New national champion Alex Edmondson may race Commonwealth Games just six days after Paris-Roubaix

NEWLY crowned national cycling champion Alex Edmondson will put his hand up to race a home Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast if it’s possible to back up just six days after the epic Paris-Roubaix.

Mitchelton-Scott riders Mathew Hayman, left, and Alex Edmondson, right, with Garry Robinson, a cyclist from the Invictus Games. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe

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NEWLY crowned national cycling champion Alex Edmondson will put his hand up to race a home Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast if it’s possible to back up just six days after the epic Paris-Roubaix.

The 24-year-old won gold on the track at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and a silver medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics but has now shifted his focus to the road where he became national champion this month.

With Caleb Ewan ruling himself out of the Gold Coast Games, Edmondson looms as arguably Australia’s best chance of winning on the undulating course which is expected to finish in a sprint.

British superstar Mark Cavendish has been named in an Isle of Man squad for the Games and is believed to have committed to racing on the Gold Coast.

“Whenever you get the opportunity to race Commonwealth Games is pretty special and especially being on home soil,” Edmondson said yesterday.

“I’m not 100 per cent sure yet but if the opportunity comes I will be the first to put my hand up and take it with both hands.

“Going to Glasgow on the track it would be pretty cool to go there with the road this time.

“Now (as national champion) there is a bit more responsibility on my shoulders and probably a bit more pressure but I’m just looking forward to it.

“I know the course is pretty short, only about 160km, and there is a climb which goes up in steps which is good for me. If it was a solid climb it would be a bit too hard but you get a bit of recovery.

“If everything goes well and the opportunity comes around of course I’m going to go there for a reason and not to just make up numbers.”

Alex Edmondson wins the 2018 Elite Men’s Road Race at the national championships in Buninyong earlier this month. Picture: CON CHRONIS

Edmondson joined his Mitchelton-Scott teammates Mathew Hayman and Ewan in meeting with riders from Australia’s Invictus Games team yesterday.

A total of 35 Australian Defence Force military veterans currently and past serving are taking part in an Invictus Australian Cycling Squad training camp in Adelaide ahead of this year’s Games to be held in Sydney in October.

If Edmondson makes it to the Commonwealth Games it will be just six days after he races Paris-Roubaix for the second time. Last year he crashed twice and punctured and finished 90th.

“I wasn’t meant to do it but I ended up doing (Tour of) Flanders and Roubaix after a late call-up the week before,” he said.

Alex Edmondson, far right, with Michael Hepburn, Jack Bobridge and Sam Welsford after Australia's men's team pursuit team won the silver medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Picture: Adam Head

“To be honest I was absolutely gobsmacked with the cobbles. You hear all these stories about Paris-Roubaix and how hard it is, but normally with so much expectation it doesn’t live up to it.

“But there were times in the race that I was scared, I hated cycling, I was questioning whether this was enjoyable, but then there were times I loved it.

“I crashed twice and got a puncture but that was actually pretty good, I got out of it well.

“So going back there it’s about learning as much as I can from guys like Mathew Hayman, Durbo (Luke Durbridge) and (Matteo) Trentin coming on board. We’ve got a good team this year which is really exciting.

“I’ve got a dream to one day be up there at the pointy end so it’s about doing the best for the team but at the same time learn and absorb as much as I can.”

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Originally published as New national champion Alex Edmondson may race Commonwealth Games just six days after Paris-Roubaix