The Australian Cycling Team has won two gold and two silver medals at the fourth round of the UCI Track World Cup in London at the weekend, with the four-rider team finishing third on the medal tally. 
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Stephanie Morton surged to dual gold in the sprint and keirin, reigning world champions Matthew Glaetzer grabbed sprint silver, while Amy Cure and Annette Edmondson won the Madison silver.

Steph sizzles

Stephanie Morton’s career-best form has continued with the Adelaide cyclist winning gold in the sprint and keirin at the fourth round of the UCI Track World Cup in London at the weekend.

Morton topped sprint qualifying (10.595) for the fourth straight World Cup before taking care of Urszula Los (POL), Katy Marchant (GBR) and Olena Starikova (UKR).  In the final, Morton defeated Laurine van Riessen (NED) in straight rounds.

“I am delighted to finish my World Cup season with another win in the sprint,” said Morton. “The women's sprint depth is great at the moment; the racing has really stepped up.”

In superb signs for the 28-year-old, Morton fired to win keirin gold on the final day of competition and also during a planned high workload training phase designed to support racing and skill execution. It capped a long season for the Adelaide cyclist which began at the Oceania Championships in October and has taken in five countries.

The 2018/19 World Cup season netted her eight medals from four rounds including four gold and is littered with highlights including gold and an Australian Record with Kaarle McCulloch in round two’s team sprint after the duo was edged by just 0.001second in the first round.

Morton topped the sprint qualification in every World Cup, taking silver and bronze in the first two rounds before storming to her first individual World Cup gold medals in rounds three and four. After personal bests in the flying 200m at both rounds, Morton also clocked her first career sub-10.5 second ride in the flying 200m (10.484seconds).  

“It has been a huge couple of months of racing, so it is nice to finish on a high,” said Morton. “First keirin gold for me at a World Cup - so that's really special.

“It has been a really successful season and I will definitely soak it up and use that as motivation. I’m now looking forward to getting in some more good training back in Adelaide and getting ready for that final push into the World Championships.

“But, for now, I think I've earned myself an extra slice of pavlova at Christmas!”

Glaetzer grabs sprint silver

Reigning world champion Matthew Glaetzer’s unbeaten run in the sprint this World Cup season came to an end with a gallant silver medal at the fourth round of the UCI Track World Cup in London.

Third fastest in qualifying (9.708), Glaetzer accounted for Melvin Landerneau (FRA) and Jair Tjon En Fa (SUR), before being pushed to three in his semi final match up with dual world champion Jeffrey Hoogland (NED).

In a repeat of the sprint finals from the first and second rounds of the World Cup, Glaetzer faced Harrie Lavreysen (NED) and it would be third time’s a charm for the Dutch cyclist as he dived for the inside line in the second heat and rode to victory.

“Today's sprint competition was the toughest I have ever done,” said Glaetzer, who is racing through a high workload training phase designed to support racing and skill execution. “After going to three with Jeffrey, I have never been that broken, drained and in pain. I was happy to make the gold ride off but knew I didn't have much left.

“I gave it everything I had against Harrie, I pushed the limits tactically and got caught out in the last race, but he had the legs on me so silver it is.”

The race capped a superb World Cup season for Glaetzer which included three sprint gold and one silver.  The Australian also clocked a 9.502sec flying 200 in the opening round, just shy of his 9.459sec personal best set five years ago (at altitude).

“My World Cup season in the sprint was something special, to have three gold and a silver is awesome,” said the Adelaide cyclist. “The keirin for me was a bit hit and miss with making one final in three races, but overall I am really content with my season.

“Now it's time for a break from travel, racing, freezing weather and time get stuck into the Aussie summer!”

Cure & Edmondson win Madison silver

In just their second race as a pairing, Amy Cure and Annette Edmondson delivered Madison silver for Australia at the fourth round of the UCI Track World Cup in London.

In a final marred by a crash which forced both Russia and the United States to withdraw, the British pairing of Kenny and Archibald exerted early control.  The Aussies lead a stunning challenge to take the race lead after four of ten sprints; however, the hometown heroes pounced in a searing final double-points sprint to take gold on 34 points.

Edmondson and Cure finished in second on 19 points, with Belgians Jolien D’Hoore and Lotte Kopecky taking bronze.

“We are extremely excited about winning silver,” said Edmondson, who teamed with Cure to win the 2017 Oceania Madison crown. “I have only raced a handful of Madisons, and as this was my first major international race, I was very nervous going in.

“To end up on the podium was really exciting. Yes, there are a few things we could do differently, but overall we are happy to get Australia back in the mix.”

Tasmania’s Cure, the 2017 World Championship Madison bronze medalist, was excited to be back on track in the event.

“I am thrilled to come home with the silver as I have been looking forward to the Madison, I always love racing it,” said Cure. “We made a few little tactical errors out there that hurt us, but I was proud of Nettie as this was her first international Madison above the Oceania level, so it was terrific for her to step up as she did.”

2019 Omnium, Madison, Team Sprint and Team Pursuit National Championships
 
The Australian Cycling Team and Podium Potential Academy members will headline the start lists when four National Championships are decided this weekend in Melbourne.
 
With Tokyo 2020 less than 600 days away, Olympic events will take centre stage in Melbourne beginning with the Omnium Championships at DISC Velodrome on Friday 14, with the Madison, Team Sprint and Team Pursuit to feature in an action-packed night of racing at Melbourne Arena on Saturday 15 December.

