Cycling Australia is pleased to announce a 17-rider team for the 2019 UCI Track World Championships to be held in Poland from 27 February to 3 March.

Team pursuit world record holders Leigh Howard (VIC), Kelland O’Brien (VIC), Alexander Porter (SA) and Samuel Welsford (WA) feature in the men’s endurance selections with Cameron Scott (NSW) who will make his World Championship debut. Nine-time world champion Cameron Meyer (WA) is also confirmed.

Commonwealth Games champions Ashlee Ankudinoff (NSW), Amy Cure (TAS), Annette Edmondson (SA) and Alexandra Manly (SA), plus Georgia Baker (TAS), comprise the women’s endurance selections.  

Reigning world champion Matthew Glaetzer (SA) headlines the men’s sprint quartet with Patrick Constable (SA) and Nathan Hart (ACT), with nineteen-year-old Podium Potential Academy member Matthew Richardson (WA) named to his maiden elite World Championship team.

Sprint silver medallist at the past two World Championships Stephanie Morton (SA), and Kaarle McCulloch (NSW) complete the women’s sprint selections.  

“These World Championships provide a great opportunity to benchmark where we are at against the world’s best,” said Simon Jones, Performance Director, Cycling Australia.

“However the focus will be about learning rather than winning. As we build towards Tokyo the focus will increasingly be on performance, but performing with a clear strategy and winning processes.”

The team will finalise preparations in Adelaide before departing Australia on February 20.

Australian Team

Endurance

• Ashlee Ankudinoff   
• Georgia Baker
• Amy Cure   
• Annette Edmondson   
• Alexandra Manly   
• Leigh Howard   
• Kelland O’Brien   
• Cameron Meyer  
• Alexander Porter  
• Cameron Scott   
• Samuel Welsford  

Sprint

• Kaarle McCulloch
• Stephanie Morton    
• Patrick Constable
• Matthew Glaetzer       
• Nathan Hart    
• Matthew Richardson    

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The Australian Cycling Team has been crowned overall 2018/19 UCI World Cup winners following an emphatic final World Cup round held at the Hong Kong Velodrome.

Australia claimed three gold, three silver and two bronze across the three days, highlighted by dual gold to Thomas Clarke, 23, in the sprint and team sprint with teenagers James Brister, 19, and Matthew Richardson, 19, plus omnium gold to Cameron Meyer.

Overall across the six-round World Cup series, Australia won 34 medals including 13 gold, 12 silver and nine bronze.
 
“It is a great team effort, a mixture of committed athletes, committed staff, everyone working together, I think it is a great thing to celebrate,” said Jon Norfolk, Head of Performance Pathways and People, Cycling Australia.

“Across this season we witnessed great results and performances from athletes within the Podium program and the Podium Potential Academy.  It is so great to have two separate tiers of our program able to perform on this kind of stage, to be able to refine and improve.

“It is also great to see both programs supporting each other as well, we have podium athletes supporting our younger athletes, and in turn, they are being inspired by racing and training with their heroes.  

“It is a really infectious environment.”

RECAPS: 

Sunday 

Forty-eight hours after teaming winning gold in the team sprint, Podium Potential Academy members Thomas Clarke, 23, and James Brister, 19, battled each other for gold in the individual sprint with Clarke taking the top step of the podium.

In a heartbreaking end to the men’s 30km Madison, Sam Welsford, 23, and Kelland O’Brien, 20, were edged into the silver medal position by New Zealand in the final sprint of the 120-lap race.

Alexandra Manly staged an epic comeback inside the final twenty laps of the points race to win bronze in women’s omnium.  

Teenage debutant Alexandra Martin-Wallace shone in the scratch race, coming over the top of a fast finishing bunch to win silver.

Read full Sunday report

Saturday

A calculated performance from Cameron Meyer, saw the 31-year-old claim an emphatic gold in his first international omnium competition.

In her first race at the World Cup level since 2016 after suffering a broken foot and chronic back injuries, Caitlin Ward, 24, netted her best World Cup performance finishing eighth with a competition personal best 11.022seconds in the flying 200m.

