Women's Recap

Gigante claimed an incredible and fully deserved overall Santos Festival of Cycling Tour victory with the 20-year-old's GC lead never in any doubt during the final-stage criterium raced in 41-degree temperatures in Adelaide.

“What a perfect week it really was,’’ Gigante said after back-to-back-stage wins set her up to propel her atop of the podium during Santos Festival of Cycling. “I’m not the best crit (criterium) rider but I wanted to repay them (my teammates) back for all the work they have done all week.

Gigante was fifth in the opening stage before launching to a GC lead of more than two minutes following a dominant solo victory on Stage 2. 

Gigante again stole the show in Stage 3 with a second solo stage victory, more than one minute ahead of Lucy Kennedy. 

On the final stage of the, Gigante took on the role of domestique for the day, making way for Garmin Team Australia teammate Georgia Baker to take the win.

Lucy Kennedy was second overall on GC and Podium Potential Academy member Ruby Roseman-Gannon was third. 

WOMEN'S GENERAL CLASSIFICATION

1. Sarah Gigante (AUS) 7h02:01
2. Lucy Kennedy (GEC) +3:12
3. Ruby Roseman-Gannon (ARA) +3:13

Team Garmin-Australia has joined with AusCycling in announcing a new partnership as they join the 120 strong peloton racing in the 2021 Santos Festival of Cycling. 

Led by World Tour star and INEOS Grenadiers rider, Richie Porte, Team Garmin-Australia will be joined by EF Education-NIPPO's James Whelan and four time track world title holder, Sam Welsford, among others. 

“The quality of both the men’s and women’s teams is testament to the passion each of these riders have for racing and starting the 2021 season at the Santos Festival of Cycling,” said Stuart O’Grady, Men’s Race Director.   

“We’re really excited that Team Garmin-Australia have committed to racing at this year’s Santos Festival of Cycling and are looking forward to them bringing their experience and energy to the race.”

The six-member women’s outfit is highlighted by leader and triple world champion Annette Edmondson, with rising stars Maeve Plouffe, Georgia Baker and Trek Segafredo’s Lauretta Hanson.

“We are eager to showcase the quality of racing in Australia with both the men’s and women’s teams, but I’m particularly excited by the strength, skill and experience of the Women’s team,” said Kimberley Conte, Women’s Race Director.  

“To bring in this quality of athlete and some of our future cycling stars is legacy to the Santos Tour Down Under.”

Team Garmin-Australia will join the teams lining up for the 2021 Santos Festival of Cycling with a field comprised of National Road Series, Continental and World Tour riders.

“The quality of teams and of the cyclists racing in this year’s event will really put Australian cycling on the map for passionate fans and cycling and sporting enthusiasts,” adds Event Manager, Ryan Healy.

“We are bringing some of the best WorldTour riders and of course the up-and-coming champions to race.  Fans will have the opportunity to watch great racing, but to also watch our future champions in the making.”

Team Garmin-Australia’s participation will offer the race a dynamic element that incorporates riders from the World Tour stage, Commonwealth and Olympic Games and World Champion excellence. The combination of athletic prowess within Team Garmin-Australia is certainly a nod to the multi-faceted nature of the 2021 Santos Festival of Cycling.


Team Garmin-Australia: 2021 Santos Festival of Cycling

MEN’S

• Richie Porte - AUS
• Sam Welsford - AUS
• Kelland O’Brien - AUS
• Leigh Howard - AUS
• Luke Plapp - AUS
• Alex Porter - AUS
• James Whelan - AUS

​
WOMEN’S

• Maeve Plouffe - AUS
• Annette Edmonson - AUS
• Georgia Baker - AUS
• Ashlee Ankudinoff - AUS
• Sarah Gigante - AUS
• Lauretta Hanson – AUS
• Neve Bradbury - AUS

More at https://tourdownunder.com.au/2021-event 

Hear from the Victorian Members of the Australian Cycling Team who took part in a live webinar to hear their insights and experiences of riding through COVID-19.

Tokyo 2020 Olympic team members Leigh Howard, Kell O’Brien and Luke Plapp, Podium Potential Academy member Ruby Roseman-Gannon and Australian Cycling Team Lead Endurance Coach Tim Decker chatted with Matt Poyner about challenges, opportunities and the things they have learned since the COVID-19 Pandemic hit earlier this year. 

