Cycling: Transtasman cyclists gear up for Oceania

New Zealand men's sprint specialists Sam Webster and Eddie Dawkins. Photo / Greg Bowker

Expect another cracking transtasman contest at next month's Oceania cycling championships in Adelaide.

New Zealand are sending a 30-strong squad for the event, which provides a qualifying pathway to next year's world championships in Paris.

Australia will be mob-handed and setting up a repeat of the battle for medals between the two at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.

It will be a busy programme, with competition for both elite and juniors.

One notable absentee is sprinter Simon van Velthooven, who wants to focus on building a training base for next year after a full year of racing, including two lengthy spells in the Japan Keirin League.

World champion sprint team Sam Webster, Ethan Mitchell and Eddie Dawkins will be joined by Glasgow kilo time trial bronze medallist Matt Archibald.

The endurance group includes Commonwealth medallists Marc Ryan and Aaron Gate and points race gold medallist Tom Scully.

Those missing include Games scratch race winner Shane Archbold, who has signed a professional contract with NetApp Endura in Europe, and Dylan Kennett and Paddy Bevin from the Glasgow squad, who are taking time out.

The women's endurance group is bolstered with teenage newcomers Waimate's Holly Edmondston, 18, and 19-year-old Racquel Sheath of Waikato, who are both junior world championship medallists.

"It will be an important four days because an automatic spot in next year's world championship allows the additional flexibility around our competition schedules and selection," said BikeNZ Head coach Dayle Cheatley. "It also provides for an earlier chance to cement a spot for Rio and would mean that there is not the pressure of travelling to competitions late in the qualifying cycling to chase those points to make the cut for the Olympics."

There is around nine hours competition every day, making for tired riders. The championships run from October 8-11 at the Adelaide Superdrome.

New Zealand rider Jesse Sergent was one climb off a top-10 finish in the elite men's time trial at the world road championships in Ponferrado, Spain yesterday. Sergent finished in 12th place from 64 riders over a testing 47.1km time trial at Ponferrado, which included one lap of the weekend's road race course.

The Trek Racing professional hovered inside the top 10 for much of the test. Sergent clocked 58min 22.54s.

Olympic champion Bradley Wiggins added a rainbow jersey to his wardrobe, claiming the title by 26s over defending champion Tony Martin (Germany) in a repeat of their result at London in 2012 but a reversal of last year's world championships.