Read full Omnium & Women's Sprint report
​
Friday

The Australian Cycling Team’s Podium Potential Academy riders stole the show on the opening day of competition with teenagers James Brister, 19, and Matthew Richardson, 19, bolting from the gates on their World Cup debut, with Thomas Clarke, 23, to win gold in the men’s team sprint.

In the team pursuit, the teenage quartet of Jarrad Drizners, 19, Godfrey Slattery, 18 Conor Leahy, 19, and Luke Plapp, 18, won bronze in just their second World Cup event.

The women’s endurance quartet of Maeve Plouffe, 19, Alexandra Manly, 22, and World Cup debutantsAlexandra Martin-Wallace and Sophie Edwards, both 18, finished fifth overall.

Read full Team Pursuit & Team Sprint reports

Day 3 Recap - UCI Track World Cup 6 - Hong Kong

The penultimate day of the final World Cup of the season saw Australian Cycling Team's Cameron Meyer claim an emphatic omnium gold, while Podium Potential Academy member Caitlin Ward netted her best World Cup performance in the women's sprint.

Meyer, 31, began his campaign with seventh in the opening scratch race, before a commanding display in the tempo race saw him took maximum points after winning the event.

A calculated fourth in a crash-marred elimination race, which was neutralised mid-way through the race after a crash brought down a handful of riders, left Meyer perfectly poised in second place behind New Zealand's Campbell Stewart (104pts) heading into the final event, the points race.

In his pet event, a classical Meyer performance saw him claim two sprint wins and a lap on the field within the first thirty laps of the 100-lap race, and with them, the race ascendancy.

From there, Meyer was able to control the race and any attacks on his lead, sealing gold on 134 points ahead of France's Benjamin Thomas (120pts) and Stewart (116pts).

"A little bit shocked and surprised, but I knew I had good condition coming off the road racing in Australia with the Tour Down Under, but I didn't know what to expect in my first omnium at a World Cup," said the nine-time world champion in the points race, team pursuit and Madison. "I was pretty nervous for some of the events, but when I knew I was up there for the points race which is my speciality, I was a chance of a getting a result and coming away with a gold medal.

"My goals were to find out what the omnium was about really. It is an Olympic event, something that I can target, so I wanted to see where the level was at, where my level compared to the other competitors."

Meyer will now return to the Australian Cycling Team's Adelaide headquarters for final preparations for Februarys World Championships in Poland.

"Now it is a full focus towards Worlds and I am really looking forward to it. It is always exciting to be back on the track, I have good condition and am looking forward to the World Championships."

In the women's sprint, Caitlin Ward netted her best World Cup performance finishing eighth.

In her first race at the World Cup level since 2016 after suffering a broken foot and chronic back injuries, Ward opened her account with a competition personal best 11.022seconds in the flying 200m, the eighth fastest on the day. 

Ward then took care of Amelia Walsh (CAN) and Jessica Lee (HKG) to move to the quarterfinals where her campaign ended at the hands of hometown hero and Olympic medalist Wai Sze Lee (HKG). 

"It was unfortunate to get eighth and come across the top qualifier, but racing Lee is an experience and a half. You're not going to learn unless you race the best, and she is up there," said Ward, 24.  "I am thrilled with how I performed. It is my best performance ever. I haven't done close to that time for a long time, I have had injuries coming out of my ears. 

A member of the Podium Potential Academy, Ward recognised coach Lynne Munro and the support from the new Cycling Australia program. 

"(I am) over the moon with how the Academy has come through, getting to work with Lynne.  I think we make a really good team, the people involved are great, I have a great team around me."

Holly Takos clocked 11.582seconds in qualifying but did not progress through to sprint rounds. 

Twenty-four hours after claiming team sprint gold while on his World Cup debut, Matthew Richardson, 19 was back at it on Saturday in the men's keirin, with the Podium Potential Academy sprinter finished seventh overall after winning the 7-12 final.  

After winning team pursuit bronze on the opening night of competition Godfrey Slattery, 19, went solo on Saturday, finishing thirteenth in the scratch race. 

