Durbridge will be making his Olympic debut in Tokyo next week after being named in the Australian road cycling squad.
He will be replacing Jack Haig, who was forced to pull out of Olympics after fracturing his collarbone in Stage 3 of the Tour De France.
Lucas Hamilton was first named as Haig’s replacement, but just days after the announcement he was involved in a nasty crash on Stage 13 of the Tor de France and suffered an acromioclavicular joint dislocation in his right shoulder.
Currently riding for Team BikeExchange in the Tour De France, Durbridge is well equipped to ride alongside Richie Porte and Rohan Dennis after winning the overall general classification at the Santos Festival of Cycling in January.
The 30-year-old is a five-time national champion across Time Trial and Road Race and has claimed stages at the Giro d’Italia.
The Australian Cycling Team’s performance Director Simon Jones said the Australian team has a great depth of road cyclists:
“We have selected from riders available who can provide world-class support on what is an extremely challenging hilly Olympic road race course profile. Luke brings a wealth of experience to the team and we look forward to seeing him in Japan where he will form a strong Australian outfit with Richie Porte, Rohan Dennis and Lucas Hamilton.
“We wish Cam and Jack all the very best, and we hope every rider in the Tour has a safe and successful passage through the remaining stages.”
