Tom Pidcock, Mark Cavendish and Lizzie Deignan are set to lead Great Britain at the 2021 UCI Road World Championships in Belgium.
The racing takes place between September 19-26, with the elite road races taking place on the final weekend.
Among the 30-strong camp are Olympic mountain bike champion Pidcock, who will be gunning for his first elite men's road world title. He will be supported by a stellar cast that includes the in-form Ethan Hayter and 2011 winner Mark Cavendish. Also named in the eight-man men's squad are Ben Swift, Connor Swift, Jake Stewart, Fred Wright, and Luke Rowe.
Deignan, who won the women’s race at the 2015 UCI Road World Championships in Richmond, will lead a strong continent of six riders that also includes Anna Shackley, Alice Barnes, Anna Henderson, Pfeiffer Georgi, and Joss Lowden.
"I’m really looking forward to the Road World Championships this year, as we have some serious medal contenders within the squad in every category," said British Cycling's performance director, Stephen Park.
"The Road World Championships are a key feature for the Great Britain Cycling Team’s road squad, and for me, personally, it will be great to see the likes of Mark and Lizzie bring their form and experience into a team keen to do the jersey proud and bring back medals."
Pidcock recently made his Grand Tour debut at the Vuelta and has enjoyed an incredible first season on the WorldTour. He picked up a string of impressive results in the spring, including second in Amstel Gold Race behind Wout van Aert and the win at De Brabantse Pijl, which uses a similar course to the men’s road race at the World Championships.
Hayter has been one of the most successful riders in the WorldTour this season with a string of wins to his name. Cavendish had the best Tour de France of his career in several years, taking four stage wins and the green jersey, and he will add valuable experience to the roster.
"It will be interesting to see how the elite men’s road race plays out," said Park. "Based on what we know about the course and with so many riders in top form, we’ve made the decision not to go with one team leader, giving us a number of options as the race plays out. The race really could belong to anyone."
Hayter and Daniel Bigham will race the elite men’s time trial but there is no spot for Alex Dowsett, who will race the team relay instead. Joss Lowden and Pfeiffer Georgi have been given the two spots for the women’s elite time trial.
Great Britain will also be well represented across the U23 men's and junior men's and women's events.
"I’m looking forward to seeing how our Junior and U23 riders get on, as we have some fantastic talent emerging in these categories," said Park. "I am also keen to see our mixed team time triallists attempt another podium after a brilliant bronze medal in the event’s debut in 2019. Overall, we’re expecting some strong performances across the board and it’s great to get the team back together."
Great Britain squad in full for the 2021 UCI Road World Championships
Elite Women’s Road Race
Lizzie Deignan, Anna Shackley, Alice Barnes, Anna Henderson, Pfeiffer Georgi
and Joss Lowden.
Elite Women’s Time Trial
Joss Lowden and Pfeiffer Georgi
Men’s Elite Road Race
Tom Pidcock, Luke Rowe, Fred Wright, Jake Stewart, Connor Swift, Ben Swift, Mark Cavendish and Ethan Hayter
Men’s Elite Time Trial
Ethan Hayter and Dan Bigham
U23 Men’s Road Race
Ethan Vernon, Sam Watson, Oliver Stockwell, Robert Donaldson and Lewis Askey
U23 Men’s Time Trial
Ethan Vernon
Junior Women’s Road Race
Maddie Leech, Millie Couzens, Flora Perkins, and Zoe Bäckstedt
Junior Women’s Time Trial
Zoe Bäckstedt, and Maddie Leech
Junior Men Road Race
Max Poole and Finlay Pickering, Joshua Tarling and Jack Brough
Junior Men Time Trial
Finlay Pickering, and Joshua Tarling
Mixed Team Time Trial
Dan Bigham, Alex Dowsett, John Archibald, Joss Lowden, Alice Barnes and Anna Henderson.