In the women's Madison, Maeve Plouffe and Alexandra Martin-Wallace took on the might of the world's best in their World Cup debut.  A frenetic pace was set early by 2018 world championship silver medallists the Netherlands and 2017 world champions Belgium, with the two teams unrelenting over the 80-lap race.   

The UCI Track World Cup in Hong Kong is the sixth and final for the 2018/19 season. Racing concludes on Sunday. 

Results www.tissottiming.com 

The Australian Cycling Team’s rising stars stole the show on Friday night at the UCI Track World Cup with Podium Potential Academy riders James Brister, Matthew Richardson and Thomas Clarke storming to team sprint gold, while Jarrad Drizners, Godfrey Slattery, Conor Leahy, and Luke Plapp clinched team pursuit bronze.

TEAM SPRINT

Teenagers James Brister, 19, and Matthew Richardson, 19, bolted from the gates on their World Cup debut, teaming with Thomas Clarke, 23, to win gold in the men’s team sprint.

The Podium Potential Academy trio posted the fastest qualifying ride (44.343) in Friday's afternoon’s qualifying round before progressing to the final with a first round win (43.774) over Belarus.

In the final, Richardson got the team off to a hot start, with Clarke and Brister bringing it home in 43.815 seconds to record a resounding win over Japan (44.148) to claim the gold.  

“I have been really excited for weeks to ride this event with these boys, we targeted this event and trained really hard,” said Clarke, who won silver with Jacob Schmid and Nathan Hart last weekend at the penultimate round of the World Cup in Cambridge.

“It was only the second time we have ridden together, and with a new order, and it paid off with this great result,” said Richardson.

“First World Cup, first medal, first gold medal, it is pretty exciting, I wasn’t expecting this at all, can't thank my teammates, coach and staff enough,” said Brister, who recognised the Academy for his result. “The support we are getting phenomenal now, I wouldn’t be here now without the support of Cycling Australia setting up the Academy.”

TEAM PURSUIT

In the team pursuit, the teenage quartet of Jarrad Drizners, 19, Godfrey Slattery, 18 Conor Leahy, 19, and Luke Plapp, 18, won bronze in just their second World Cup event.

The team posted the eighth fastest time (4:01.562) in Thursday evening’s qualifying round to just make it through to Friday’s first round.

There, world record holder Sam Welsford, 23, subbed in for Slattery with the quartet scorching the Hong Kong Velodrome with a stunning ride of 3mins 53.889secs, the fastest time ever ridden by the teenage trio.  

“It is crazy to ride a three-fifty three, particularly in these cool conditions,” said Welsford. “I only came in to ride the first round to give a little direction in the middle, to set the pace. But hats off to the boys, they were holding the pace as good as, if not better than me.”

In the bronze medal final, Drizners, Slattery, Leahy and Plapp (3:57.423) proved too good for France (3:58.738) to take their first podium at a World Cup level.

The women’s endurance quartet of Maeve Plouffe, 19, Alexandra Manly, 22, and World Cup debutants Alexandra Martin-Wallace and Sophie Edwards, both 18, finished fifth overall.

The quartet posted squad-best time of 4mins 25.554secs in Thursday’s qualifying, with the team overcoming a late minute change which waw Sophie Edwards come in for Sam De Riter just minutes before the race after De Riter fell ill.

In Friday’s first round against fastest qualifiers Italy, the Aussie quartet bettered their time by more than a second (4:24.250).  However, the time was less than a second shy of France’s fourth-best time, therefore missing a place in the bronze medal final.

“Yesterday was a really good day, pretty stoked to post the fourth best time and a personal best,” said Martin-Wallace. “We have been working so hard on it at training, getting better and better, so it was nice to deliver here.

“Even though we didn’t make it into the finals, we went even faster so I am really happy.

“The experience has been awesome, I have been trying to learn as much as I can, and having so much fun, to be in this environment, it is great.”

In the women’s team sprint, Caitlin Ward and Holly Takos clocked 35.060seconds in the women’s event which placed them sixteenth overall.

The UCI Track World Cup in Hong Kong is the sixth and final for the 2018/19 season. Racing continues on Saturday and Sunday.

