A Queenstown dark horse and two former Otago riders are among the latest group of New Zealand cyclists selected for the Commonwealth Games.
Bike NZ yesterday revealed its road cycling and mountain bike squads for the Glasgow Games at the end of July.
They include Queenstown rider Kate Fluker, the sole New Zealand woman in mountain biking, and road cyclists Greg Henderson and Reta Trotman, both formerly of Dunedin.
Fluker has staged a rapid rise in the sport since taking it up when she moved to Queenstown four years ago. Born and raised in Horowhenua, she came to Otago to work as a valuer.
Fluker got a taste of the world cup series last year, and beat Olympian Karen Hanlen in the national championships earlier this year.
Hanlen may yet be added to the team but, for now, Fluker will carry New Zealand's hopes into the cross-country race.
The men's mountain biking team is young but extremely promising. Former junior world champion Anton Cooper is 19, and team-mate Sam Gaze just 18.
The road squad is led by elder statesman Henderson, five-time world championship medallist Linda Villumsen, double Olympic medallist Hayden Roulston and the in-form Jesse Sergent.
Henderson (37) will be attending his fourth Commonwealth Games, to go with four Olympics in a stellar career.
He is a former world champion and Commonwealth Games gold medallist on the track, but only once competed in the road race, finishing sixth in Melbourne in 2006.
Roulston (34) is also attending his fourth Commonwealth Games. Five of the six-strong men's road team ride for UCI Pro Tour teams: Henderson (Lotto-Belisol), Roulston and Sergent (Trek Factory Racing), Jack Bauer (Garmin-Sharp) and George Bennett (Cannondale).
Villumsen, a silver medallist in Delhi four years ago, is joined in the women's squad by fellow Wiggle Honda professional Emily Collins and experienced US-based riders Joanne Kiesanowski, who will be attending her third Commonwealth Games to match three Olympics, and London Olympian Rushlee BuchananBike NZ high performance director Mark Elliot said the team was expected to perform well.
''It is probably the most experienced men's team that we have sent to a Games in recent years.
We've got excellent one-day classics riders in Roulston, Bauer and Sergent, and a top sprinter in Greg Henderson. And Sergent is a strong time trial prospect.
NZ road cycling/MTB
Commonwealth Games squad
Men's road: Jack Bauer, George Bennett, Greg Henderson, James Oram, Hayden Roulston, Jesse Sergent.
Women's road: Rushlee Buchanan, Emily Collins, Joanne Kiesanowski, Reta Trotman, Linda Villumsen.
Men's mountain bike: Anton Cooper, Sam Gaze.
Women's mountain bike: Kate Fluker.
