Simon Clarke and Caleb Ewan will join Anna Meares’ team of 41 Australian cyclists in Glasgow.

A well-rounded seven-member men’s road team includes the versatile Simon Clarke, Australia’s best-placed finisher in the road race at the 2013 UCI World Championships and claimed the 2014 Herald Sun Tour. Rising star, in-form and dual under-23 national champion Caleb Ewan, will make his Debut.

Dennis, Durbridge and Hepburn are Australia’s obvious time trial entries, while Caleb is their main option if the road race comes down to a bunch sprint.

The proximity to the Tour predictably has impacted on who is available for selection in the men’s road race team.

“Guys like Rogers, Cadel, Porte, Michael Matthews – they all withdrew themselves some time ago because of race plans and objectives,” said Cycling Australia national performance director Kevin Tabotta.

Dennis, Durbridge and Hepburn are Australia’s obvious time trial entries, while Ewan is their main option if the road race comes down to a bunch sprint.

But Tabotta would not go into their tactical options for the road race.

“It won’t be a procession – it will be harder than people expect, simply because of the team dynamics,” he said of the smaller team sizes at the Games.

Australia dominated cycling at the 2010 Games in Delhi, winning 14 of a possible 18 gold medals and 21 medals in total. Tabotta warned cycling at Glasgow would be a lot more competitive and will not be as easy to dominate.

“There will be world championship-level fields in a lot of the events,” Tabotta said.

The Tour ends on July 27, with the Games individual time trial on July 31 and the Games road race on August 3.

Cycling Australia Team list:

ROAD
Men
Simon CLARKE (27, VIC)
Rohan DENNIS (24, SA)
Luke DURBRIDGE (23, WA)
Caleb EWAN (19, NSW)
Nathan HAAS (25, ACT)
Michael HEPBURN (22, QLD)
Mark RENSHAW (31, NSW)

Women
Tiffany CROMWELL (25, SA)
Gracie ELVIN (25, ACT)
Katrin GARFOOT (32, QLD)
Shara GILLOW (26, QLD)
Chloe HOSKING (23, ACT)
Melissa HOSKINS (23, WA)