The New Zealand team named for the track world championships in the Netherlands in early March will be anchored by the men’s team sprint trio of Ethan Mitchell, Sam Webster and Eddie Dawkins.
The trio has medalled in each of the past six years including earning rainbow jerseys in 2014, 2016 and last year. Success at Apeldoorn would make them the first team outside Europe to win the men’s team sprint world title three times in a row.
The 2018 championships, from February 28 to March 4, will mark 10 years since Cycling New Zealand initiated a targeted high performance programme, which is now centralised in Cambridge.
New Zealand won just 11 medals in the nearly four decades from its first success in 1970 but in the past nine years has amassed 35 medals.
While there is an aim for more success in the Netherlands, the team has a considerable accent on youth.
The team has an average age of under 23 years with five teenagers included.
They are far from just young hopefuls, with the nine riders in the team who are 21 years or younger having amassed 20 junior world championship medals among them over the past five years.
Cycling NZ high performance director Martin Barras said the world championships were the designated pinnacle event for Cycling New Zealand and High Performance Sport New Zealand for the track programme this year. However, the organisation continues to drive the youth development pathway through its national performance hub system.
"We have a healthy mix of proven performance and riders for the future in the team going to Apeldoorn," Barras said.
"Of course, the men’s team sprint are the beacon for this group but we also have key members of the endurance squads in men and women who have Olympic experience and medalled at the world championships in Hong Kong last year."
Nick Kergozou, Regan Gough and Dylan Kennett return in the men’s endurance squad from the group that won the silver medal last year, joined by exciting teenagers Campbell Stewart and Tom Sexton, who were outstanding in world cup performances before Christmas.
The outstanding Rushlee Buchanan heads the women’s endurance group, joining Racquel Sheath, Kirsty Klingenberg (nee James) and teenager Michaela Drummond from the team that won the bronze medal last year.
Double junior world championship medallist Bryony Botha completes the group, with the experienced Jaime Nielsen not recovered from illness following her successful national one-hour record bid.
The sprint squad is a record eight-strong with the group including world junior champion Bradly Knipe and Manawatu’s Jordan Castle.
For the first time, three riders comprise the women’s sprint group with world No5 Natasha Hansen joined by double junior world championship medallists Emma Cumming (Southland) and Olivia Podmore (Canterbury).
New Zealand team
For track world championships
Sprint: Jordan Castle (Manawatu), Emma Cumming (Southland), Eddie Dawkins (Southland), Natasha Hansen (Southland), Bradly Knipe (Southland), Ethan Mitchell (Auckland), Olivia Podmore (Canterbury), Sam Webster (Auckland).
Endurance: Bryony Botha (Auckland), Rushlee Buchanan (Waikato), Michaela Drummond (Manawatu), Regan Gough (Hawkes Bay), Dylan Kennett (South Canterbury), Nick Kergozou (Southland), Kirstie Klingenberg (Southland), Tom Sexton (Southland), Racquel Sheath (Waikato), Campbell Stewart (Manawatu).