The Australian Cycling Team Podium Potential Academy riders are eager ahead of their first taste of elite international cycling at the final round of the UCI Track World Cup season in Hong Kong. 

Launched by Cycling Australia in November 2018, the Academy is focussed on long term athlete development with the current cohort aiming for success at the 2024 Olympic Games and beyond, in both sprint and endurance disciplines. Based at Adelaide’s Australian Cycling Team headquarters, the program is working to bridge the gap between the country’s regional high-performance network and the podium program.

Academy riders form the majority of the sixteen-rider team including the men’s endurance team features Jarrad Drizners, Godfrey Slattery, Conor Leahy and Luke Plapp.  Alexandra Martin-Wallace, Sophie Edwards, Sam De Riter and Maeve Plouffe comprise the women's quartet.

The sprint selections for round six Hong Kong include debutants James Brister and Matthew Richardson, in addition to Thomas Clarke and Caitlin Ward who will both return to the World Cup level for the first time in more than two seasons.

Australian Cycling Team Podium members Holly Takos, Cameron Meyer, Samuel Welsford and Alexandra Manly will also contest the final round.

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Australian Cycling Team - UCI Track World Cup Round 6

Sprint

• James Brister
• Thomas Clarke
• Matthew Richardson
• Holly Takos
• Caitlin Ward

​Endurance

• Jarrad Drizners
• Godfrey Slattery
• Conor Leahy
• Luke Plapp
• Cameron Meyer
• Samuel Welsford
• Alexandra Martin-Wallace
• Sophie Edwards
• Sam De Riter
• Maeve Plouffe
• Alexandra Manly​

2015 world champion and 2012 Olympic bronze medallist Annette Edmondson returned to the top step of the omnium podium with a controlled victory in the women’s event.  

Edmondson opened her account in the four-race omnium with a win in the scratch race, before taking fourth in the tempo. Victory in the elimination race provided an eight-point lead heading into the final event, the points race. 

A controlled race from Edmondson saw her maintain her advantage over Canada’s Allison Beveridge (123pts) and Japan’s Yumi Kajihara (113pts) to take the win on 131 points. 

“[I’m] Delighted to get the win here, we came here to get some experience because this would only be my third omnium in the new format,” said Edmondson, who took her world title and Olympic medal in the now-defunct six-race format. “Happy to tick some boxes, test out some new plans.  

“The race might have been missing some of the bigger names in omnium, but the great opportunity of racing, to practice race strategies was not lost. Also, to learn to ride the final points race in the lead, that experience is hard to get at that level, so it was great to have this opportunity.

“It was a nice battle at the end there, but I did feel in control and happy to take the win.”

Kaarle McCulloch claimed her first individual sprint medal at a World Cup level when she claimed bronze in the women’s event.
 
On the eve of her thirty-first birthday, McCulloch surged to a personal best time of 10.677secs in sprint qualifying, second fastest and just three-hundredths behind Hong Kong’s Wai Sze Lee.  
 
‪McCulloch defeated Ukraine’s Liubov Basova and the USA’s Madalyn Godby to move to the semi-finals where her run was ended by Olena Starikova (UKR). 
 
In the bronze medal final, McCulloch came back from 0-1 down against hometown hero Natasha Hansen to win the bronze. 
 
“Very very happy, to win my first ever individual sprint medal at a World Cup,” said McCulloch, who celebrated her birthday with fifth in the keirin. “I was thrilled when I got into the semis, a little disappointed how I rode it, but happy with how I bounced back in the bronze ride off to beat Natasha on her home turf.”
 
A host of Australian Cycling Team Podium Potential Academy riders got their first taste of international cycling when they made their World Cup debut.
 
The all-teenage quartet of Jarrad Drizners, Godfrey Slattery, Conor Leahy and Luke Plapp qualified seventh fastest (4:02.293) in the team pursuit, before defeating Russia with a time of 3mins 56.379secs in the first round.  However, the quartet just missed the medal rounds by three-tenths of a second and finished fifth overall. 
 
