Clarke aiming for worlds spot after joining ISD

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Australia’s Simon Clarke is hoping to earn himself one of Australia’s nine UCI World Road Championship berths with some solid results between now and the September 16 selection deadline. Clarke has just returned to his Italian home after completing his first race with new squad ISD, with whom he’ll spend the remainder of 2009.

Clarke will contest three one day races this week, before taking part in Trofeo Melinda - val di Non and Giro della Romagna in the lead up to next month’s Tour of Britain.

“I am hoping that in these following races I can gain a result in order to be considered for the World Championships in Mendrisio,” said Clarke. “Like the worlds last year, it’s right at my back door where I live in Italy and therefore know the roads very well and is a course that I really like.”

Clarke returned to Italy on Monday after finishing the Tour of Portugal, his first race in three months having started the season with Amica Chips-Knauf.

“I have signed with ISD until the year end,” the 23-year-old said. “It’s an experience that I am really looking forward to as the head team director, Luca Scinto, who I know from the last years racing as an amateur in Italy, is well known for achieving great things with the riders he has. So it will be great to be able to become apart of his mission.”

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