TakeWorlds4 weeks ago
Australia's Montreal squad leans on Michael Matthews and Ben O'Connor as proven medalists, with Michael Storer, Jai Hindley, and Luke Tuckwell built for Mount Royal's climbs. But the real story is Sarah Gigante lining up for her first race since fracturing her femur in August 2025 — a comeback that needed a second surgery just months ago to remove the pin.
Gigante had a metal pin removed from her femur in June 2026, leaving her with almost no race days before Montreal. AusCycling's Conor Taylor admitted as much: «Although Sarah has had very few race days this year, she's proven her exceptional ability to overcome adversity… a fit and healthy Sarah can be extremely competitive on a tough World Championship course like the one in Montréal.» That's the gamble on the women's side, where Georgia Baker, Lauretta Hanson, and Amanda Spratt provide experience but no other rider carries Gigante's climbing upside. On the men's side, the absence of Jay Vine to illness strips out another climbing option just as the course demands them.
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