WATCH NOW

NEXT 

Our second ‘Riding through COVID-19’ live webinar will feature Paralympic and world champion cyclists Carol Cooke, Stuart Tipp, Emily Petricola and Hannah Macdougall on Tuesday 1 September.  ​

FULGAZ BENEFITS TO CA MEMBERS

• FulGaz is offering all CA members a 20% discount off their subscription fee. 
• Extension of the 2-week trial to a 4 week trial for all CA Members

​Your promo code can be accessed at: cycling.org.au/nat/exclusive-member-discounts-offers

ABOUT FULGAZ

With hundreds of virtual videos filmed on bikes in up to 4k, FulGaz transports you to iconic rides from around the world. It works with just about any indoor trainer, adjusting video speed and resistance to match your effort.

So go ahead and push yourself on hills that mimic the real road riding experience. When you’re done, upload to Strava, TrainingPeaks or Today’s Plan.

FulGaz will feel exactly the same as riding outdoors if it’s set up correctly. Take a moment to set up your weight and trainer settings. Your legs will thank you!

Australian Olympic Committee Release

Fifteen track cyclists have been announced on the Australian Olympic Team for Tokyo 2020 today, featuring six Olympic debuts, seven athletes making their second Olympic Team and Annette Edmondson and Matthew Glaetzer returning for their third Games.
 
Matthew Glaetzer, Nathan Hart, Matthew Richardson, Kaarle McCulloch and Stephanie Morton will compete in the sprint events, with Ashlee Ankudinoff, Georgia Baker, Amy Cure, Annette Edmondson, Maeve Plouffe, Leigh Howard, Kelland O’Brien, Lucas Plapp, Alex Porter and Sam Welsford selected for the endurance events.
 
With athletes who have medalled at the Olympics and claimed World Championship titles in their career, the 15-strong squad will compete from 3-9 August in Tokyo’s Izu velodrome over 12 events, including the Olympic return of the two-rider Madison event for the first time since Beijing 2008.
 
Australian Chef de Mission for Tokyo 2020 Ian Chesterman welcomed the cyclists to the Australian Olympic Team, acknowledging the current unprecedented uncertainty around international sport.
 
“Athletes have waited four years, and in some cases longer, for this opportunity,” Mr Chesterman said. “We are in uncharted waters, but we want to set a course to ensure they can prepare for the Games in the best possible environment and they can get to the Games safely. Part of that process is to announce athletes as they are nominated and selected to the Australian Olympic Team.
 
“Australian track cyclists have a phenomenal Olympic legacy and I want to congratulate the fifteen athletes selected today to continue that tradition.
 
“This is the result of more than a decade of unrelenting hard work by our athletes and it is worth celebrating. This is an achievement for the athletes, the whole Cycling Australia team, coaches, family, friends and supporters.
 
“The resilience these athletes have already shown is inspiring – Matt Glaetzer’s named to his second Games despite the challenge of thyroid cancer; Kaarle McCulloch overcoming the disappointment of missing Rio 2016 to become World Champion in 2019 and make her Olympic return; each athlete selected today has a story of perseverance and we’re proud to select them to the Australian Olympic Team today.
 
“There’s certainly disruption in preparing for the Games for many sports, but I encourage the fifteen cyclists announced today and all athletes pursuing their dream of competing at Tokyo 2020 to continue taking care of what they can control – training and preparing as best as possible to be ready for Tokyo.”
 
2019 World Champion and London 2012 bronze medallist Kaarle McCulloch was proud to be selected for her second Games, just weeks after she secured a 2020 World Championships Team Sprint silver with Steph Morton off limited preparation.
 
“The dream I had when I was 12 watching the Sydney Olympics with my dad feels as real as yesterday,” McCulloch said. “I’ve always had the Olympic spirit within me and I’m ecstatic to be able to be back competing.
 
“My motto into the world championships was “perfect preparation doesn’t predict”. This is the same kind of attitude I’ll be taking with me into Tokyo amidst all the uncertainty and nervousness in the world right now.
 
“Nothing changes for me in terms of my application to my training but a lot is changing in the way we train. As athletes, we are role models for everyone for health. We are taking quite serious steps in our training to ensure we are being responsible athletes but also people. We are following all the guidelines as set out by our medical professionals and we are prepared to face this challenge.
 
