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 

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

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Baker has excelled over the last twelve months in the Madison, claiming World Championship silver (with Cure) and triple World Cup gold during the recent 2019-20 season (twice with Edmondson twice and once with Manly). 
 
As the Australian team continues to determine the best possible options and combinations for all three endurance events at the Tokyo Olympic Games, Cure and Edmondson have been slated to race the Madison in Berlin. 
 
Baker has been provided with an individual opportunity in the third Olympic event, the four-event omnium, which she will contest on Friday. 

“It is a great opportunity for us in Berlin. It is our last chance at a major competition to test everything out before the Olympics,” said Baker. “We want to trial everything we can, to make sure we have the best Madison pairing in Tokyo, and the best team pursuit squad in Tokyo. 

“I am super excited to take on the omnium, it will be my first at this level, so I will be taking each event as it comes and I am looking forward to seeing what I can do.”

In the remaining endurance events, Ankudinoff will look to defend her individual pursuit crown with national champion Plouffe also set to ride the individual race against the clock. 

Alexandra Manly will line up to defend her title in the points race and will also contest the scratch race. 

AUSTRALIAN SCHEDULE

DATE (IN AUS)    TIME (AEDT)

Thurs 27/2: 430am - 8am
W - Scratch 10 km - Alexandra Manly
W Team Pursuit - Qualifying 11pm AEDT
    
Fri 28/2: 430am - 730am
W - Team Pursuit - Ashlee Ankudinoff, Georgia Baker, Annette Edmondson, Maeve Plouffe
    
Sat 29/2: 430am - 815am
W - Omnium - Georgia Baker
    
Sun 1/3: 230am - 6am
W -  Madison 30 km - Annette Edmondson/Amy Cure
W - Individual pursuit - Ashlee Ankudinoff; Maeve Plouffe
    
Mon 2/3: 12am-3am
W - Points race 25 km - Alexandra Manly

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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

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A dominant Australian gold medal in the women’s Madison highlighted the second day of the Tissot UCI Track Cycling World Cup at the Anna Meares Velodrome in Brisbane on Saturday night.

​Women’s Madison 

Georgia Baker and Annette Edmondson secured Australia’s only gold medal of the night with a powerful performance in the women’s Madison, beating their French rivals by 12 points. 

The pair won four out of the first six sprints to build an early lead, as the French duo of Clara Copponi and Marie Le Net did their best to catch the Australian pair.

Baker who won silver in the Madison at the world championships earlier this year, as well as gold at last week’s Cambridge World Cup was thrilled with the result. 

“We’re really lucky in the Australian Cycling Team because we have so much depth in our program so we can swap partners and still come away with really good results,” Said Baker. 

“Nettie and I had a successful campaign in Glasgow and that was a very sprint dominant race so we wanted to try something different here, it’s nerve-racking going out there and trying something new but it’s also really exciting and I think we have done the training to back ourselves in and pull off a good result no matter what happens.”

“It was pretty cool out there, we had to dig deep, we tried a couple of different tactics from last Friday and Glasgow and we’re really happy we pulled it off,” said Edmondson after the win. 

“I think in the past we were quite new to this discipline so whenever we got on the front we were like ‘oh my gosh we’re in front let’s go’ and we’d win by too much if we happened to win it or we’d be out the back so we wanted to try and make it a bit more consistent.” She added.

Despite the best efforts of the French team, Baker and Edmondson maintained the lead for almost the entire race. Both Australia and France lapped the field to stay clear of the United States who finished on 32 points to claim the bronze.

Double team pursuit gold medals for Australia highlighted the opening day of the 2019-2020 TISSOT UCI Track Cycling World Cup on Friday at the Anna Meares Velodrome in Brisbane. 

Reigning world champions Georgia Baker, Ashlee Ankudinoff, Annette Edmondson, Alexandra Manly, plus Podium Potential Academy member Maeve Plouffe, guided Australia to gold in the women’s event. In the men’s, world champions Sam Welsford, Leigh Howard, Kelland O’Brien, Alexander Porter plus Podium Potential Academy member Luke Plapp secured Australia’s second gold.

In the women’s team pursuit, little separated Australia and New Zealand in qualifying with the all-black skinsuits quartet of Holly Edmondston, Bryony Botha, Michaela Drummond and Racquel Sheath setting the fastest time (4:16.573), just two-tenths ahead of Australia’s Baker, Ankudinoff, Manly and Plouffe. 

With Edmondson replacing Ankudinoff for their first-round matchup against the United States, the team booked their place in the gold medal final (4:12.889) with a scorching ride was just half a second outside their national record set at last week’s World Cup.

