Harvey selected for NZ team

Mikayla Harvey. PHOTO: ODT FILES
Mikayla Harvey. PHOTO: ODT FILES
Wanaka's Mikayla Harvey is one of seven riders picked for the New Zealand team to ride in the revamped UCI world road championships in Italy next week.

The championships have been hastily rearranged for Imola in Italy on September 24-27 after original host Switzerland was unable to host the event under Covid-19 regulations.

The championships have been reduced to elite races only.

Harvey and national champion Niamh Fisher-Black, both competing in the Giro Rosa, have been selected in the elite women to join former national champion Georgia Williams.

Harvey and Williams will compete in both the time trial and road race, with Fisher-Black in the road race only.

George Bennett, Patrick Bevin and Dion Smith will compete in the elite men’s road race with Bevin focusing on the time trial after finishing fourth last year.

The trio will be joined by promising Nelson professional Finn Fisher-Black, who will join his sister in the elite team.

Sam Bewley was originally selected and was keen to ride in support of Bennett but he is unavailable after breaking his wrist in a crash which forced his withdrawal from the Tour de France.

Bennett is competing in the Tour with a suspected fractured rib after crashes on the opening stage but still plans to compete in Italy.

The other rider unavailable for selection through injury is Dunedin’s Ella Harris. The world No42 fractured her femur in a training crash last month.

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