Eight Olympic champions, including Sir Bradley Wiggins, will represent Team England at the Commonwealth Games after the squad for Glasgow 2014 was unveiled.
Wiggins leads the men’s road team, while Laura Trott, Joanna Rowsell, Dani King, Ed Clancy, Steven Burke, Jason Kenny and Philip Hindes are also included in a formidable 31-rider squad.
Wiggins, who stormed to time trial gold at the London 2012 Olympic Games two years ago, is joined by three fellow WorldTour riders – Team Sky team-mate Ian Stannard, Alex Dowsett (Movistar) and Steve Cummings (BMC Racing).
National champion Dowsett is likely to join Wiggins in the time trial, having won silver behind Scotland’s David Millar at the Delhi Commonwealth Games four years ago.
The road squad is completed by Scott Thwaites, who is on the Tour de France longlist for his NetApp-Endura squad, Andy Tennant (Madison-Genesis) and rising stars Jon Dibben and Tom Moses.
They will be up against the likes of Geraint Thomas (Wales), as well as British champion Mark Cavendish and his Isle of Man team-mate Pete Kennaugh.
Meanwhile, Delhi silver medallist Lizzie Armitstead, who also won silver at the Olympics two years ago, heads the women’s road squad as well as completing the track endurance team alongside Trott, King and Rowsell.
Wiggle-Honda trio Trott, King and national time trial champion Rowsell are also in the women’s road squad, as are Emma Pooley (Lotto-Belisol Ladies), Hannah Barnes (UnitedHealthCare) and Lucy Garner (Giant-Shimano).
Armitstead, who has twice won world championship team pursuit gold alongside Rowsell, said of her selection: “It’s always an honour to be selected to represent your country and I’m proud to be a part of the England team.
“I won the British national road race in Glasgow last year which took in part of the Commonwealth Games course. The crowds were amazing then so I’m sure this summer will be something else.”
On the track, Clancy, Burke, Tennant and Dibben form a strong men’s endurance squad, while Kenny, Hindes, Matt Crampton and Kian Emadi make up the men’s sprint squad.
Jess Varnish, Vicky Williamson and Dannielle Khan will bid to stop the likes of Welsh superstar Becky James and Australia’s Anna Meares in the women’s sprint events, while and para-cyclist Sophie Thornhill will ride with pilot Helen Scott.
Cyclo-cross ace Paul Oldham, meanwhile, is one of five mountain bike riders selected.
Team England chef de mission Jan Paterson said: “This cycling team is undoubtedly the best we have ever seen selected for Team England.
“To have eight Olympic Champions line up alongside previous Commonwealth Games medallists and some supremely talented younger athletes is genuinely exciting for us.
“Whether it’s on the track, the road or at the mountain bike course cycling fans are in for a treat when Team England are competing.”
Technical director Shane Sutton added: “I believe we have selected a very strong team for this year’s Commonwealth Games and it’s great that we have such a talented pool of English cyclists to select from.
“It’s also promising to see some of our young academy riders, such as Danni Khan, also make selection for something as big as the Commonwealths. I speak on behalf of all the team when I say we can’t wait for the racing to begin in Glasgow.”