In other events, Drizners took a gallant fourth in the scratch race, Slattery was twelfth in the omnium, while Plapp and Drizners finished tenth in the Madison. 
 
The Academy riders now form the majority of the Australian sixteen-rider team that will line up in the final World Cup round in Hong Kong this weekend. ​

Siblings Saya and Kai Sakakibara celebrated victory at the 2019 Oceania BMX Championships in Te Awamutu, New Zealand.
 
"I hadn't raced for three months or so, I was a bit shaky at the start, so it was nice to bring it all together in the final," said Saya who took the lead on the first turn and held it to the finish line.

"Last year I missed out on the Oceania Championships because I was away overseas competing, so compete against my all time idol [Sarah Walker] and all the other amazing competitors from Australia and New Zealand it was the icing on the cake to take the win today.
 
In a closely fought men's final, Sakakibara chased down Brandon Te Hiko (Australia) in the closing metres to take the title.

"I’m very happy to begin the year with a win at the Oceanias," said Kai. "I didn’t have huge expectations as the event fell right in the middle of my off season training block, so it was great to still come away with a solid win."

The pair will now head back to their training base on the Gold Coast as they begin preparations for the World Cup season which begins in April.

Results | Event Website 

Cycling Australia has confirmed selections for the final two rounds of the UCI Track World Cup season to be held in New Zealand and Hong Kong respectively, with a host of the Australian Cycling Team Podium Potential Academy riders set for their first taste of international cycling.

Launched by Cycling Australia in November 2018, the Academy is focussed on long term athlete development with the current cohort aiming for success at the 2024 Olympic Games and beyond, in both sprint and endurance disciplines. Based at Adelaide’s Australian Cycling Team headquarters, the program is working to bridge the gap between the country’s regional high-performance network and the podium program.

Academy riders will form the majority of the ten-rider team for Round 5 in Cambridge, New Zealand, and, in what is one of the biggest Australian teams ever selected for a World Cup, the sixteen-rider team that will line up in Hong Kong’s final round.

“These World Cups will provide our Academy riders with valuable exposure to a world-class, high-performance event environment,” said Cycling Australia Head of Performance Pathways and People, Jonathan Norfolk.

”While the podium athletes are there to perform, for the Academy riders it is about learning to win and maximising the opportunity to refine their performance processes and to develop the habits and behaviours to prepare the foundation for long term success.”

The men’s endurance team of Jarrad Drizners, Godfrey Slattery, Conor Leahy and Luke Plapp is eager to make their World Cup debut.  

“I am pretty excited to hit the world stage with the team at the World Cup,” said Leahy, who will contest both rounds with the team. “It is going to be a huge step up for me and everyone in the Academy, and I am looking forward to soaking up the environment with the team.”

The women’s endurance quartet of Alexandra Martin-Wallace, Sophie Edwards, Sam De Riter and Maeve Plouffe, who made her World Cup debut last October, will contest round six in Hong Kong.

“I really just want to make the most of it, gain as much from the experience, we will be looking for a really good time in the team pursuit as it is the most important for us,” said Martin-Wallace. “I love the bunch races, and I will be hoping to see where I am at when up against a World Cup field.”

The sprint selections for round six Hong Kong include debutants James Brister and Matthew Richardson, in addition to Thomas Clarke and Caitlin Ward who will both return to the World Cup level for the first time in more than two seasons.

“Pretty excited to get over there, gain from the experience, and race really well,” said Richardson. “I expect the competition will be really tough, but we need to be prepared to compete at levels like this if we want to take the next step. I will be looking to see how I cope with the pressure, to see if I handle it well, and to learn from this experience so I am ready for the next event.”

Australian Cycling Team Podium members Annette Edmondson, Kaarle McCulloch, Nathan Hart, Jacob Schmid and Holly Takos will contest the fifth round in Cambridge. Cameron Meyer, Samuel Welsford and Alexandra Manly will head to Hong Kong’s final round.

Australia’s leading sprinters in Stephanie Morton, who collected eight medals including four gold, and reigning world champion Matthew Glaetzer who won three gold and a silver in the sprint across the first four rounds, will remain in Australia to focus on preparations for February’s World Championships.

