AusCycling is excited to unveil 13 selections for the 2026 Under-19 (Junior) European Road Development Project.

The European road development camps are annually centred around UCI Junior Nations’ Cup events, exposing emerging athletes to international competition in an ARA Australian Cycling Team environment with elite training, guidance and support from AusCycling staff and coaches.

On a results basis, Nations’ Cup races are important points accumulation opportunities towards Australia’s ranking, which determines junior quota spots for the 2026 UCI Road World Championships in Montréal, Canada.

Among the selected athletes are current junior road national champions Ben Coates (road race), Neve Parslow (road race and individual time trial) and Connor Wright (individual time trial).

Wright and Parslow are both currently leading ProVelo Super League’s U19 classifications, and Wright recently secured an impressive queen stage win at the Tour of Tasmania.

AusCycling Director of Pathways – Performance, Donna Rae-Szalinski, said overseas development camps, such as this, are pivotal given the rapidly evolving junior environment.

“Providing structured and supported performance leadership enhances the riders’ development and assists their transition to U23s,” Rae-Szalinski added.

“The Nations’ Cup tours also provide valuable exposure for our riders due to their reputation as key junior events.

“The racing is highly competitive and is closely monitored by UCI WorldTour team scouts.”

U19 Europe Road Development ProjectThe U19 men’s squad will compete at four Nations’ Cup tours:Tour du Pays de Vaud – Switzerland (May 28–31)G.P. F.W.R. Baron – Lago Le Bandie – Pieve Del Grappa – Italy (June 6–7)LVM Saarland Trofeo – Germany (June 11–14)Medzinárodné Dni Cyklistiky – Slovakia (June 19–21)Men’s squad:Ben Coates (Manly Warringah Cycling Club/NSW)Alistair Forsyth (Ballarat Sebastopol Cycling Club/VIC)Ollie Jirovec (Brunswick Cycling Club/VIC)Maxx Nuspan* (Bendigo and District Cycling Club/VIC)Lachlan Stewart* (Alpine Cycling Club/VIC)Oliver Ward (Norwood Cycling Club/SA)Connor Wright (Ferguson Valley MTB Club/WA)

*Lachlan Stewart will race at Tour du Pays de Vaud and LVM Saarland Trofeo. Maxx Nuspan will race at G.P. F.W.R. Baron – Lago Le Bandie – Pieve Del Grappa and Medzinárodné Dni Cyklistiky.

The U19 women’s squad will compete at two Nations’ Cup tours:EPZ Omloop van Borsele – Netherlands (April 24–26)Tour du Gévaudan Occitanie – France (May 16–17)Women’s squad:Chloe Bowen (University of Queensland Cycling Club/QLD)Chloe Buckley* (Cairns Cycling Club/QLD)Vegas Henry (Carnegie Caulfield Cycling Club/VIC)Annie Kleywegt (Hobart Wheelers Dirt Devils Cycling Club/TAS)Megan Moore (Balmoral Cycling Club/QLD)Neve Parslow (Hamilton Wheelers Cycling Club/QLD)

*Chloe Buckley will race only at Tour du Gévaudan Occitanie.

Feature picture: Neve Parslow (centre) raced at the 2025 UCI Road World Championships in Rwanda. (SWpix.com)