Australian sprinter 'feeling really strong' for Saturday's road race
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Chloe Hosking (HTC-HighRoad) won the young rider competition by one second from Chantal Blaak (AA Drink)(Image credit: CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net)
Chloe Hosking (HTC-HighRoad) won the young rider competition(Image credit: CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net)
Chloe Hosking (HTC-Highroad) will aim to end the drought for the Australian women's team at the UCI road world championships in Copenhagen when she lines up for the road race on Saturday. Hosking, 20, has taken four wins so far in 2011, as well as an impressive 4th overall at the recent Holland Ladies Tour where she was competing against many of her world championships rivals.
Speaking to Cyclingnews from the Australian national team headquarters in Varese, Hosking said she was confident in her preparation and now looking forward to the 140km road race.
“I felt really strong [in Holland], so I’m confident with my form going into the race," Hosking said.
"I think the Australian selectors have really thought about the course, and thought about the girls that have been riding well. If we have a clear plan and really stick to it, I think we can do a good race. We haven’t had such great worlds the past few years so I think everyone’s really hungry to change that this year."
Australia's last medal in the elite women's category came back in 2005 when Oenone Wood rode to a bronze medal in Madrid. Despite coming close a number of times since, the team has lacked a proven fast finisher. With Hosking the team does have someone they can rely on if it does come down to a bunch dash, though the Australian tempered suggestions there would be a large group at the finish.
"World championships are so unpredictable that you never really know what’s going to happen; they’re just a whole different ball game," said Hosking. "I wouldn’t be surprised to see a select group of favourites, like Vos, Teutenberg, Emma Johansson and hopefully myself approach the finish together.
"But I'll get a better sense of the course when I get to Copenhagen."
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The UCI Road World Championships start on September 19, with the women's race on Saturday September 24.
Alex Hinds is a graduate of Economics and Political Science from Sydney University. Growing up in the metropolitan area of the city he quickly became a bike junkie, dabbling in mountain and road riding. Alex raced on the road in his late teens, but with the time demands of work and university proving too much, decided not to further pursue full-time riding.
If he was going to be involved in cycling in another way the media seemed the next best bet and jumped at the opportunity to work in the Sydney office of Cyclingnews when an offer arose in early 2011.
Though the WorldTour is of course a huge point of focus throughout the year, Alex also takes a keen interest in the domestic racing scene with a view to helping foster the careers of the next generation of cycling.
When not writing for Cyclingnews Alex is a strong proponent of the awareness of cyclists on the road in Sydney having had a few close run-ins with city traffic in the past.
