Dennis, Matthews, Spratt and Kennedy selected by Australia for Yorkshire road Worlds

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Cycling Australia have announced their elite men's and women's squads for this year's UCI Road World Championships, which take place in Yorkshire, in the UK, from September 22-29. Among them are defending time trial world champion Rohan Dennis (Bahrain-Merida) and 2015 Worlds road-race silver medallist Michael Matthews (Sunweb), while Mitchelton-Scott's Amanda Spratt – second at last year's Worlds road race – and last Saturday's Clasica San Sebastian winner Lucy Kennedy headline the women's squad.

Dennis is yet to race again since quitting the Tour de France last month, a day ahead of the Tour's only individual time trial, for which he would have been one of the favourites, while Matthews was controversially overlooked for selection for last year's Worlds.

Spratt and Kennedy, meanwhile, are just two of four Mitchelton-Scott riders selected for the seven-rider elite women's squad, which also includes Canyon-SRAM's Tiffany Cromwell and 2018 Herald Sun Tour winner Brodie Chapman.

"These World Championships will be unique, and not like what we have seen in the past," Brad McGee, Cycling Australia's road technical director, said in a press release. "There are a lot of unknowns, and I expect these races to be very open and very dynamic.

"Our athletes will need to be very adaptable, well-aligned strategically and technically, with endurance set to be a big factor," he continued. "Matthews and Simon Clarke have proven themselves in one-day races across similar terrain, and 'Spratty' [Amanda Spratt] again has had an outstanding year performing multiple roles."

Reconnaissance rides of the road courses by various nations in recent months – including Italy and Belgium – have revealed the parcours to be considerably tougher than first thought.

"The courses this year in Yorkshire will be tough, and we believe we have picked teams that give us options and the best chance over this terrain and length," said performance director Simon Jones.

After being first tested out at the upcoming UEC Road European Championships, this year's Worlds will also feature a 'mixed relay' team time trial, replacing the previous team time trial competitions. Cycling Australia said that the three male and three female riders for that competition, as well as the riders for the individual time trials – with Dennis almost certainly set to try to defend his title in the men's event – will be announced at a later date.

The under-23 men's squad was also announced on Monday.

Australian elite women's team for the 2019 Road World Championships: Grace Brown (Mitchelton-Scott), Brodie Chapman (Tibco–Silicon Valley Bank), Tiffany Cromwell (Canyon-SRAM), Lucy Kennedy (Mitchelton-Scott), Lauren Kitchen (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope), Sarah Roy (Mitchelton-Scott), Amanda Spratt (Mitchelton-Scott)

Australian elite men's team for the 2019 Road World Championships: Simon Clarke (EF Education First), Rohan Dennis (Bahrain-Merida), Mitchell Docker (EF Education First), Luke Durbridge (Mitchelton-Scott), Nathan Haas (Team Katusha-Alpecin), Jack Haig (Mitchelton-Scott), Michael Matthews (Team Sunweb), Rory Sutherland (UAE Team Emirates)

Australian under-23 men's team for the 2019 Road World Championships: Kaden Groves (SEG Racing Academy), Samuel Jenner (Team Wiggins Le Col), Liam Magennis (Drapac-Cannondale Holistic Development Team), Harry Sweeney (EvoPro Racing), Nicholas White (Team BridgeLane)