Ankudinoff returned for Manly in an enthralling final with the Australians stopping the clock at 4mins 13.237secs to take the gold medal by three-tenths of a second over their Trans-Tasman rivals (4:13.553). 

The result evened the ledger between the two teams after the Australians took silver behind New Zealand at last week’s Cambridge World Cup.

“We don’t get the opportunity to race in front of a home crowd, especially at a World Cup, so we wanted to go out firing and win gold,” said Edmondson. 

“I think we are heading in the right direction, and we have been working pretty hard behind the scenes, we wanted to do some fast times here in Brisbane, we have ticked some boxes, and will use it as inspiration to keep the momentum for the Olympics.

“Maeve is only 20 years old and has a lot of power behind her considering she is so young. She has only been in training with us for the last month so to be able to ride three strong rides today and also a couple of rides over in New Zealand last week is promising. 

“We also have Amy Cure at home, so we know that we have the numbers here and it is very exciting moving forward.”

In another race of rivalries, Canada (4:17.509) defeated the United States (4:21.540) for bronze. 

Women's keirin

Stephanie Morton added a keirin bronze to her sprint silver at her first major meet since having knee surgery.

The team sprint world champion held on for third in the keirin medal race, behind gold medallist Hyejin Lee of South Korea and Canada's Lauriane Genest.

"I wasn't sure what to expect coming into this week," Morton said. "First real big race back since the op and I'm pleased with where I've landed, really happy with the progression and looking forward to Brisbane."

Morton won her opening round heat and finished third in her semi-final to secure a place in the medal race.

Men's sprint

Nathan Hart, the World Cup gold medallist on this Cambridge track last January, took fourth place in the men's sprint this round.

He was beaten in two straight races by Japan's Yudai Nitta in the bronze medal ride after being edged by NItta's teammate Tomohiro Fukaya in the semi-finals.

Hart qualified third fastest in 9.613secs with top qualifier Mateusz Rudyk of Poland going on to win gold, with Fukaya claiming silver. 

2018 world champion Matthew Glaetzer earlier lost in the second round after sneaking through to the last 16 by the slimmest of margins.

Glaetzer was judged the winner of his first-round heat against Frenchman Rayan Helal, after being deemed a dead heat to three decimal places.

One gold, one silver and two bronze medals for Australia on the second night of the fourth round of the TISSOT UCI Track Cycling World Cup in Cambridge, New Zealand. 

Georgia Baker and Alexandra Manly got Australia’s night off to the perfect start, winning gold in the women’s madison in dominant fashion, while Matthew Glaetzer claimed a remarkable bronze medal in the men’s keirin, little over a month after having surgery to remove a thyroid cancer.

Stephanie Morton secured Australia’s second bronze of the night in the women’s sprint, while Nine-time world champion Cameron Meyer snatched silver in the men’s omnium.

Women’s madison

Georgia Baker and Alexandra Manly got Australia’s night off to the perfect start, winning gold in the women’s madison in dominant fashion.

They sealed victory by winning the double points final sprint, after building an early lead by winning four of the first six.

“It was a pretty tough madison actually. Not too many teams out there, but it was definitely a tough mado for Alex and I,” Baker said.

“We were just focusing on trying to get a consistent ride. Trying to get our changes and our timing right, trying to break the Madison down and just get all the basic things right and hope to come out with a result.

“That just goes to show all of our hard work in Adelaide paid off here.”

Baker, who claimed silver in the madison at the world championships earlier this year, and Manly finished 10 points clear of Poland, with the Subway New Zealand trade team a further 13 points back in third.
​

Madison gold to Annette Edmondson and Georgia Baker, Madison bronze to Sam Welsford and Leigh Howard, and omnium bronze to Edmondson highlighted round two of the 2019-20 Tissot UCI Track World Cup in Glasgow

"We head back home tomorrow, and then the New Zealand and Brisbane World Cups become our goals. There are not many more opportunities to race and practice, so to know what we are doing is working is great for the confidence," added Edmondson.  

Edmondson celebrated twice on the podium at the World Cup after claiming bronze in the four-event Omnium final. The 2015 omnium world champion finished on 111 points, just ten behind dual reigning world champion Kirsten Wild (NED). 

"Each race was close together, and it all came down to a hard points race and the final sprint to get ono the podium," said Edmondson, who finished sixth, third and fourth in the scratch, tempo and elimination races before grabbing a medal with third in the points race.

​"I'm satisfied with that performance, and we came here to try to be consistent with all the races and to make improvements on what we learned at Worlds. There were movements made forward with that regard, but still plenty of room for more improvements."

