Australia Announces Team for Para-Cycling Road World Championships

Cycling Australia has announced the Australian Para-Cycling team for the 2011 Road World Championships, which will be held in the Danish city of Roskilde from 5 - 12 September.

Seventeen athletes will wear the green and gold jerseys at the championships. This includes Sue Powell, who claimed silver in the women's C4 time trial and bronze in the road race in the last championships, and Michael Gallagher, who was the silver medallist in last year’s 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 were part of the Australian team at the Sydney round of the UCI Para-cycling Road World Cup. The hosts collected five gold, six silver and five bronze medals from the 37 medal events contested, an impressive performance against some of the world's best.

"Whilst World Cups are always significant 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 capable of winning," said Day. "That means there is definitely more pressure on everyone competing."

The Australian Team for the 2011 UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships, which will follow the same exciting route as the 5th stage in the 2009 Tour of Denmark include:

• Carol Cooke, T2

• Kerry Knowler, Pilot O'Connor BW

• Melissa Leckie, H2

• Claire Mclean, C5

• Brandie O'Connor, BW

• Jayme Paris, C1

• Susan Powell, C4

• Nigel Barley, H3

• Sean Finning, Pilot Lindores

• Michael Gallagher, C5

• Ryan Hughes, C4

• Bryce Lindores, BM

• Scott McPhee, Pilot Modra

• Kieran Modra, BM

• Craig Parsons, H1

• Michael Taylor, H2

• Stuart Tripp, H4