 image via Casey Gibson In just her fifth international competition in the new four-race format, Annette Edmondson finished fifth in the women’s omnium.
The South Australian opened her campaign with a controlled second place in the scratch race before a tenth place in the tempo race placed fourth overall at the halfway mark of the competition. Edmondson’s run at the podium took a dent after finishing fourteenth in the elimination race which dropped her down to sixth overall, twenty-eight points reigning world champion Kirsten Wild (NED) heading into the final event, the points race. Early in the 80-lap race, Edmondson dropped to seventh however she launched herself midway through the race into medal contention after taking a solo lap and with it twenty bonus points. Despite her best efforts in the final thirty laps, Edmondson could not gain an advantage on the four riders ahead of her and finished fifth overall, just five points off the bronze medal. “I would have liked to have had a different result today, but I made a big mistake, and there was nothing I could do about it,” said Edmondson, referring to her elimination race result. “But you just have to put your head back on and think about the last race to come and how to change the result. “I had to do something in the points race, I managed to take a lap, but in the end, it took it out of me. I gave it everything I could and fifth was the best I could manage on the day.” The 2012 Olympic medallist and 2015 world champion in the now-defunct six-race format, Edmondson is still finding her feet in the four-race program. “I like that it is in one day, but I am still getting used to it and there is still a lot to learn of the new format,” said Edmondson, who took gold at the World Cup in New Zealand in January. “I need to get better at the tempo race, so it wasn’t like I had a perfect race other than the elimination race today. “But practice makes perfect and I will have a lot more opportunities out there before the big one in Tokyo. “Yes, it is disappointing today, but it makes you hungrier.”
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Photo - Guy Swarbrick
In ominous words for her rivals, dual 2015 world champion Annette Edmondson has revealed she has rediscovered her love for track cycling as she embarks on her 2019 UCI Track World championships campaign.
“I found that spark again, a spark I haven't had for a long time and I'm really excited to be back,” said Edmondson, who last represented Australia at a UCI Track World Championships in 2016 after taking time away from the track post the Rio Olympic Games and hitting the road scene. “It’s awesome (to be back), there aren’t many opportunities to represent your country at the World Championships. “It’s been three years since I’ve been there, I decided I wanted to come back after I was a little bit jealous while my teammates were racing at the World Championships.” Australia’s women’s endurance squad for Poland’s World Championships is comprised of Edmondson and fellow 2018 Commonwealth Games team pursuit gold medallists in Ashlee Ankudinoff (NSW), Amy Cure (TAS) and Alexandra Manly (SA). Georgia Baker (TAS) rounds out the quintet.
Edmondson will line up in two events in Poland, the team pursuit and the omnium, the two events in which she boasts rainbow jerseys from 2015. At the World Cup in New Zealand last month, and in what was just her second competition in the new four-race omnium format, Edmondson won gold.
“It’s my third omnium in the new format so it’s an awesome opportunity to race against some of the best in the world,” said Edmondson who took her world title and Olympic medal in the now-defunct six-race format. “While it was great to get a win in New Zealand I definitely didn't get to race against everybody that I wanted to so I’m really excited to see where I’m at when against all of the strong hitters at Worlds.” Like all events, however, the focus will be on the team pursuit event which gets underway on the opening day of competition, with Edmondson’s excited about the team’s prospects following a number of changes at the Australian Cycling Team Headquarters in Adelaide. “We’ve changed a few things in the last couple of months at training and we’re joining in with the boys, we’ve got a lot more staff on board and we’re noticing a big difference because there’s a lot more attention to detail,” explained Edmondson. “It’s a good shift and a positive move forward and we’re looking forward to seeing the changes. “We’ve got seven super strong girls at the moment, it’s awesome to see strength coming through as well so we are all in a very good place leading into the next year going into Tokyo.” 
The Australian Team arrived in Pruszkow, Poland on Wednesday 20 February ahead of the 2019 UCI Track World Championships which will be held from 27 February to 3 March.
