Caleb Ewan and Gracie Elvin headline road squads selected for Glasgow Commonwealth Games

AUSTRALIA has turned to teenage flying machine Caleb Ewan as its headline sprinter in the men’s road race at next month’s Glasgow Commonwealth Games.

Tour Down Under - Stage 2 - Prospect to Stirling. Caleb Ewan crosses the line after crashing before the finish. PIC SARAH REED.

AUSTRALIA has turned to teenage flying machine Caleb Ewan as its headline sprinter in the men’s road race at next month’s Glasgow Commonwealth Games.

The 19-year-old who will start his professional career with Orica-GreenEDGE after the Games, is the fastest of the seven riders named in the team which was announced this morning.

He will make his Commonwealth Games debut alongside the experience of Mark Renshaw — who he can bank on to deliver the perfect lead-out if the race finishes in a bunch sprint — while Simon Clarke, Luke Durbridge, Michael Hepburn, Rohan Dennis and Nathan Haas give coach Brad McGee multiple options for the road race and time trial.

Lead-out specialist Mark Renshaw.

Aussie superstars Cadel Evans, Richie Porte and Simon Gerrans were unable to be considered for selection because of a clash with the Tour de France and another WorldTour race, Classica San Sebastian which begins just after the Tour.

But the 168km course is expected to finish in a sprint which should be tailor-made for Ewan who comes from the NSW Southern Highlands.

He is the current under-23 national champion in both the road race and criterium and tested his legs against the fastest men in the world in January’s Tour Down Under.

Last year he became the youngest ever winner of the Bay Cycling Classic and was fourth in the under-23 road race at the world championships which prompted several WorldTour teams to scurry for his signature.

Gracie Elvin (middle) wins the elite women’s title at the 2014 Road National cycling championships

The women’s road team will be headlined by reigning national champion Gracie Elvin, Oceania time trial champ Shara Gillow and sprinter Chloe Hosking alongside Tiffany Cromwell, Katrin Garfoot and Melissa Hoskins who will race both the road and track — with Annette Edmondson and Amy Cure.

Dual Olympic gold medallist Anna Meares spearheads the women’s track sprinting team in what will be her fourth Commonwealth Games with Stephanie Morton who is racing her first, while Shane Perkins leads the men’s sprint team which includes Games debutants Nathan Hart, Matthew Glaetzer and Peter Lewis.

Delhi Commonwealth Games gold medallist Jack Bobridge returns to international track cycling in the men’s endurance team with Luke Davison, Alex Edmondson, Glenn O’Shea, Miles Scotson and Scott Sunderland as Australia looks to go back-to-back in the men’s team pursuit.

Originally published as Caleb Ewan and Gracie Elvin headline road squads selected for Glasgow Commonwealth Games