Reigning team pursuit world champion Sam Welsford and three-time Madison world champion Leigh Howard won bronze in the men's Madison. 

In a frantic race, the Australian duo were one of three teams with winners France and silver medalists Great Britain to take three laps in the 200-lap race. It was a gallant effort by the pair to find the podium after a crash by Howard with sixty laps to go, put pressure on the pairing as the race lifted in intensity over the final fifty laps. 

"We went into the race with a reasonably tight plan, and we executed it very close to what we envisaged," said Howard. "But the crash put us both under the pump, and in the end, the French pairing was too strong.

"We managed to hold third place, so not too shabby, but without the crash, I think we could have shaken things up a bit more in the last 50 laps, but that's bike racing!".

Welsford finished seventh in the omnium, while Howard donned his rainbow jersey to lead a young team pursuit quartet comprised of Podium Potential Academy duo Conor Leahy and Godfrey Slattery, and guest rider Joshua Duffy to seventh. Howard also finished fifth in the scratch race. 

Baker finished seventh in the scratch race, while she also teamed with Kristina Clonan and Macey Stewart plus Podium Potential Academy member Alexandra Martin-Wallace to finish sixth in the team pursuit. 

The Podium Potential Academy represented Australia in the sprint competition with Matthew Richardson, Tom Cornish and Tom Clarke finishing eighth in the team event. Clarke was ninth in the keirin, while Richardson was eleventh in the sprint.

​Caitlin Ward won her keirin heat, before going on to win the 7-12 final to finish seventh overall.

The Australian Cycling Team Podium Potential Academy (PPA) Endurance riders raced in support of the Sport Australia #findyour30 campaign.

A mix of world champions and rising stars make up the Australian Team set to contest round two of the 2019-20 Tissot UCI Track World Cup in Glasgow from 8-10 November.

Reigning team pursuit world champion Sam Welsford will leave the pursuit bars back in Australia as he targets the bunch races in Scotland. Welsford will race the omnium and the Madison with three-time Madison world champion Leigh Howard at the Glasgow World Cup, his first trip back to the track since racing as part of the Australian Junior Team in 2013.

“Really keen to go back to Glasgow and give it a big crack, I have a busy schedule, and a bunch race focus,” said Welsford, who is looking forward to racing with Howard in the Madison. “Leigh has won countless World Championship and World Cup Madison events so to be able to draw on experience from him, I am really looking forward to that.

Howard will sport his rainbow jersey when he leads a youthful team pursuit quartet which includes Podium Potential Academy duo Conor Leahy and Godfrey Slattery, plus guest rider Joshua Duffy.

“I’m super excited, the knowledge you gain from these World Cup experiences can’t be compared to anything else,” offered Slattery, who with, Leahy, Duffy and Lucas Plapp teamed to win Oceania Championships team pursuit gold in October. “I’m really excited to be lining up alongside world champion Leah Howard in the team pursuit and I feel like we’ll learn quite a bit from his experience.”

Kristina Clonan and Macey Stewart will join Podium Potential Academy members Alexandra Martin-Wallace and Sophie Edwards in the team pursuit.

One year ago, Clonan and Stewart teamed with veterans Ashlee Ankudinoff and Georgia Baker to win team pursuit gold in the 2018-19 World Cup's opening round in France. At what will be Team Australia's opening World Cup for season 2019-20, Clonan is excited to offer her knowledge to two of Australia’s rising stars.

“It is amazing to think last year I was racing with Ash and Georgia at the World Cup in France and I was the young one. Now, Macey (Stewart) and I have Alexandra Martin-Wallace and Sophie Edwards,” said Clonan, now 21, who lauded the depth of the team’s program. “It is super exciting ahead of Glasgow, as we have been training really hard and super excited to see what we can do.

"But, with the inclusion of the Podium Potential Academy, we have huge prospects for 2020, 2024, 2028. We have plenty of cycles ahead, that’s for sure."

Martin-Wallace is eager to contest her second-career World Cup after racing the final round of last season in January.

“I’m really looking forward to it, it’s been a really big year building up to it, we’re coming together so well as a team, so I’m really excited,” said Martin-Wallace.

In the other women’s endurance events, 2015 omnium world champion Annette Edmondson will tackle the four-event omnium in addition to teaming with Georgia Baker in the Madison.

It will be an all Podium Potential Academy line up in the sprint competition with Matthew Richardson, Tom Cornish, Tom Clarke and Caitlin Ward set to race.

The Australian Cycling Team Podium Potential Academy (PPA) Endurance riders will race in support of the Sport Australia #findyour30 campaign.

