The Commonwealth Games medallists Jack Bauer and Linda Villumsen will head the New Zealand team to contest the Road Cycling World Championships in Spain this month.
A ten strong team will contest the week-long championships from September 212-28 in the northern city of Ponferrada.
Bauer, the Commonwealth Games silver medallist in the road race, will be joined by fellow World Tour professionals George Bennett and Greg Henderson for the men's road.
Jack Bauer on his way to winning the silver medal at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games road race. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Villumsen, who won the gold medal in the time trial in Glasgow, will contest the individual time trial and the road race, where she will be joined by Emily Collins, Reta Trotman and US-based Joanne Kiesanowski.
Jesse Sergent will contest the elite men's time trial, while James Oram and Dion Smith will contest the under-23 time trial and road race.
The courses in Ponferrada, near Leon, is challenging but sprinter Henderson, who produced a strong supporting ride in the Commonwealth Games, is keen to play a similar role for Bauer, while Bennett is outstanding on climbs, pushing into the top-10 overall in the first week of the Vuelta a Espana.
Sergent has enjoyed success in time trials on the World Tour this year finishing third at the Tour de Romandie, fifth at the Tour of California, first at Ronde van Oostenrijk, fifth at the Commonwealth Games and Eneco Tour.
Villumsen enjoyed a breakthrough gold medal at Glasgow and is hoping to reach the top of the podium in the time trial in Spain having been runner-up twice before and third three times.
She has been in excellent form on the road, especially last year where she won the overall honours in the Route de France Feminine, sixth at the world championships and recently fifth at the Commonwealth Games.
The men's road race is 255kms with 14 laps and 28 climbs, and the women's race is 127kms with seven laps and 14 climbs.
The week begins with the team time trial on September 21st, followed by three days of racing in time trials and three days of road racing.
The New Zealand team is:
Men, road race: Jack Bauer (Takaka, Garmin-Sharp), Greg Henderson (Dunedin, Lotto-Belisol), George Bennett (Nelson, Cannondale).
Time trial: Jesse Sergent (Feilding, Trek Factory Racing).
U23 road race and time trial: Dion Smith (Auckland, Hincapie Sportswear Development), James Oram (Auckland, Bissell Development U23).
Women, road race: Linda Villumsen (Christchurch, Wiggle Honda), Reta Trotman(Christchurch, MaxxSolar), Emily Collins(Auckland, Wiggle Honda), Joanne Kiesanowski (Christchurch, Team TIBCO).
Time trial: Villumsen.
