Paris 2024 Olympics: 19-member Australian cycling team to pedal for glory in France

A 19-member Australian cycling team will compete at the Paris 2024 Olympics, the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) announced on Saturday.

Chef de Mission Anna Meares, a four-time track cycling Olympian and six-time medallist, announced the cyclists for the Paris-bound Australian Olympic Team at the Adelaide Super-Drome.

The list includes nine Olympic debutants while seven will be making their second Olympic appearances. Two cyclists will be returning for their third Summer Games and Matthew Glaetzer is poised for his fourth Olympics.

Shane Kelly’s five appearances is the record for the most number of Summer Games appearances by an Australian cyclist.

Paris 2024 marks 100 years since Australia made its Olympic debut in road cycling with Victoria’s Sidney Ramsden first competing in the event at Paris 1924.

World Championship 2022 and 2023 Time Trial silver medallist Grace Brown said she is honored to be selected for her second Olympic team.

“Tokyo was a special experience for me, but finishing fourth in the individual time trial left me with a desire to go for more,” Brown said, “I have big goals in Paris and that is to go after a medal on the first day of competition.”

“For the road race, I'm excited to join Lauretta and Ruby in the fight for another great result. We’re a small team, but I believe our individual attributes really complement each other, which will allow us to become favourites for the race,” she added.

Michael Matthews will take on the 273km men’s road race course at his debut Olympics. The 33-year-old is no stranger to big performances on French roads, as a three-time Tour de France stage winner and 2017 green jersey winner.

“It’s truly an honour to represent Australia at the Olympics,” Matthews said. “It’s been a dream of mine since I knew what the Olympics was. I have been close to making the team two times now and to have a course that suits me so well it’s a dream come true.”

Dual Olympian Georgia Baker thanked her family, friends and supporters for helping her reach her third Olympic Games.

“The support from home makes such a difference and is hugely appreciated by the team! The Olympics is a special moment that I’ve learnt to not take for granted, so I’ll be soaking it up as much as I can because there’s nothing quite like it. Our team is focused and ready for the next month ahead,” Baker noted.

The Paris 2024 track cycling competitions will be held from August 5 to 11 at the Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines National Velodrome in Montigny-le-Bretonneux.

The road cycling competitions at the upcoming Summer Games will be held on July 27, August 3 and 4. The individual time trial event will start from Invalides and finish on the Pont Alexandre III Bridge. The road race event will start from Pont d’Iéna bridge (opposite the Eiffel Tower) and finish at Trocadéro.

Australian cyclists have a rich Olympic legacy, having won 52 medals - 13 gold, 19 silver and 20 bronze - at the Summer Games Games to date.

Australian cycling team for Paris 2024 Olympics

Track (women): Kristina Clonan, Georgia Baker, Alex Manly, Maeve Plouffe, Sophie Edwards, Chloe Moran

Track (men): Matthew Glaetzer, Matthew Richardson, Leigh Hoffman, Kelland O’Brien, Sam Welsford, Conor Leahy, Oliver Bleddyn

Road (women): Grace Brown, Ruby Roseman-Gannon, Lauretta Hanson

Road (men): Michael Matthews, Simon Clarke, Lucas Plapp