Eligible men make for powerful possibilities on home turf
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Richie Porte (Saxo Bank) gets the pink jersey and the kisses(Image credit: Kirsten Robbins in Rochester, New York)
Stage two winner Michael Matthews (Team Jayco - Skins)(Image credit: Frank Rud Jensen)
Brett Lancaster (Cerv(Image credit: Jon Devich)
Cycling Australia has announced a long list for the elite men's squads to contest the UCI Road World Championships on home soil from September 29 to October 3.
While the world titles are more than three months away, the lists reflect those riders who are eligible to compete in the elite and under 23 men's races in Geelong and Melbourne in late September.
According to the federation, "riders not included in the squads have the opportunity to be added on the basis of their performances prior to the announcement in August of the elite men's long team and U23 men's team."
There could be some new faces in the final lineup, including Richie Porte, who recently starred at the Giro d'Italia, winning the best young rider title after spending several days in the race lead (pictured above).
Luke Roberts is back in contention for a place, having spent the last few years on the periphery due to illness and injury. He has enjoyed a solid comeback with German ProTour squad Milram and could be an asset to the team due to his powerful style and track background.
The inclusion of Brett Lancaster on the long list is also being welcomed after the Cervélo TestTeam rider enjoyed a win at the recent Amgen Tour of California which indicated a return to some of the Olympic gold medalist's best form.
In the under 23 ranks, exciting 19-year-old rider Michael Matthews has been named in the long list after enjoying a fantastic season thus far. He has won stages in the Tour de Langkawi and the Ringerike GP plus a second place in the GP Liberazione on April 25.
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Elite men long list
Graeme Brown OAM, Simon Clarke, Baden Cooke, Allan Davis, Cadel Evans, Simon Gerrans, Matthew Goss, Adam Hansen, Mathew Hayman, Brett Lancaster OAM, Matthew Lloyd, Robbie Mcewen, Cameron Meyer, Travis Meyer, Stuart O'Grady OAM, Richie Porte, Mark Renshaw, Luke Roberts OAM, Michael Rogers, Wesley Sulzberger, Chris Sutton, Matthew Wilson
U23 men long list
Nick Aitken, Rohan Dennis, Luke Durbridge, Ben Dyball, Michael Hepburn, Benjamin King, Patrick Lane, Joseph Lewis, Michael Matthews, Timothy Roe, Malcolm Rudolph, Nicholas Walker