Australian Cycling Team - UCI Track World Cup Round 5 & 6

Round 5 - Cambridge - New Zealand

Sprint

• Nathan Hart
• Jacob Schmid
• Kaarle McCulloch

Endurance

• Jarrad Drizners
• Godfrey Slattery
• Conor Leahy
• Luke Plapp
• Blake Quick
• Annette Edmondson

FOLLOW   Website   |   Twitter   |   Facebook   |  Results

Round 6 - Hong Kong

Sprint

• James Brister
• Thomas Clarke
• Matthew Richardson
• Holly Takos
• Caitlin Ward

Endurance

• Jarrad Drizners
• Godfrey Slattery
• Conor Leahy
• Luke Plapp
• Cameron Meyer
• Samuel Welsford
• Alexandra Martin-Wallace
• Sophie Edwards
• Sam De Riter
• Maeve Plouffe
• Alexandra Manly​

​Website

Cycling Australia is pleased to announce a 17-rider team for the 2019 UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships to be held in the Netherlands from 14-17 March.

The Championships offers valuable qualification points towards the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, with the Australian team to vie against 200 of the world’s best from 30 countries.

The selections feature a host of reigning and former world champions including David Nicholas (QLD), Amanda Reid (NSW), Simone Kennedy (NSW), Alistair Donohoe (VIC) and Kyle Bridgwood (QLD),plus the Tandem pairing of Jessica Gallagher (VIC) and Pilot Madison Janssen (VIC).

Emily Petricola (VIC) returns to the team following her outstanding debut at the 2018 World Championships which saw her bring home dual medals and the individual pursuit world record.

“The world record, it’s a lovely sort of thing that I'll be proud of when I look back on my career, but at this moment for me it’s just about trying to be better than what I’ve been before, to try to make sure that there’s no one better than me on that day,” said Petricola, who unofficially bettered her existing world mark on the way to the National crown last December.

2018 World Championship silver medalist in the scratch race Darren Hicks (SA) will look to continue his strong form with a focus towards the timed events.

“It’s just exciting to go into 2019 with a lot ahead rather than just the time trial so I’m excited,” said Hicks, who went within two seconds of the 3-kilometre individual pursuit world record (set at altitude) at December’s Nationals. “The individual pursuit has never really been a focus, but I’d like to run a three 41 or a 42 just to reassure myself that it’s something I can do every time we get to any track in the world.”

Newcomer Paige Greco (SA), who shone at December’s Track Nationals in Melbourne, will make her national team debut, as will Michael Shippley (QLD) and Daniel Van der Laan (NSW).

“It’s (Australian team selection) has been a goal since I moved to Adelaide, so I am thrilled and excited,” said Greco, who announced herself on the para-cycling scene with dual national records and gold at the 2018 Track Nationals. “My goal at worlds is a PB (personal best time), but I’ve got some things I need to work on.  

“I’m also really looking forward to the team environment as it will be excellent to get some advice from the more experienced riders and see how they handle the pressure.”

In the men's Tandem events Brad Henderson (SA) is confirmed, with his Pilot to be named at a later date.

The Australian Cycling Team will head to Brisbane in late January for a team training camp and UCI Category 2 event before heading to the Netherlands in late March.

The Team celebrated ten medals at the 2018 UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships in Rio, the fourth most by any nation behind Great Britain, Netherlands and China.

ATHLETE (STATE) CLASSIFICATION

• Emily Petricola (VIC) C4
• Paige Greco (SA) C3
• Meg Lemon (SA) C4
• Amanda Reid (NSW) C2
• Simone Kennedy (NSW) C3
• Jessica Gallagher (VIC) + Madison Janssen (Pilot) WB Tandem
• David Nicholas (QLD) C3
• Darren Hicks (SA) C2
• Alistair Donohoe (VIC) C5
• Kyle Bridgwood (QLD) C4
• Gordon Allan (NSW) C2
• Michael Shippley (QLD) C4
• Daniel Van der Laan (NSW) C5
• Darcy Thompson C1 (SA)
• Brad Henderson* + (Pilot TBC)