Harvey and Harris are in Europe riding professionally on the road circuit and were unavailable for comment yesterday.
But Patrick Harvey was delighted for his daughter, who was just coming back into some good form following a bout of Covid-19.
He was also thrilled for Harris, who he has coached in the past.
She had a crash earlier in the season and injured her hip.
She is still making her way back to fitness and has not returned to racing yet.
"I haven’t spoken to Mikayla since it was officially announced, and she is in the middle of a tour at the moment, but it is super important," Patrick said.
"For road cyclists it is quite a bit different from track cyclists.
"They’ve still got their whole road campaign and professional life. But the Commonwealth Games and Olympics are a chance to represent your country and that is special.
"So it is pretty cool to have that opportunity to put on the black jersey."
The pair will compete in a very strong women’s road team, which includes Niamh Fisher-Black. She has been in tremendous form and was the No 1 ranked young rider in 2021.
Ally Wollaston is the fastest sprinter in the group and perhaps best placed to medal for New Zealand if the race comes down to a bunch sprint as it so often does, while Georgia Williams nabbed silver at the Gold Coast Games.
It is unclear which riders will compete in the women’s time trial for New Zealand, but both Otago riders are strong competitors in the discipline.
Road professional Jack Bauer, who won a silver medal in the road race in Glasgow and captained the team at the Gold Coast, is another rider with considerable experience.
Aaron Gate, who has been in wonderful during the past two years, finished fourth in the points race in Delhi 2010.
The men’s endurance track team includes three riders from the quartet that went under the world record by two seconds at the Tokyo Olympics.
Bryony Botha shapes as a medal prospect in the women’s individual pursuit, and there is excitement about the young women’s sprint team, led by Tokyo medallist Ellesse Andrews.
Mountain bikers Anton Cooper and Sam Gaze will be looking to add further medals to their collection and continue their rivalry.
The naming takes the total number of athletes currently selected for the New Zealand Commonwealth Games team to 147.
New Zealand team
for Commonwealth Games in Birmingham
Road: Ally Wollaston, Henrietta Christie, Niamh Fisher-Black, Ella Harris, Mikayla Harvey, Georgia Williams, Shane Archbold, Jack Bauer, Patrick Bevin, Dion Smith, Aaron Gate, Campbell Stewart.
Sprint: Ellesse Andrews, Olivia King, Rebecca Petch, Emily Shearman, Sam Dakin, Bradley Knipe, Callum Saunders, Sam Webster.
Endurance: Bryony Botha, Michaela Drummond, Emily Shearman, Ally Wollaston, Aaron Gate, George Jackson, Jordan Kerby, Nick Kergozou, Tom Sexton, Campbell Stewart, Corbin Strong.
Mountain Bike: Anton Cooper, Sam Gaze, Ben Oliver.
Road Reserves: Laurence Pithie, Logan Currie