SCHEDULE
 

• Omnium - Friday at DISC Velodrome from 10am
• Team Pursuit - Qualifying Friday at DISC Velodrome from 12pm; Finals Saturday at Melbourne Arena from 630pm
• Madison - Saturday at Melbourne Arena from 630pm
• Team Sprint - Saturday at Melbourne Arena from 8pm

EVENT GUIDES

Omnium / Team Pursuit / Madison
 
Australia’s team pursuit world record holders Samuel Welsford (WA), Alexander Porter (SA), plus Leigh Howard and Kelland O’Brien (VIC) will swap their green and gold Australian jerseys as they chase national glory in their respective state team colours.
 
The quartet will split for the team pursuit event, with Howard and O’Brien to lead defending champions Victoria against strong outfits from South Australia and Western Australia. In the women’s event, it will a close battle between NSW, Queensland and South Australia.
 
In the Madison, defending champion Porter will team with fellow South Australian Josh Harrison, dual world champion Howard will form an all-Victorian pairing with O’Brien, and 2017 champion Welsford will line up with Cameron Scott (NSW).
 
“The Madison will be fast, the night is incredible and the racing is always full gas. There are plenty of good combinations of teams, Porter and Harrison, and especially the locals in Kell (O’Brien) and Leigh (Howard) will be one of the teams to beat,” said Welsford, who will contest the Madison, omnium and team pursuit across the weekend. Welsford will be a favourite in Friday’s Omnium following his World Cup gold in Germany two weeks ago.
 
“The team pursuit and omnium have been a big focus of mine over the last few years now, and after winning omnium gold in Berlin last week, I am keen to bring back what I learned at the World Cup and take it into Nationals.”
 
Exciting Australian Cycling Team Podium Potential Academy pairings aiming to upset their more fancied opponents include Conor Leahy (WA) and Godfrey Slattery (VIC), plus dual junior world champion Luke Plapp (VIC) who will pair with Jarrad Drizners (SA).
 
In the women’s Madison, defending champions Macey Stewart (TAS) and Kristina Clonan (QLD) will take to opposite teams in 2018 when they pair with Academy members Josie Talbot (NSW) and Alex Martin-Wallace (QLD) respectively.  Fellow Academy members Maeve Plouffe (SA) and Sam De Riter (VIC) will team up.
 
“It has been a tough few months, I have been training harder than ever before, have moved to Adelaide, so I am excited to see how I go this weekend after putting in so much hard work,” said Stewart, who joined the Australian Cycling Team in 2018. “Madison is my favourite event, one I am targetting over the next few years, and as defending champion I would like to back it up in 2019.  
 
“I have a new partner for the Madison in Josie Talbot, Kristina and I are split for these Nationals, which I think will be a strong team and I am excited to see what we can do.”
 
Stewart and Clonan, plus Alexandra Manly (SA), will be three to watch in the women’s omnium.
 
Team Sprint
 
The Team Sprint National Championships will be decided on Saturday night, with three-time world champion Kaarle McCulloch (NSW) and Holly Takos (SA) headlining the women’s field.  In the men’s, 2018 Commonwealth Games medallist Patrick Constable (SA), Nathan Hart (ACT) and Jacob Schmid (VIC) will headline their respective state teams.
 
Academy riders in action include Caitlin Ward (SA), James Brister (SA), Tom Clarke (SA), Tom Cornish (NSW) and Matt Richardson (WA).

Other events
 
Victoria’s prestigious 121st Austral Wheelrace (for both juniors and seniors) will also showcase the Australian Cycling Team during the evening.
 
TEAMS/RIDERS
 

• Madison Teams  
• Omnium/Team event start lists  Liveresults.cycling.org.au

 
WATCH LIVE
 

• CA Facebook page live stream 
• Foxtel Go app 

 
GET TRACKSIDE
 
Tickets are still available online or at the door.
 
MORE INFO
 
tracknationals.org.au

Petricola will be looking to defend her C4 national pursuit crown, an event in which she shocked the para-cycling world in 2018 after breaking the world record in qualifying at the World Championships in March.

“When I look back at 2018 I'm pretty shocked at what a huge year it has been, in particular thinking back to the world champs and the results there, it all seems a bit surreal,” said Petricola, who claimed World Championship silver in both the pursuit and time trial.  

While only having begun cycling a couple of years ago, Petricola was quickly selected to the Australian Cycling Team and has committed to the program by moving back to Melbourne after three years working in the United Arab Emirates.

“I have gone from training on my own all the time in the middle of the desert on a trainer most of the time, to be a part of the bigger machine of Cycling Australia and more locally, the VIS,” added Petricola, who will race both the time trial and pursuit this week on her home track at DISC before tackling FedUni RoadNats in January. “

"With so much change, I've certainly had to be a bit more resilient and persevere as I reestablish my life in Australia. But now that things are settling down a bit, I'm starting to find my rhythm and looking forward to getting some positive results over the coming months.”

Former world champions Alistair Donohoe (VIC), Kyle Bridgwood (QLD), Amanda Reid (NSW), Simone Kennedy (NSW), plus Jessica Gallagher (VIC) who will be piloted by Madison Janssen (VIC) in the Tandem events, will be in action.

The Para-cycling National Championships will be held in conjunction with the 2019 Omnium Championships.

#ParaTrackNats Quick Guide

• What Tandem Championships in the time trial, sprint and pursuit; ‘C’ Championships in the time trial and pursuit.
• Who Australia’s best para-cyclists
• When
  • Thursday 13 December – Time Trials.  From 12pm.
  • Friday 14 December: Pursuits & Tandem Sprint. Qualifying from 10am, Finals from 4pm.
• Where DISC Velodrome
• Tickets Online at the door
• Results  liveresults.cycling.org.au 
• Follow  tracknationals.org.au  |  #tracknats