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2019 UCI Track World Championships - Poland 
Photo - Guy Swarbrick
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  Nathan Hart wins sprint gold - Photo Guy Swarbrick Gold to Nathan Hart and Annette Edmondson headlined the Australia Cycling Team’s campaign at the penultimate round of the UCI Tissot Track World Cup season in New Zealand at the weekend. A stalwart as first-wheel in Australia's team sprint outfit for the best part of the decade, Nathan Hartcelebrated alone atop the podium with a memorable sprint victory. Qualifying second fastest, Hart moved through the rounds with wins over Poland’s Maciej Bielecki, Japan’s Tomohiro Fukaya and France’s Sebastien Vigier. In the final, Hart was too good for Poland’s Mateusz Rudyk, taking his first Tissot Track World Cup individual gold in straight heats. “It feels great to have raced to my first World Cup gold medal, it has been a while since my last win, so it's that little bit sweeter,” said Canberra’s Hart, an Olympic and Commonwealth Games representative in the team format. “My Mum and Dad made the trip over to Cambridge and were watching from the stands, so it was special for them to be there to watch, after all the support they have provided over the many years. “To also win the Silver in the Team Sprint with Jacob and Tom, it has been a successful World Cup round.” On day one, Hart teamed with Jacob Schmid and Thomas Clarke to win silver in the team sprint, Australia’s first medal of the round. The trio qualified third fastest (43.853) before defeating Japan in the first round in a time of 43.263secs which sent them into the gold medal final against three-time world champion New Zealand. There, the home team was too strong (43.121) for the Aussie trio (43.734). “This is really special as it is my first World Cup medal, and to make it even better being able to share it with Nathan and Jacob made it really a night I won't forget for a while,” said Podium Potential Academy member Clarke who was a late replacement for Pat Constable who was unable to race due to injuries sustained at the Track Down Under in Adelaide on January 11. “I felt for Pat missing out due to injury. It is not how you want to be selected for any team. I knew that stepping in for Pat was always going to be a difficult job as they have been smashing training back home and as a team have created some great chemistry in executing their team sprints.”  Nettie Edmondson wins omnium gold - Photo Guy Swarbrick 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. 
Photo © Guy Swarbrick
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.
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!”
Photo © Guy Swarbrick
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!” 
Photo © Guy Swarbrick
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.”  Photo © Guy Swarbrick The Australian Cycling Team grabbed four gold and two silver medals at the third round of the UCI Track World Cup in Berlin, Germany at the weekend.
World record holders Samuel Welsford, Alexander Porter, Leigh Howard and Kelland O'Brien, plus Cameron Scott claimed team pursuit gold, reigning world champion Matthew Glaetzer continued his unbeaten run in the sprint, Stephanie Morton claimed her first individual gold of the season, while Sam Welsford took omnium gold. It continues the team’s strong start to the six-event World Cup series which began in October. The team topped the medal tally in Paris with eight medals including three gold, three silver and two bronze before adding four medals, including two gold at round two in Canada. "This World Cup was another good benchmark for the Australian Cycling Team and shows we are progressing well and currently on track," said Simon Jones, Performance Director, Cycling Australia. "There is still a lot of work to do, but it’s good to score UCI points and be competing well." Recap World record holders Samuel Welsford, Alexander Porter, Leigh Howard and Kelland O'Brien, lined up in the team pursuit for the first time since April’s Commonwealth Games where they stunned the world with the first sub three minute-fifty second ride in the event’s history. In Berlin, the quartet topped qualifying (3:53.426), and with Cameron Scott coming into the team for the first round and progressed to the final with a strong win (3:53.033) over rivals and Olympic champions Great Britain. With Howard returning for Scott for the final, the world’s fastest team held off a challenge from a strong Danish outfit (3:54.703) to take the gold in a superb time of 3 minutes 51.210 seconds. “It was great to line up again with the boys,” said Welsford. “We gel so well and to come back together and post a good time is a good sign we are on the right path.” It was a successful weekend for Welsford who claimed dual gold in Germany with a come-from-behind victory in the final race of the four-race omnium. “The omnium was a bit of a surprise; I haven't raced one at the world level since the World Championships in 2017, so to come away with the win was surreal. It came down to the last points race and luckily enough, I had good legs to take it out.” In the women’s team pursuit, Amy Cure and Annette Edmondson rejoined the squad for the first time since April’s Commonwealth Games, and with Ashlee Ankudinoff and Georgia Baker, won silver. Fastest qualifiers (4:19.073), the quartet moved to the final (4:18.083) by defeating Canada in the first round. In a heartbreaking final, the Australian quartet led for the first fifteen of sixteen laps, before the Great Britain outfit (4:16.153) caught their traditional rivals (4:16.413) inside the last half lap to take the gold. Stephanie Morton topped sprint qualifying with her first career sub 10.5 second ride in the