Cycling Australia Names Beijing Squad

Published On: 27 June 2008

Cycling Australia has released its squad of 28 athletes that it intends to nominate for the 2008 Beijing Games.Meyer

The squad contains athletes from track and road cycling, BMX and Mountain Bike, with four WAIS athletes named in the group.

Ryan Bayley was formally announced in the Australian Track Sprint team after being pre-nominated by Cycling Australia in the last month. Bayley will compete in his second Olympic campaign after the AIS/WAIS rider won two gold medals in Athens four years ago.

Bayley has been building towards his best form in 2008, with sprint victories in the Oceania Championships in New Zealand and a second place finish at the national Championships in NSW.

Cameron Meyer was named in the Australian Track Endurance team for Beijing after solid preparations and good race results made it impossible to leave him out. Meyer has recorded tour wins in Japan and New Zealand in 2008 as well as victories at the Track World Cup in the USA and the team points race at the Oceania Championships in New Zealand.

WAIS will have two representatives in the Australian women’s BMX team after individual scholarship holders Nicole Callisto and Tanya Bailey were both named. BMX is making its Olympic debut at Beijing, with Australia sending five athletes to compete.

Bailey’s best results in 2008 include a second place finish at the Australian Championships in South Australia and a fourth place finish at the UCI BMX Supercross World Cup in Australia.

Callisto’s best efforts this year include a fourth place finish at the Australian Championships and a fifth place finish in the Oceania UCI BMX World Ranking Series.