Caroline Buchanan to lead BMX charge for gold at Rio Olympic Games

AUSTRALIA hasn’t picked its team to represent the nation in the BMX event at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games but one thing’s for sure — Caroline Buchanan will be one of them.

Caroline Buchanan celebrates after winning a gold medal in the Elite Womens Time Trial Race during of the UCI BMX World Championships on May 28.

AUSTRALIA hasn’t picked its team to represent the nation in the BMX event at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games but one thing’s for sure — Caroline Buchanan will be one of them.

Australia will take a full complement of five riders to Rio in a bid to chase the nation’s first BMX gold medal.

Official rankings released by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) confirmed Australia — as they did in Beijing and London — will have the maximum BMX contingent of three men and two women racing in Rio.

As a nation, Australia were ranked No. 1 in the women’s and No. 3 in the men’s.

While the athletes who will represent Australia won’t be announced until later this month, some pick themselves.

Caroline Buchanan competes in the Elite Womens Time Trial Race.

Caroline Buchanan, who was the fastest qualifier for the BMX final at the London Olympics before finishing fifth, remains the No. 1 in the world in the women’s rankings.

“We’ve just finished up with the world championships and what we can take away from that is that were going to be in contention in Rio,” BMX high performance coach Wade Bootes said.

“Caroline Buchanan has had a very good season, Lauren Reynolds has scored some good points to get our ranking up there in the women’s standings and we’re in a good spot.”

Caroline Buchanan in action for Australia ahead of the Rio Games.

London Olympian Sam Willoughby is ranked No. 6 in the men’s, with Anthony Dean No. 11.

“At worlds Anthony Dean and Sam Willoughby had a few issues, but the data tells us that our riders are all going fast enough to be a medal chance in Rio,” Mr Bootes said.

“I think we’re within striking distance.”

Originally published as Caroline Buchanan to lead BMX charge for gold at Rio Olympic Games