Stuart O’Grady will lead Australia’s five-rider squad at the London-Surrey Cycle Classic, the test event ahead of next summer’s Olympic road race – but Tour de France winner Cadel Evans has skipped the chance to recce the route.

O’Grady is bidding to become the first cyclist to ride at six Olympic Games’ and will be joined by sprinters Matthew Goss, Leigh Howard, Michael Matthews and Heinrich Haussler on August 14, with Australia’s team designed to exploit the flat finish in front of Buckingham Palace on The Mall.

The 37-year-old O’Grady has won four Olympic medals on the track and stood on the top step of the podium with Graeme Brown after victory in the madison at Athens 2004.

The veteran rode in support of second-placed Andy Schleck at the Tour but became one of the first riders to switch teams after the August 1 transfer window opened, signing for the new Australian GreenEdge team.

Tour de France green jersey winner Mark Cavendish is expected to spearhead Great Britain’s attack in Surrey but Australia’s team co-ordinator Matt White pulled no punched in setting out his squad’s objective over the 140km route.

“It might be a test event but we’re definitely going [there] to win and with this group we’ve got the talent to do that,” said former pro White.

“All five can do the job and we’re going to win in London in August and then we’re heading to Denmark in September to win again at the World Championships.

“Every time our pros come together to race for Australia, and it’s only a couple of times a year at most, they race to win. So when they come into this team they know they’re here for business and that business is to win bike races.”