Kiwi team to chase Beijing Olympic qualification in LA World Cup

BikeNZ riders will continue their quest for qualification for the Beijing Olympics in the penultimate round of the UCI World Cup track meet in Los Angeles next weekend. The selectors have named a nine-strong squad to contest the third World Cup from January 18 to 20.

Dunedin's Greg Henderson will be looking for success in the men's points race where he is currently in third place on world cup points. The Team High Road rider will miss the Madison, returning to Australia to contest the Tour Down Under.

Instead partner Hayden Roulston (Ashburton) will likely team with Hayden Godfrey, Jason Allen or Shem Rodger in the Madison, where the kiwis need points as they are currently 13th on the standings.

Christchurch rider Joanne Kiesanowski has been preparing at altitude in the USA for her scratch race, currently in 12th place on the standings.

With men's pursuiter Marc Ryan and the New Zealand team highly placed in the standings, the selectors have opted to develop their depth with a new combination including Alex Cull, Rodger, Allen, Darren Shea and Hayden Godfrey.

Otago's Dale Tye will also contest the women's individual pursuit, with Alison Shanks, currently eighth in the standings, still not fully recovered from the shoulder injury she received in a crash in the Beijing World Cup.

The New Zealand team for Los Angeles is: Greg Henderson (Otago), Hayden Roulston (Canterbury), Jason Allen (Nelson Marlborough), Darren Shea (Canterbury), Shem Rodger (Waikato), Alex Cull (Auckland), Joanne Kiesanowski (Canterbury) and Dale Tye (Otago).

Meanwhile a six-rider strong New Zealand team will contest the Tour of Langkawi from February 9 to 17. The team is Joseph Chapman (Otago), Logan Hutchings (Bay of Plenty), Scott Lyttle (Wairarapa), Robin Reid (Marlborough), Ashley Whitehead (South Canterbury), Jeremy Yates (Hawkes Bay).