mountain bike course located at Lysterfield Park in the foothills of the spectacular Dandenong Ranges, south-east of Melbourne, will be one of the tangible legacies of the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games. The venue will include around 14km of trails, including a 6km elite competition course
Track Event Schedule
Thursday March 16: Men's 4,000m Individual Pursuit Heats & Final, Women's 500m Time Trial, Men's 1,000m Time Trial
Friday March 17: Men's Keirin, Women's 25km Points Race, Men's 40km Points Race
Saturday March 18: Men's Sprint, Women's Sprint, Men's 4,000m Team Pursuit
Sunday March 19: Women's 3,000m Individual Pursuit, Men's Team Sprint, Men's 20km Scratch Race
Team England
England Rider Pen Portraits >>>>
MOUNTAIN BIKE CROSS-COUNTRY
Oli Beckingsale Bristol (07.06.76)
Liam Killeen Malvern, (12.04.82)
Simon Richardson Sheffield (21.06.83)
MEN'S ENDURANCE (inc. Road/TT)
Ed Clancy Tetbury, (12.03.85)
Steve Cummings Wirral (19.03.81)
Ian Stannard Milton Keynes (25.05.87)
Rob Hayles High Peak, (21.01.73)
Paul Manning Stockport (06.11.74)
Chris Newton Oldham, Lancashire (29.09.73)
Andrew Tennant Wolverhampton (09.03.87)
Russell Downing Rotherham, (23.08.78)
Stuart Dangerfield Willenhall, (17.09.71)
Robin Sharman Manchester (08.12.79)
MEN'S SPRINT
Matthew Crampton Manchester (23.05.86)
Jamie Staff California, USA (30.04.73)
Jason Queally Chorley,(11.05.70)
WOMEN'S ENDURANCE (inc. Road/TT)
Charlotte Goldsmith Northwich, Cheshire (18.03.79)
Nikki Harris Derby (30.12.86)
Rachel Heal Manchester (01.04.73)
Emma Davies Jones Alsager, (04.10.78)
Wendy Houvenaghel Bodmin, Cornwall (27.11.74)
Amy Hunt Bolton (04.05.86)
WOMEN'S SPRINT
Victoria Pendleton Manchester (24.09.80)
2002 MEDAL WINNERS
SILVER
Julie Paulding Women?s 500m time trial
Jason Queally Men?s 1000m time trial
Bradley Wiggins Men's 4000m Ind. Pursuit
Team Pursuit
(Paul Manning/Chris Newton
/Bradley Wiggins/Bryan Steel)
Men's Team Sprint
(Jason Queally/Andy Slater/ Jamie Staff)
BRONZE
Jamie Staff Men's 1000m time trial
Paul Manning Men's 4000m Ind. Pursuit
Liam Killeen Men's cross-country
Tony Gibb Men's 20km scratch race
Chris Newton Men's points race
Rachel Heal Women's road race