flying 200m (10.484seconds) before riding away to her first individual gold at World Cup level. After knocking out Katy Marchant (GBR) and Daria Shmeleva (RUS), Morton took gold in two straight rides over Anastasiia Voinova (RUS) in the final to complete an undefeated campaign. “After a few silvers, to finally turn it around and get my first sprint win at a World Cup, it is unreal,” said Morton, who collected five medals from six events across the first two rounds of the 2018/19 season in October. “With Matt and me in a heavy training block at the moment, I went into the day relaxed with no pressure on myself and was prepared for a big "shut up legs" kind of day. “So when I looked up and saw the time of 10.4, I was speechless, and anyone who knows me knows that is very rare! “I knew backing up was going to be tough with training in the legs so I took it one race at a time, focusing on the skill or tactic that Ross (Edgar) and I wanted to work on, knowing that crossing the line first would be the bonus.” Reigning world champion Matthew Glaetzer’s unbeaten run in the sprint this World Cup season remains intact with his third gold medal. Third fastest in qualifying (9.659secs), Glaetzer moved through to the quarterfinals with ease where he defeated Denis Dmitriev (RUS), before knocking Rayan Helal (FRA) out in the semi-finals. Glaetzer’s World Cup sprint reign continued as he took gold in two straight rides over Matthijs Buchli (NED) who had edged the Australian for keirin gold the previous night. “Today was one of the hardest sprint competitions I have done,” said Glaetzer, who revealed he is in the middle of a training block. “The semi-final went to the best of three after I didn't execute my race plan properly, but I fixed it for the decider which took a lot out of me. It was at this point that I was wrecked and joked to Ross Edgar that I would try and keep up with Buchli in the final and not get dropped! “We had our first race for gold, and when I was able to roll him up the front straight, it showed I still had just enough legs left to get the job done, so I made sure I didn't go to the best of three again!” In other results, young guns Kelland O’Brien and Cameron Scott claimed fifth in the Madison, while Annette Edmondson was fourth in the omnium, and Ashlee Ankudinoff and Amy Cure finished sixth in the women’s Madison. Morton and Glaetzer will now move on to the UCI Track World Cup's fourth round to be held in London from December 14. All other members of the Australian Cycling Team will be back in action on home soil at the 2019 Cycling Australia Track National Championships which begin in Melbourne on Thursday 13 December at DISC Velodrome with the Para-cycling Nationals. The Omnium Nationals cap the week on Friday 14 December, with Melbourne Arena to host a massive night of racing on Saturday 15 December headlined by the Madison, Team Sprint and Team Pursuit Nationals. >>> tracknationals.org.au 
Commonwealth Games debutant Rebecca Wiasak won silver in the women’s individual pursuit, finishing behind 2016 Olympic team pursuit champion Katie Archibald from Scotland. Annette Edmondson took the bronze.
Wiasak wowed the crowd in the afternoon qualifying with a Games record (3:25.936), which also eclipsed her own national record. However Archibald eclipsed that mark in the very next ride. In the final, Archibald looked strong early, before Wiasak took the lead and a .3sec advantage at the halfway mark. However Archibald fought back and stopped the clock at 3mins 26.088secs ahead of Wiasak (3:27.548).
Rebecca Wiasak
I went hard. I used all my energy and enthusiasm. I'm happy to finish both races. I'm as thrilled today with a silver as I would be with a gold. I knew it was going to be a tough ask coming up against Katie Archibald, she's such a classy rider and you're stoked to make the final and you definitely have to stay confident that I could take it to her in the final. I'm really happy to finish off both my rides really strongly. It was bitterly disappointing to miss out on the team pursuit but you have to draw strength and inspiration from those rides," Wiasak said. Watching it in bed last night trying to rest up for today, I was so emotional for the girls, you were in tears seeing them on the podium knowing that could have been you. But I've been in that position so many times - the final rider cut - so when I was just sitting and waiting for today to jump up on the track I said to myself 'you've been waiting so long for this moment'. I was the last rider cut for Glasgow and the fastest individual pursuiter at that point that season, and the last rider cut for Rio so I had to sit at home and watch as the non-travelling reserve so I know disappointment but it's continued to drive me and use that fire in the belly to keep me going and get me on this track.
Bronze - NETTIE Edmondson
In an all Aussie affair, Annette Edmondson held off a late surge from reigning national champion Ashlee Ankudinoff to win bronze. Earlier in the day, Edmondson set a Games record and personal best in qualifying (3:27.255) before it was broken by Wiasak and then Archibald.
"I'm satisfied, I wasn't sure what to expect going in after yesterday, it was pretty solid on the legs but I had to go out there and focus and luckily I could pull out a PB. "It was really tough in the final because you're up against your teammate and you really want to make it on the podium but at the same time one of your teammates doesn't get to come home with a medal, so it was hard but I am satisfied with the time I was able to ride. "We've put our heart and soul into it the last few years and it just comes down to the day and who has the right prep or who believes in themselves more on the night, and sometimes there's a bit of luck involved."
The Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Track competition will take place at the Anna Meares Velodrome (Brisbane) from Thursday 5 to Sunday 8 April.
It will feature 20 events - eight endurance, eight sprint and four para-cycling - with the eight track endurance events to include the points race and scratch race, and the team and individual pursuits. The team pursuit is set to make its Commonwealth Games debut for women. The 2018 Games is likely to provide a milestone for team, with Australia having won 96 Commonwealth Games cycling gold medals. WOMEN'S TEAM
Photo - Cycling Australia
A six-member women’s endurance squad with a rich blend of World Championship, Olympic and Commonwealth Games experience will line up for Australia at the Games.
Reigning Games scratch race champion Annette Edmondson, 26 (SA) is back on the track for her second Games, with the dual world champion eyeing a spot in Australia’s team pursuit quartet for the event’s debut. Edmondson’s 2015 team pursuit world champion teammates Amy Cure, 25 (TAS) and Ashlee Ankudinoff, 27 (NSW) will provide tremendous experience and multiple options for all four events. Cure, a dual 2014 Games medallist and 2014 points race world champion, is fresh from two national championship crowns in the scratch and points races. Ankudinoff, Australia’s only dual world champion in the team pursuit, boasts two World Championship medals in the individual format. Dual individual pursuit world champion Rebecca Wiasak, 33 (ACT), who narrowly missed selection to the 2014 Commonwealth and 2016 Olympic teams, will make her major Games debut. 2016 Olympian Georgia Baker, 23 (TAS) overcame heart surgery in November to make her first Games team, while Alexandra Manly, 22 (SA) will also make her debut. Manly, with Cure, Ankudinoff and Wiasak claimed silver at the 2017 World Championships, less than half a second behind world champions USA. MEN's TEAM
Photo - Kevin Anderson
The seven-member men’s endurance squad might feature six Games debutants, but the team enjoys a wealth of experience, collectively boasting 19 rainbow jerseys and countless options for the pursuit and bunch races.
Triple 2010 Games gold medallist Cameron Meyer, 30 (WA) returns to the Australian team and enters fresh from claiming the points race world crown last month, his ninth career rainbow jersey. Like his fellow Perth native, Olympic team pursuit silver medallist and reigning individual pursuit national champion Samuel Welsford, 22 (WA) will be a threat in any race, as will three-time world champion Leigh Howard, 28 (VIC) who receives his first Games nod. Hometown fans will be eager to see Jordan Kerby, 25 (QLD) in action, with the 2017 individual pursuit world champion rocketing to cult hero status after riding to the third fastest time in history just months after returning to track cycling. Rounding out the side is 2017 world champions Alexander Porter, 21 (SA), Nicholas Yallouris, 24 (NSW), plus Kelland O’Brien, 19 (VIC) - the youngest member of Australia’s 36-member cycling team. While the men’s, and women’s, track endurance teams bypassed March’s World Championships a part of the Australia Cycling Team strategy to focus on the Games, the quartet of O'Brien, Yallouris, Kerby and Howard soared to Oceania gold last November in 3min 52.421secs - one of the top ten fastest pursuit times in history. The focus for both squads lies firmly with the team pursuit on day one, with the exact line up for each of the four events, to be confirmed closer to the competition start date.
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Photos © Kevin Anderson, and Cycling Australia.