Following the Scottish round, members of the Australian Team will contest the World Cup's second round in New Zealand from December 6-8.
​
Brisbane’s Anna Meares Velodrome will host round five the 2019-2020 TISSOT UCI Track Cycling World Cup from 13-15 December. ​

Team Australia for 2019-20 Tissot UCI Track World Cup in Glasgow from 8-10 November

Sprint

• Matthew Richardson
• Tom Cornish
• Tom Clarke
• Caitlin Ward

Endurance

• Annette Edmondson
• Georgia Baker
• Kristina Clonan
• Macey Stewart
• Sophie Edwards
• Alexandra Martin-Wallace
• Sam Welsford
• Leigh Howard
• Conor Leahy
• Godfrey Slattery
• Joshua Duffy​​

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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

Tissot UCI Track World Cup #1 - Paris, France

​The Australian Cycling Team has opened the UCI Track World Cup season in Paris in style by topping the medal tally with eight medals including three gold, three silver and two bronze. 

Sprint 

Resplendent in his rainbow jersey, reigning world champion Matthew Glaetzer won the sprint gold.

Glaetzer opened his account with a scorching 9.502secs in qualifying - just 0.05secs off his personal best set at altitude - before defeating Dmitriev, Carlin, Hoogland and Lavreysen to take the win. 
👊🏼
"It has been a great start to the season with both individual wins at Oceanias and my World Cup Sprint win today so I am quite happy," Glaetzer told Cycling Australia. "Through the rounds I felt good and was racing well. The semi final onwards was intense though, I don't think I had beaten Hoogland before so that was a good fight to make the gold ride.

"I went to three rides again in the final which always tests you and your opponent to see how much is left in the tank. I backed up stronger in the third ride and took the gold."

Stephanie Morton scorched qualifying with a personal best 10.516secs before defeating Kobayoshi, van Reissen and Shmeleva on her way to the final where Hong Kong's Wai Sze Lee ended her run. 

"After a huge week at Oceanias, then a long haul flight, then three rounds of the team sprint, to come out and ride a 10.5 was awesome," Morton told Cycling Australia. "I knew it would be a tough fight to make the finals but I took it one race at a time and stoked to walk away with the silver."

Women's Team Pursuit

Dual world and reigning Commonwealth champion Ash Ankudinoff led Georgia Baker, and team newcomers Macey Stewart and Kristina Clonan to gold in the team pursuit. 

Fastest qualifiers (4:20.154), the team progressed to the final with the best first round time (4:18.441), before posting a stellar time of 4mins 16.957secs to win gold over New Zealand. 

Scratch 

Ashlee Ankudinoff claimed her second gold of the World Cup with victory in the scratch race, while Leigh Howard took bronze in the men's final. 

Madison 

Dual Madison world champion Leigh Howard and Kell O’Brien took bronze on 17points with gold going to Hansen/Morkov. The medal was Kell’s first one at World Cup level.

Macey Stewart and Georgia Baker took the double points on offer in the final sprint to grab a podium finish in the women's final.

Team Sprint 

Fastest qualifiers (32.845) Stephanie Morton and Kaarle McCulloch progressed through the first round (32.763) but were pipped by just .001 seconds in team sprint final by Russia's Voinova and Shmeleva (32.820).

In the men's, Jacob Schmid, Patrick Constable and Nathan Hart finished just outside the medals in fifth. 

>>> Official Results

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

• Tiffany Cromwell                                
• Gracie Elvin                                       
• Katrin Garfoot                        
• Chloe Hosking                         
• Shannon Malseed*                
• Sarah Roy*                            
• Mitchell Docker*                     
• Alexander Edmondson                      
• Mathew Hayman                    
• Cameron Meyer                                 
• Callum Scotson*                                
• Steele Von Hoff*                    

MTB   

• Daniel McConnell                              
• Rebecca McConnell (nee Henderson)

TRACK ENDURANCE          

• Ashlee Ankudinoff     
• Georgia Baker*
• Amy Cure       
• Annette Edmondson  
• Alexandra Manly*
• Rebecca Wiasak*      
• Leigh Howard*           
• Jordan Kerby*
• Cameron Meyer         
• Kelland O’Brien*
• Alexander Porter*      
• Samuel Welsford*      
• Nicholas Yallouris*    

TRACK SPRINT

• Kaarle McCulloch      
• Stephanie Morton 
• Patrick Constable*     
• Matthew Glaetzer 
• Nathan Hart   
• Jacob Schmid*           

PARA TRACK (TANDEMS)

• Jessica Gallagher* / Madison Janssen* - Pilot         
• Bradley Henderson* / Thomas Clarke - Pilot

​* Commonwealth Games debutant