Cycling Australia

Cycling Australia selectors have confirmed Tasmanian Wesley Sulzberger will join the Cyclones team after the withdrawal of MIchael Rogers from this weekend's elite men's road race at the UCI Road World Championships in the Netherlands.

Rogers, one of Australia's most experienced campaigners, has been forced out due to a bout of tonsillitis prompting a selectors meeting to replace him in the nine man team for Sunday's 267 kilometre race from Maastricht through the Limburg region to the finish line in Valkenburg.

"It's always a blow to lose a rider of the calibre of Michael Rogers from a naional team," said Cycling Australia National Performance Director, Kevin Tabotta. "Michael adds so much value physically and tactically to our worlds teams.

"This season has been one of his best and his experience will be missed on Sunday."

This year would have been the 13th straight year that Rogers would have raced for Australia at the road world championships. He raced as a junior in 1997 and 1998 before graduating into the under 23 ranks for the next two championships. He has been a member of every eiite men's Australian team at road worlds since 2001.

The decision on who would come into the team was based on the race plan for Sunday.

"We needed to bring in someone who we know has the experience and current form to provide the support needed for team plan," said Tabotta. "Wes has world championship and big race experience and we're confident he will provide solid back up for the team leaders in their pursuit of a podium result."

This will be 25-year-old Sulzberger's fourth appearance at a road world championships. He was the silver medallist in the under 23 road race at the world titles in Stuttgart in 2007 and was a member of the team that rode in support of Cadel Evans when he won the elite men's title in Mendrisio in 2009.

Cyclones Team for the 2012 UCI Road World Championships being staged in the Limburg region of the Netherlands, from 16 to 23 September 2012.

(RR = road race, TT = time trial)

Elite Men

1. Simon CLARKE (Selby, VIC  18.07.1986 / Orica-GreenEDGE) RR
2. Allan DAVIS (Bundaberg, QLD - 27.07.80 / Orica-GreenEDGE) RR
3. Luke DURBRIDGE (Bassendean, WA 09.04.1991 / Orica-GreenEDGE) TT
4. Simon GERRANS (Jamieson, VIC 16.05.1980 / Orica-GreenEDGE) RR
5. Adam HANSEN (Edmonton, QLD 11.05.1981 / Lotto-Belisol) RR
6. Heinrich HAUSSLER (Inverell, NSW 25.02.1984 / Garmin Sharp) RR
7. Michael MATTHEWS (Farrer, ACT 26.09.1990 / Rabobank) RR
8. Cameron MEYER (Helena Valley, WA 11.01.1988 / Orica-GreenEDGE) TT
9. Richie PORTE (Hadspen, TAS 30.01.1985 / Team Sky) RR
10. Wesley SULZBERGER (Flowery Gully, TAS 20.10.1986 / Orica-GreenEDGE) RR **
11. David TANNER (Williamstown, VIC 30.09.1984 / Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank) RR

(** selected 18 September as replacement for Michael ROGERS who withdrew due to illness)

Elite Women

1. Tiffany CROMWELL  (Upper Sturt, SA 06.07.1988 / Orica-AIS) RR
2. Gracie ELVIN (Yarralumla, ACT 31.10.1988 / Team Jayco-AIS) (Oceania RR Champion) RR
3. Shara GILLOW - (Belli Park, QLD 23.12.1987 / Orica-AIS) (Oceania TT Champion) RR & TT
4. Jessie MACLEAN (Campbell, ACT 17.10.1985 / Team Jayco-AIS) RR
5. Rachel NEYLAN (Adelaide, SA 09.03.1982 ABUS Nutrixxion) RR
6. Loren ROWNEY (Molendinar, QLD 14.10.1988 / Specialized-lululemon) RR
7. Amanda SPRATT (Springwood, NSW 17.09.1987 / Orica-AIS) RR

U23 Men

1. Nick AITKEN (Wonthaggi, VIC 01.01.1990 / Team Jayco AIS) (Oceania RR Champion) RR
2. Rohan DENNIS (Vale Park, SA 28.05.1990 / Team Jayco AIS) RR, TT
3. Michael FREIBERG (Dianella, WA 10.10.1990 / Team Jayco AIS) RR
4. Damien HOWSON ( Greenwith, SA 13.08.1992 / Team Jayco AIS) (Oceania TT Champion) RR, TT
5. Jay McCARTHY (Coorparoo, QLD 08.09.1992 / Team Jayco AIS) RR
6. Adam PHELAN (Isabella Plains, ACT 23.08.1991 / Drapac Profesional Cycling) RR

Junior Women

1. Georgia BAKER (Perth, TAS 21.09.1994) Junior Australian champion criterium RR, TT
2. Jessica MUNDY (Ashton SA, 25.09.1994) RR
3. Allison RICE (Ainslie ACT, 24.03.1994) Junior Oceania Champion time trial RR, TT
4. Emily ROPER (Elanora, QLD 24.07.1994) Junior Australian champion time trial & road race RR, TT

Junior Men

1. Caleb EWAN (Bowral, NSW 11.07.1994) Junior Australian champion time trial (RR)
2. Bradley LINFIELD (Dalyellup WA, 29.06.1994) RR
3. Robert-Jon McCARTHY (Glenelg, SA, 30.03.1994) Junior Australian champion road race (RR)
4. Alex MORGAN (Mitcham, VIC 18.07.1994) Junior Australian champion criterium & junior Oceania champion time trial (TT)
5. Nicholas SCHULTZ (Arana Hills QLD, 13.09.1994) (RR)

Places Qualified

Australia has qualified the following places for the Championships:

• Elite Men - nine riders in the road race and two in the time trial
• Elite Women - six riders in the road race and two in the time trial plus Oceania Champion in each event if selected
• U23 Men - five for the road race and two for the time trial plus Oceania Champion in each event if selected
• Junior Men - three for the road race and two for the time trial plus Oceania Champion in each event if selected
• Junior Women - four for the road race and and two for the time trial plus Oceania Champion in each event if selected