TRACK | 9x world champ Meyer chasing Madison glory

Casey Gibson

Nine-time world champion Cameron Meyer headlines a powerful Australian squad which will contest both the World Cup in Cambridge, New Zealand from December 6-8, followed by the 2019-2020 Tissot UCI Track Cycling World Cup in Brisbane from December 13-15.

Following the reintroduction of the Madison to the Games programme, Meyer has been lured back to cycling after temporarily walking away from the sport.

“It’s a box I haven’t ticked yet. I’ve ticked nearly everything I can on the track except an Olympic medal,” said Meyer, 31, who competed at the 2008 Games, the last time the Madison was at the Olympics, having been inspired by watching fellow countrymen Graeme Brown and Stuart O’Grady win gold in Athens four years earlier.

“I watched that video of them winning the madison over and over again and that inspired me to try
and be an Olympian and try and be a track Olympian.

“There’s something about the madison that requires speed, skill, endurance; everything you can think of.

“It’s the longest event, which I like coming from an aerobic base, coming from the road base and there’s something special about it.

“Yes you’ve got to be explosive and have that speed but there’s still that element that if you’re not fit enough you don’t survive.”

Meyer will partner team pursuit world champion Kelland O’Brien at the Avantidrome in Cambridge and Sam Welsford in Brisbane. 
And they will be chasing New Zealand who sit at the top of the men’s madison world rankings.

“They’re a great combination Aaron Gate and Campbell Stewart. They’d probably be the benchmark” Meyer said.

“They’re super strong and they’re super fast so they are a very hard combination to beat.

“They’ve won world cups, they’re deserved of having a good reputation and they’ll be there or thereabouts at the Olympic Games I’m sure.”

But first Meyer is eyeing the opportunity to get the better of Gate and Stewart in Cambridge.

“I’m looking forward to challenging them here at their home World Cup and I’m sure when we get to Brisbane they’ll be wanting to knock us off over in Brisbane.

“It should be a good battle. It always is between the two countries.”

The men’s madison is on Sunday, the final day of the Tissot UCI World Cup in Cambridge. Follow the results here. 

Brisbane Track World Cup

Brisbane’s Anna Meares Velodrome will host the world’s best track cyclists for the 2019-2020 TISSOT UCI Track Cycling World Cup from 13-15 December. 

Riders will battle for gold in twelve events across three days, with valuable qualifying points on offer for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
 
The 2019-2020 UCI Tissot UCI Track Cycling World Cup was secured by the Queensland Government via Tourism and Events Queensland in partnership with Brisbane City Council via Brisbane Marketing and Cycling Australia.

Schedule

• FRI 13 DEC: Team Pursuit; Team Sprint; Para-cycling Time Trial
• SAT 14 DEC: Men’s Omnium; Women’s Madison; Men’s Keirin; Women’s Sprint; Para-cycling Individual Pursuit
• SUN 15 DEC: Women’s Omnium; Men’s Madison; Women’s Keirin; Men’s Sprint; Para-cycling Scratch Race

Tickets 

Ticket prices for the morning qualifying sessions start at $10, while evening sessions tickets which feature the gold medal finals begin at just $30.  Family and Series passes are also available so you can catch the action with your friends.

Buy tickets here.