This means that Stephens would not fulfil the selection criterion of having completed in two of the three selection races for the Games. Both national road coach Heiko Salzwedel said yesterday Stephens could be given an exemption for Atlanta because of his outstanding form so far this season.
"At the moment, everybody is riding, but there is a chance the Neil Stephens will receive an exemption because his performances so far have been outstanding," Salzwedel. "I think he is ahead of everybody else and maybe he will be preselected, but I am only one of the three selectors and all three would need to agree."
The Isle of Man race, the Manx International, is a UCI-sanctioned event. The other selection races were the Tour of Tasmania, in which Stephens competed, and the national titles in Sydney. Salzwedel said another selection race, a time-trial, would also be held on the Isle of Man on June 23, for competition only be members of the Australian road squad.
Salzwedel said he was buoyed by the efforts of another international, South Australian Patrick Jonker in a recent European event, which showed he was on track for an Atlanta berth. Salzwedel said Henk Vogels and Robbie McEwen (also with Rabobank) would compete in an event in Austria next week, as would another member of the national squad, Jay Sweet. Other contenders Damian McDonald and Brett Dennis would tune up in the tours of Luxembourg and Sweden before the Isle of Man event.