Cavendish and Armitstead to lead GB as Worlds lineups revealed

Mark Cavendish and Ben Swift will likely provide Great Britain with its strongest chance of winning the UCI World Championships men’s road race in Richmond, Virginia, with both named in the nine-man squad.

Five Team Sky riders, including Swift, are part of the nine, with two riders outside of the WorldTour also making the cut. MTN-Qhubeka’s Steve Cummings and Bora-Argon 18’s Scott Thwaites join Ian Stannard, Geraint Thomas, Andy Fenn, Luke Rowe and Alex Dowsett in making up the squad.

Movistar’s Dowsett will be GB’s sole rider in the time trial, with reigning champion Sir Bradley Wiggins not returning to defend his title. Dowsett, the four-time British time trial champion, finished 20th in the Worlds last year.

On the women’s side, UCI Women’s World Cup champion Lizzie Armitstead is joined by Lucy Garner, who won a stage on the Route de France in August. Garner’s Liv-Plantur teammate Molly Weaver is also present, as are Alice Barnes and Jessie Walker.

National time trial champion Hayley Simmonds will be the rider representing GB against the clock in Richmond.

In the U23 race, Team Wiggins’s Owain Doull will ride alongside Scott Davies, Tao Geoghegan Hart, Alex Peters and Gabriel Cullaigh.

Elite men

Ian Stannard, Mark Cavendish, Ben Swift, Stephen Cummings, Geraint Thomas, Andy Fenn, Luke Rowe, Scott Thwaites, Alex Dowsett

Elite women

Lizzie Armitstead, Lucy Garner, Alice Barnes, Molly Weaver, Jessie Walker, Hayley Simmonds

Under-23 men

Owain Doull, Scott Davies, Tao Geoghegan Hart, Alex Peters, Gabriel Cullaigh

Junior men

Nathan Draper, Joey Walker, Joe Holt

Junior women

Lizzie Holden, Grace Garner, Abby Mae Parkinson, Ellie Dickinson