“We as humans are facing a challenge but we have also shown we are able to overcome. The world will recover from this and I believe everyone has within them part of the Olympic spirit, this is why the Olympics are so special - it brings the world together when we need it the most.
 
At just 19, Lucas Plapp will make his Olympic debut as the youngest member on the 2020 Track Team after a monumental rise in the past 12 months.
 
“I had a little tear in my eye when I found out I made the Tokyo Team, it was a pretty special moment and I was just speechless,” Plapp said.
 
“After the Brisbane World Cup [December 2019] I really started to believe I could make this Team.
 
“I’ve learned so much from [teammate] Sam Welsford from his experiences four years ago and the rest of the team create such a good environment to learn and train in – it helped me realise it’s where I want to be and helped me take my own performance to a new level.
 
After the Danish team broke the World Record held by Australia at the World Championships in February 2019, Plapp is looking forward to the challenge.
 
“It’s a new scenario now to be the hunter and not the hunted, we’ll be using that to our advantage to try to come out and show the world what we’re capable of.”
 
Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Cycling Australia Steve Drake congratulated the athletes on their selection to Tokyo 2020.
 
“It is exciting to see a team with a rich blend of experienced Olympians and a number of rising stars set to make their debut, with all selections a testament to the hard work and performances of our athletes and to the commitment and dedication of our coaches, and performance support staff,” Mr Drake said.

“These are unprecedented times, with the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic impacting communities across the world. The impacts to sports including cycling are widespread, but we will continue to work through these challenging times to ensure our athletes and staff remain healthy and prepared for the Games.”
 
With individual event determinations expected closer to the Games, the endurance athletes will compete across the Team Pursuit, Omnium and Madison events with sprinters taking on the Individual Sprint, Team Sprint and Keirin events.
 
Today’s selection takes the selected Team size for Tokyo 2020 to 43 athletes. Cyclists in the road, BMX, BMX Freestyle and Mountain Bike disciplines are expected to be nominated and selected in the coming months.

Find out more with full Australian Olympic Team athlete bios at www.olympics.com.au/olympians

Australia has finished the 2020 UCI Track Cycling World Championships with three medals after Stephanie Morton won a bronze medal in the final event of the Championships, the women's keirin.

Morton's bronze added to the team sprint silver won with Kaarle McCulloch on the opening day of competition. All three of Australia's medals came through the sprint squad with Nathan Hart, Matthew Richardson, and Thomas Cornish winning team sprint bronze on day one. 

Despite Australia exiting a Track World Championships without a gold medal for the first time in twelve years, Australian Cycling Team Performance Director Simon Jones remains focussed on the team's overarching strategy which is aiming to deliver success at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. 

"Australia has had a pretty glittering history of winning world titles - in 2017 we won more world titles than you could poke a stick at and that is not what we are trying to achieve this year," Jones said. 

"We want to win in Tokyo. Yes, we were aiming for podium performances here, or very close to, and you can't hide the fact we have come up short in some areas. But we have to learn from it. 

"We tried several different things here, and we have to settle on a plan and then train to it. Now we have finished this period. We gave everyone opportunities, and now we have to gather the facts and make some decisions now.

"There are five months to the Games, which is a long time." 

Jones was impressed by the results of debutants Maeve Plouffe, 20, Luke Plapp, 19, and Tom Cornish, 20, who moved into the team via the Podium Potential Academy. 
​
"The youngsters did very well, it is great to see, and that is a testament to the Academy in that we are providing opportunities to younger talent. They also provide upward pressure, and that is really good to see."