 Image via Kevin Anderson Commonwealth Games Australia is pleased to announce a strong 36-member team to contest the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Reigning Commonwealth Games champions Stephanie Morton, Matthew Glaetzer and Annette Edmondson headline the track selections, in addition to the return of 2010 Gold medallists Cameron Meyer and Kaarle McCulloch. Reigning road national champions Alexander Edmondson and Shannon Malseed, triple world championship medallist Katrin Garfoot and 2006 Commonwealth Games road race gold medallist Mathew Hayman feature in the road selections. The team will vie for 26 gold medals - track (16), para-cycling track (4), road (4), and mountain bike (2) competitions in Brisbane and on the Gold Coast from 4-15 April. Australian Team Chef de Mission Steve Moneghetti welcomed the athletes on to the Australian Team. “We enjoyed strong success at Glasgow 2014 from the Cycling team, so with the depth and experience we have in this team we look forward to more success at Gold Coast 2018,” he said. “The cycling program is an incredibly exciting one for fans, with competition at the new Anna Meares Velodrome, road cycling events that are free and open to all spectators and mountain biking at the Nerang trails. “With many of these athletes spending a lot of time abroad, Gold Coast 2018 provides a unique chance for these athletes to compete in front of a home crowd,” Moneghetti said. With the announcement of the 36 cyclists today, the Australian Team currently numbers 222, or just under half the anticipated total of 470 athletes. TEAM OVERVIEW The men’s track endurance squad is replete with rainbow jerseys, with reigning team pursuit world champions Samuel Welsford, Kelland O’Brien, Leigh Howard, Alexander Porter and Nicholas Yallouris, plus individual pursuit world champion Jordan Kerby; named in their first Games’ team. Three-time world champion Leigh Howard will also debut, with eight-time world champion and triple 2010 Games Gold medallist Cameron Meyer rounding out the strong line up. Defending scratch race Gold medallist and dual world champion Annette Edmondson, dual 2014 Games medallist and world champion Amy Cure and 2010 representative Ashlee Ankudinoff will lead the women’s endurance squad. Dual world champion Rebecca Wiasak, Rio Olympian Georgia Baker and rising star Alexandra Manly all receive their first Commonwealth Games’ selections. “It’s really not that often someone gets to represent their country in a home Commonwealth Games in their career, so for me, it’s something very special that I’ll never forget,” said Cure, a dual medallist from 2014. “(I am) super excited to have the team pursuit on the calendar at the Games. I’m really excited to see what the team can achieve; as one of our three Olympic events, it’s great to get another opportunity to race this race in front of big crowds.” Australia’s sprint crew is awash with Commonwealth Gold with defending sprint champion Stephanie Morton to form a formidable women’s sprint duo with 2010 team sprint champion Kaarle McCulloch. 2014 keirin Gold medallist Matthew Glaetzer will spearhead an impressive men’s sprint quartet with Rio Olympians Nathan Hart and Patrick Constable, and Jacob Schmid. A host of Australia’s WorldTour elite highlight the road selections, with reigning national champion Alexander Edmondson, 2006 Commonwealth Games road race Gold medallist Mathew Hayman, Steele Von Hoff, Mitchell Docker, Callum Scotson and Meyer, forming a versatile six-member men’s road squad. “I have very fond memories of the 2014 Commonwealth Games from Glasgow, so I am really excited about lining up in the road race in 2018,” said Edmondson, who won Gold and Silver in the pursuit events on the track four years ago. “Of course being a home games there’s a bit of added pressure, but we are going to have a home crowd cheering us on which is going to be huge. “I’m really looking forward to the opportunity of racing in the green and gold on home soil!” Triple world championship medallist and 2014 Commonwealth Bronze medallist Katrin Garfoot will head the six-member women’s team with reigning road national champion Shannon Malseed, dual national road champion Gracie Elvin and 2010 Games Bronze medallist Chloe Hosking, who gains a third team selection. 2010 team member Tiffany Cromwell returns while Sarah Roy makes her debut. “It's a bit of a pinch yourself moment,” said Hosking who becomes just the third Australian female cycling behind Anna Meares and Kathy Watt to be named to contest three Commonwealth Games. “To think I represented Australia at 20 in Delhi and I'm still racing and still getting stronger and still pulling on the green and gold. I would never have dreamt this growing up.” The Tandem Para-cycling selections are led by 2016 world champions Jessica Gallagher and Pilot Madison Janssen, while Bradley Henderson will make his debut with Pilot Thomas Clarke who won Bronze at the 2014 Games. 2014 Bronze medallists and dual Olympians Daniel McConnell and Rebecca McConnell (nee Henderson) will contest the mountain bike cross-country competition. “I'm very excited about the upcoming Games, to have a home Commonwealth Games is going to be a great experience,” said McConnell who grabbed a top ten finish at last year’s World Championships in Cairns. “I have pretty high expectations going into the Games. “I really like the course, I think it suits my strength pretty well. I just want to get to the start line 100% fit and ready to go, if I can do that anything is possible.” Similarly, Rebecca McConnell is hoping the home course advantage plays into her hands when she lines up against a world-class field. “I have been fortunate enough to race on the course at the Nationals Series in January, it's a great course, with technical climbing and descending and the strongest rider will win,” said Henderson. “With world champions and World Cup winners in both the men's and the women's field the racing is going to be fast and exciting so we hope to see lots of spectators in April!” Australia has enjoyed strong success at recent Games with a 24-medal haul including seven gold in Glasgow in 2014, and 21 medals (14 gold) in Delhi in 2010. Tickets still available to 12 sports across the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games competition schedule. Commonwealth Games Australian Cycling Team ROAD
MTB
TRACK ENDURANCE
TRACK SPRINT
PARA TRACK (TANDEMS)
* Commonwealth Games debutant |
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