Western Region Academy of Sport names their squad for 2020-21 season

The academy named a new-look squad of eight riders last week, with several cyclists graduating from the program this year.

The squad is dominated by Orange locals this season with Xavier Bland and Oscar Hansen plus siblings Cameron, Lachlan and Patrick Crump making it a family affair. Dubbo's Isabelle Russell rounds out the squad.

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Co-coach Marian Renshaw will be helping some of the riders prepare for a jump up in age group while some have a chance to make their mark in their second season at the same level.

"Cadel and Ebony are both in under 15s. Ebony is returning to that age group whereas Cadel will be going up into under 17s after October," she said.

"Paddy and Cameron Crump have both been in the team for a year now and have made substantial gains. They're focusing a lot on the road championships which are a couple of weeks away at Wagga. It's a tough time for them because they have to be prepared for the track and the road at once.

"We only have the one returning rider from Dubbo, with Isabelle, and Xavier Bland returns too. I feel Xavier and Cadel will make an impact on the track this year."

Russell turned in an impressive performance in her return to racing this year after the COVID-19 lockdown was lifted, coming in second in the Hunter tour.

Selections for the team this year were mostly reliant on past performances as opposed to trialling - such has been the nature of 2020.

"Before COVID we had plans to do some talent identification camps but that was just impossible," Renshaw said.

"The size of the team usually depends on the amount of applicants we get. There hasn't been much racing this year and people have been doing other things. It's a changed world."

Renshaw will be keenly following the progress of the graduating riders as they look to further their careers.

"We have Luke Tuckwell graduating into under 19s and is now part of the Rauland team, which is associated with New South Wales cycling. He's more road orientated there and he's very happy to be a part of that team," she said.

"Dan Googe is up in senior levels now, into the elite racing, and then Kalinda Robinson is in her second year of under 19s."

Several new riders are also in.

"Lachlan Crump and Oscar Hansen are our new additions," Renshaw said.

"Oscar's a mountain biker who's come across to try out road racing. It will be his first time competing on the road and he hasn't done track before either."