17 Sep 2009

Roulston leads BikeNZ team for UCI world road champs

6:37 am on 17 September 2009

Double Olympic medallist Hayden Roulston will spearhead an 11-strong BikeNZ cycling team at this month's UCI world road championships in Switzerland.

New Zealand's competing in the individual time trial and road races at the event, from the 23rd to the 27th of September.

Five Beijing Olympians will be in the team although it will be missing Julian Dean and Greg Henderson, with the hilly terrain of the Mendrisio circuit not conducive to the sprinting skills of the two in-form professionals, both currently competing in the Tour of Spain.

Roulston will be joined in the men's team by US-based Jeremy Vennell with Francais de Jeux rider Tim Gudsell , also racing in the Tour of Spain, rounding out the team.

Wanganui's Cath Cheatley heads a strong women's team along with Auckland's Kaytee Boyd and Wellington's Rachel Mercer.

The other Beijing Olympians are the pursuit squad members Sam Bewley, Jesse Sergent and Wes Gough. Bewley will be joined by fellow Rotorua rider Clinton Avery and Auckland's Alex Meenhorst to make up the under-23 road combination with Sergent and Gough to ride in the time trial.