Aussie cycling targeting 5-7 medals at Rio Olympics

AUSTRALIA has set itself a target of winning five to seven medals in Rio next month, and up to three gold, after yesterday announcing the team it hopes will lead it to Olympic redemption.

The Endurance Team of Annette Edmondson, Ashlee Ankudinoff, Melissa Hoskins and Georgia Baker. Picture: Sarah Reed

AUSTRALIA has set itself a target of winning five to seven medals in Rio next month, and up to three gold, after yesterday announcing the team it hopes will lead it to Olympic redemption.

The cycling team has won just one gold medal from the past two Olympics in London and Beijing which have been dominated by Great Britain that has won 16.

But Cycling Australia (CA) has used its new strategic vision document to reveal it is aiming to surpass the six medals won in 2012 with genuine gold medal hopes on the track, road and BMX in Brazil.

The team for Rio will include at least 11 Olympic debutants but that number could rise if athletes in the men’s mountain bike and women's road programs successfully appeal against their non-selection.

CA would not reveal which riders had launched appeals but confirmed the two cases would be heard by an independent panel in Melbourne today and a resolution was expected in days.

Thee were few surprises in the 25-person team named yesterday which includes:

DUAL Olympic gold medallist Anna Meares for her fourth Games where she will ride all three events — the team sprint, sprint and keirin — alongside Stephanie Morton who won gold at the 2012 Paralympics as a pilot rider.

TOUR de France stars Richie Porte and Rohan Dennis — who will contest both the road race and time trial in Rio — as well as Simon Gerrans. A fourth rider, who will serve as a domestique in the road race, is expected to come from the mountain bike program.

BROTHER and sister Alex and Annette Edmondson who take the total number of siblings on Australia’s Olympic team to eight.

NINETEEN-year-old Callum Scotson who joins Edmondson, three-time Olympian Jack Bobridge, Michael Hepburn, Glenn O’Shea and Sam Welsford in the team pursuit squad which is the current world champions.

TASMANIAN 21-year-old Georgia Baker who has overcome the personal tragedy of losing her father Patrick to a heart attack last year to make her Olympic debut.

THE world’s fastest man in Matt Glaetzer who was quickest in qualifying at this year’s track world titles and will line up alongside debutants Nathan Hart and Pat Constable.

PAST and present BMX world champions Sam Willoughby — who won bronze in London — and Caroline Buchanan who lead strong teams.

Australian chef de mission Kitty Chiller said there were “absolutely” high hopes for the cycling team in Rio.

“Track cycling as well as our swimming and sailing hopefully, the bulk of our medals should come from those sports,” Ms Chiller said. “In the last four years they’ve been dominant across the board and across all events (in cycling) so I’m really looking forward to seeing what they can do in Rio.”

Annette Edmondson will lead the women’s team pursuit and ride the individual omnium in which she won a bronze medal in at London.

“The goal is to go out there and win gold in Rio and we won’t be satisfied with anything less,” Edmondson said.

“We know each other back to front and know if we all time our form to peak on the same day then we will be smoking.”

Meares will become just the third female track cyclist in history to compete in four Olympics in Rio and will line up to defend her sprint crown.

“My goal post-London was to make this Rio Olympic team and I’m very proud today that it came true,” she said.

Miles Scotson, older brother of Callum, and Kaarle McCulloch — who rode with Meares in London — will remain with the team as travelling reserves.

[e-mail]

AUSTRALIAN CYCLING TEAM FOR RIO

MEN’S TRACK ENDURANCE

Jack Bobridge, 26, SA

Alex Edmondson, 22, SA

Michael Hepburn, 24, QLD

Glenn O’Shea, 26, VIC

Callum Scotson, 19, SA

Sam Welsford, 20, WA

WOMEN’S TRACK ENDURANCE

Ashlee Ankudinoff, 25, NSW

Georgia Baker, 21, TAS

Amy Cure, 23, TAS

Annette Edmondson, 24, SA

Melissa Hoskins, 25, WA

MEN’S TRACK SPRINT

Nathan Hart, 23, ACT

Matthew Glaetzer, 23, SA

Pat Constable, 20, SA

WOMEN’S TRACK SPRINT

Anna Meares, 32, SA

Stephanie Morton, 25, SA

MEN’S ROAD

Rohan Dennis, 26, SA

Richie Porte, 31, TAS

Simon Gerrans, 36, VIC

MEN’S BMX

Sam Willoughby, 24, SA

Anthony Dean, 25, SA

Bodi Turner, 21, VIC

WOMEN’S BMX

Caroline Buchanan, 25, ACT

Lauren Reynolds, 25, WA

WOMEN’S MOUNTAIN BIKE

Rebecca Henderson, 24, ACT

* Women’s road and men’s mountain bike both subject to appeals and yet to be announced.

Originally published as Aussie cycling targeting 5-7 medals at Rio Olympics