 Aug 24th, 09. Alison Shanks will not be competing in the World Road Championships in Switzerland this September.
The kiwi Track World Champion had initially planned to race in the Road Time Trial event.
Shanks confirmed she has decided not to make herself available for selection to the New Zealand squad for this event.
Shanks is currently in the US, where she has been since the end of June, training and competing in various road cycling events over the New Zealand winter.
From Boulder, Colorado where she is enjoying a month of altitude training, Shanks updated RoadCycling.co.nz's Sarah Christian on the change of plans.
"Basically it was just a change of plans, no injuries or illness, the body is in good nick. Basically we (Craig Palmer, Dayle Cheatley and myself) just reassessed the season and decided not to race World Time Trial Champs," said Shanks.
Instead of heading to France for a warmup road race, Shanks will now head home to Otago, New Zealand in September.
"It's a big season coming up beginning with Oceanias in Invercargill, followed by the World Cup season, World [Track] Champs in March and then the Commonwealth Games in October. So plenty to look forward to," she said.
Shanks' US season
Shanks (mid pack in black & white) in the Cascade Classic (c) Veronika Lenzi
"I really enjoyed the Cascade Classic - it was a great tour through some magic scenery. It had been a while since I had raced on the road but was great to test myself again against some top racers. The mountain stages coupled with the 40 degree + temps certainly tested us all," she said.
"It was also great to see so many kiwis racing across the men's and women's peloton. It is always fun to catch up and spin a kiwi yarn - some light relief for those riders that have been in America all season."
Interim NZ plans
Before getting back on the track, Shanks has a couple of local races she is particularly looking forward to. One is the local R&R Sport Otago 2 day road tour mid September and the other is a mountain bike event, the Rail Trail 100mile Mountain Bike race on the 27th September.
"The Rail Trail 100mile event fits into the schedule this year, so I'm excited to be able to mix up the racing and support the club who have supported me. From there it is down to Invercargill for two weeks of track camp with the National Team," she said.
Back on track
Shanks says her track off-season has gone exceptionally fast this year. "Once we all hit Invercargill and get together again I can guarantee the team will be buzzing again - especially given the recent success of the Junior Track team at the World Championships. It was great getting the daily updates and the team definitely made kiwis proud."
From one World Champion to another, Shanks recognises the fantastic results gained by Sam Webster who won three gold medals and world titles at the recent UCI Junior World Track Championships in Moscow.
"Sam Webster's results were absolutely exceptional, his pot of gold just got bigger and bigger! It's going to be a colourful season with the kiwi rainbow jerseys rocking round the velodrome."
New Zealand now has four track riders entitled to wear the rainbow ringed World Champion jersey; Shanks, Webster and Websters winning Team-Sprint teammates, Ethan Mitchell and Cameron Karwowski.
You can follow Alison's season on her website alisonshanks.co.nz
Read the season round-ups of all the kiwi internationals..
Greg Henderson, Peter Latham, Alex Meenhorst, Tim Gudsell, OEX Team Enterprise, Matt Sillars, Roman Van Uden, Alex McGregor, Heath Blackgrove, Wade Mangham, Glen Chadwick, Genevieve Whitson, George Bennett, Logan Hutchings, Michael Torckler, Josie Giddens, Jesse Sergent, Tom David, Jack Bauer, Sam Bewley, Rushlee Buchanan, Clinton Avery, Ryan Wills, Cath Cheatley plus recent interviews with Alison Shanks, Hayden Roulston and Jo Kiesanowski. More to come... |
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