Bauer answers emergency call for road cycling worlds

National champion Jack Bauer has answered an SOS to race in this week’s UCI World Road Championships in Melbourne.

The UK-based professional will arrive in Melbourne on Wednesday ahead of Thursday’s individual time trial at the championships in Geelong.

Bauer will replace US-based kiwi Jeremy Vennell (Hawkes Bay) after the former national time trial champion fell ill this week.

Bauer, who has been riding for the Endura Pro Continental team in Europe, will use the event to prepare for the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, where he is expected to be a prominent hope in the men’s road race.

The Under-23 men and elite women compete in the time trial in Geelong on Wednesday and the elite men on Thursday 30 September.

The under 23-men’s road race over 10 laps of the 16km circuit is on Friday 1 October, the women over eight laps on Saturday and the men over 263km on Sunday.