Defending champion Alexis Rhodes will line up at this week's Cycling Australia Road National Championships in GreenEDGE-AIS colours after becoming the newest recruit for the Australian registered professional women's team.
Defending champion Alexis Rhodes will line up at this week's Cycling Australia Road National Championships in GreenEDGE-AIS colours after becoming the newest recruit for the Australian registered professional women's team.
Rhodes, who won last year's road race, signed with GreenEDGE-AIS after the demise of the Garmin team.
"I had a two year contract with Garmin (women's team) so I hadn't even contemplated joining GreenEDGE-AIS but after JV (Jonathan Vaughters) sent me a text message telling me the team was folding I started thinking about how great it would be to ride for GreenEDGE-AIS," said Rhodes. "I am really excited to be part of the first Aussie women's pro team."
Rhodes joins fellow South Australian Tiffany Cromwell, Rowena Fry (TAS), Shara Gillow (QLD), Melissa Hoskins (WA), Jessie Maclean (ACT) and Amanda Spratt (NSW) as the seven Australians on the team with time trial world champion Judith Arndt (GER), Linda Villumsen (NZL), Claudia Häusler (GER) and Loes Gunnewijk (NED) rounding out the squad.
"We have a really great group of girls to race with this year, including Judith (Arndt) who is a champion on and off the bike, and of course Shara (Gillow) who is an amazing talent, and also a really good chick.
"Then you have surprise packages like Mel Hoskins," said Rhodes. "I am really excited about watching her progress over the coming season - Mel Hoskins can sprint."
Rhodes has had a long association with the Cycling Australia / AIS High Performance Program and believes the joint initiative with GreenEDGE is a winning formula.
"All of the staff are experienced in dealing with the challenges of racing in Europe but I think the main advantage is that unlike many other teams the GreenEDGE-AIS team is not set in their ways and are open to new ideas."
Rhodes says her major goal for 2012 is to earn Olympic selection which would be a phenomenal achievement for the 27 year old who, in 2005, sustained severe injuries, including seven broken bones in her back and chest trauma in the road accident that claimed the life of her friend and Australian team mate Amy Gillett.
But Rhodes first objective this year is to do well at the nationals where she will race the criterium, time trial and road race.
"I'm not really sure how I'll go to be honest but I am hoping to go well in the time trial and will be out to defend my title in the road race," said Rhodes.
Saturday's Elite and Under 23 Women's Road Race has attracted a top-class field of 79 riders including Gillow who is the 2011 Oceania road race and time trial champion, Chloe Hosking, who placed sixth in the road race at last year's world championships, and 2011 National Road Series Champion, Grace Sulzberger.
The six-day ycling Australia Road National Championships is being staged in and around Ballarat from 5 to 10 January with 376 riders (165 elite men, 86 elite and U23 women and 125 U23 men) vying for a green and gold national champion's jersey.
Thursday, 5 January (Sturt Street, Ballarat CBD)
• 6.15pm - Elite & under 23 women's criterium - 33 kms (30 laps)
• 7.30pm - Elite men's criterium - 44kms (40 laps)
Saturday, 7 January (Buninyong)
• 1.30pm - Elite & Under 23 women's road race – 102 kms
Sunday, 8 January (Buninyong)
• Midday - Elite men's road race– 163.2 kms. SBS will screen three hours live from 2pm (AEST).
Tuesday, 10 January (Learmonth)
• Midday - Elite & Under 23 women's time trial – 28 kms
• 2.00pm - Elite men's time trial - 39 kms
Cycling Australia