British Cycling has today confirmed the elite women’s riders who will race in the Great Britain Cycling Team colours for the time trial and road race events at the UCI Road World Championships, rescheduled to take place from 24th – 27th September, in Imola, Italy.
Lizzie Deignan, who has enjoyed recent victories at the GP Plouay and La Course by Le Tour de France, has been selected to race and will be looking to replicate her 2015 world championship victory. Lizzy Banks, who finished alongside Deignan on the podium at GP Plouay has made selection for both the road race and the time trial, as has Alice Barnes, the current National Champion in both events. Sister Hannah Barnes will be on the road race team, as will Anna Henderson and Anna Shackley, the latter of whom has recently graduated from British Cycling’s senior academy programme and will join the professional women’s peloton next year.
Performance Director Stephen Park said: “Based on what we know about the course, I am confident of a strong performance by our women’s team at this year’s road worlds.
“Despite being setback by a number of crashes this season, Lizzie is in brilliant form as we have seen in her recent victories in the UCI Women’s WorldTour events, and similarly it was fantastic to watch Lizzy Banks in the break away with Lizzie Deignan in the GP Plouay finishing in second place for a British one-two. I’m also really pleased to see academy rider Anna Shackley step into this elite squad, it will be a great development opportunity ahead of her turning professional in the new year.
“This is the fourth time I’ve sat on a selection panel for the road world championships, and it impresses me how the number of talented British female road riders we have to select from continues to grow year on year. While there is still work to be done, it demonstrates a big step forward in the rise of women’s cycling in this country.
“I would like to thank the UCI and the organizing committee for their hard work in making the opportunity to race at a road world championships viable for our elite riders. I know there is disappointment amongst our under-23 and junior riders who are unable to compete for a rainbow jersey this year, but this was the right decision for the UCI to make and they know their time will come.
“We will be announcing the elite men’s road race and time trial riders in due course.”
Elite Women’s Road Race
Lizzy Banks
Alice Barnes
Hannah Barnes
Lizzie Deignan
Anna Henderson
Anna Shackley
Elite Women’s Time Trial
Lizzy Banks
Alice Barnes