ENDURANCE 

• Ashlee Ankudinoff - St George CC, NSW - 2019 individual & team pursuit world champion
• Georgia Baker - Northern Districts CC, TAS - 2019 team pursuit world champion
• Amy Cure - Mersey Valley Devonport CC, TAS - 2019 team pursuit world champion
• Annette Edmondson - Norwood CC, SA - 2019 team pursuit world champion
• Alexandra Manly - Central Districts CC, SA - 2019 points race & team pursuit world champion
• Maeve Plouffe - Port Adelaide CC, SA - World Championship debut
• Leigh Howard - Geelong CC, VIC - 2019 team pursuit world champion
• Cameron Meyer - Midland CC, WA - 9-time career world champion 
• Alexander Porter - Scotch College CC, SA - 2019 team pursuit world champion
• Cameron Scott - St George CC, NSW - 2019 team pursuit world champion
• Samuel Welsford - Northern Beaches CC, WA - 2019 scratch & team pursuit world champion
• Luke Plapp - Brunswick CC, VIC - World Championship debut

​
Australia heads into the Championships as the defending champions in five events - men's and women's team pursuit; men's scratch, women's points race and women's individual pursuit. 

Australia's title defence in the men's team pursuit will begin in the opening session and will feature world record holders Sam Welsford, Alexander Porter, Leigh Howard, plus Cameron Scott. 

Podium Potential Academy member Luke Plapp comes into the team to replace world champion and world record holder Kelland O'Brien who will not race the World Championships as he continues his recovery from a broken collarbone sustained in January. Plapp, a dual 2018 junior world champion, will make his elite Worlds debut in the individual pursuit and is listed as a reserve for the team pursuit. 

Nine-time career world champion Cameron Meyer will take on the omnium, and the Madison with Sam Welsford, while Welsford will take to the track in defence of his scratch race world title. 

SCHEDULE - DATE (IN AUS); TIME (AEDT)

Thurs 27/2 430am - 8am

• W - Scratch 10km    Alexandra Manly
• W - Team Sprint    Stephanie Morton/Kaarle McCulloch
• M - Team Sprint    Nathan Hart, Matthew Richardson, Thomas Cornish
• M & W Team Pursuit    Qualifying 11pm AEDT

    
Fri 28/2  430am - 730am

• M - Team Pursuit   Leigh Howard, Sam Welsford, Cameron Scott, Alexander Porter
• M -  Scratch 15km    Sam Welsford 
• M - Keirin   NA
• W - Team Pursuit   Ashlee Ankudinoff, Georgia Baker, Annette Edmondson, Maeve Plouffe
• W - Sprint   Qualifying 1230am 

    
Sat 29/2   430am - 815am

• M - Points race 40km   TBC
• M -  Kilometre Time Trial   Cameron Scott, Alexander Porter
• M - Individual Pursuit    Luke Plapp
• W - Omnium    Georgia Baker
• W - Sprint    Stephanie Morton; Kaarle McCulloch

    
Sun 1/3   230am - 6am

• W - 500m Time Trial    Kaarle McCulloch
• W -  Madison 30km    Annette Edmondson/Amy Cure
• W - Individual pursuit    Ashlee Ankudinoff; Maeve Plouffe
• M - Omnium    Cameron Meyer
• M - Sprint    Qualifying 9pm 

    
Mon 2/3   12am-3am

• W - Points Race 25km    Alexandra Manly
• M -  Madison 50km    Cameron Meyer/Sam Welsford 
• W - Keirin    Stephanie Morton
• M - Sprint    Nathan Hart, Matthew Richardson

​​WATCH 

Live on FOXSPORTS Australia Channel 506

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Kristina Clonan, 20, will make her debut as part of the Australian Cycling Team women’s endurance program, joining Olympians Annette Edmondson, Amy Cure, Ashlee Ankudinoff, Georgia Baker and Macey Stewart.

Clonan’s star has been on the rise over the past couple of seasons, with the Queenslander claiming the 2018 Oceania and National Madison titles with Macey Stewart, in addition to a host of national podium appearances. The pair will look to defend their Madison crown in Adelaide this week. 

“Last season was a huge stepping stone, and I'm grateful to be racing alongside such strong girls that continually bring their A-game. It was a great confidence booster and experience, but I still have much work to do again this year,” said Clonan.  

“The last few months have been pretty busy for me. Japan was a great experience. I was able to race with Macey in the Madison, under the guidance of Tim Decker, who has so much knowledge and gave Mace and myself some good insight.

“It is very motivating now to go back and race with Macey and try to defend our (Oceania) Madison title.”
​
2019 Oceania Track Cycling Championships

• 10-13 October 2018, Adelaide Super-Drome
• 40 events - elite & under 19 categories - men & women
• Tickets $10/day.  Buy Tickets online or at the door. 
• Live Results
• Championships website