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 

AusCycling is pleased to confirm the athletes who will receive memberships to the Australian Cycling Team for 2021

Significantly, the 2021 memberships are the first to be announced under the banner of AusCycling. Formed in November 2020, AusCycling represents all cycling disciplines and riders throughout Australia from club, recreational and commuter riders through to the Australian Cycling Team.

Memberships to the Team are limited and are only provided to athletes who have achieved, or have the potential to achieve, success at the highest level with 65 athletes confirmed across the disciplines of BMX Freestyle (3), BMX Racing (4), Mountain Bike Cross Country (1), Para-cycling (15), Road (13), Track Sprint and Endurance (15), and Podium Potential Academy (14).

Athletes are categorised as Podium, Podium Ready and Podium Potential based on their current level of performance, and their future potential to achieve Podium Performances in Olympic events at major championships. Support for the athletes varies according to the discipline. About the Australian Cycling Team Pathway.
Memberships are reviewed annually following the pinnacle event for the year, which for 2020 was to be the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games. With the COVID-19 Pandemic causing significant disruptions and cancellations to the 2020 sporting calendar, the pinnacle event for 2021 will be the rescheduled Tokyo Games.

The Podium Potential Academy, now into its third year of operation, will focus on the long-term development of Track Sprint and Endurance athletes and success at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, the 2024 Olympic Games and beyond.

Also underpinning the Team is the national High-Performance Network of state institutes and academies which play a vital role in the athlete pathway by identifying and supporting a further crop of nearly 100 categorised Emerging and Developing athletes across Australia.

Simon Jones - Performance Director, Australian Cycling Team

"I want to take this opportunity to congratulate the selected athletes, as places in the Australian Cycling Team are limited and this often means making hard decisions. To the athletes not selected, we encourage you to keep pushing and be ready for opportunities as we do review the memberships annually."

"2020 showed us that we must take our opportunities when we can, to be agile, to be resilient, and that change is a certainty. While 2021 is likely to be very similar, we remain optimistic about the future."

"Looking ahead, 2022 will be very exciting as we will have a home Road World Championships in Wollongong and the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. Then in 2023, the first World Championships of cycling that integrates all disciplines of Para-cycling, BMX, Road, MTB and Track into a festival of cycling over two weeks."

About the Australian Cycling Team

The Australian Cycling Team (ACT) comprises athletes, coaches and performance support staff in Olympic and Paralympic cycling disciplines, underpinned by Australia's State and Territory High-Performance Network. Principal partners include the Australian Institute of Sport and Santini.

The ACT is part of AusCycling, the peak body for cycling in Australia. AusCycling is affiliated with the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and partners with the Australian Olympic Committee; Commonwealth Games Australia and Paralympics Australia.

A full list of partners and supporters can be found here.

Athlete Memberships 2020/2021

BMX Racing - Agreement Period: 1 May 2020 - 30 April 2021                               
Lauren Reynolds            WA           Podium Ready 
Anthony Dean                 SA            Podium Ready 
Saya Sakakibara            NSW        Podium Ready 
Isaac Kennedy                QLD         Podium Potential 
                                   
BMX Freestyle - Agreement Period: 1 December 2020 - 30 November 2021                         
Logan Martin                 QLD         Podium 
Brandon Loupos             NSW        Podium 
Natalya Diehm               QLD         Podium Potential 
                                   
MTB Cross-country - Agreement Period: 1 January 2021 - 31 July 2021                          
Rebecca McConnell               ACT          Podium 
                                   
Para-cycling - Agreement Period:  1 April 2020 - 31 March 2021                         
Carol Cooke (Road)                      VIC           Podium 
Alistair Donohoe (Road/Track)     VIC           Podium 
David Nicholas (Track/Road)       QLD          Podium 
Stuart Tripp (Road)                       VIC           Podium Ready 
Amanda Reid (Track)                    NSW         Podium 
Hannah Macdougall (Road)           VIC           Podium 
Grant Allen (Road)                         SA            Podium Ready 
Paige Greco (Track/Road)             SA            Podium 
Darren Hicks (Road/Track)           SA            Podium 
Meg Lemon (Road/Track)             SA             Podium 
Emily Petricola (Track/Road)       VIC           Podium 
Emilie Miller (Road)                      NSW        Podium 
Gordon Allan (Track)                    NSW        Podium  
Stuart Jones (Road)                      NSW        Podium 
Kaitlyn Schurmann (Road)           VIC           Podium 
                                   
Women's Road - Agreement Period: 1 January - 31 December 2021                        
Amanda Spratt        NSW         Podium 
Brodie Chapman     VIC           Podium Ready 
Grace Brown           VIC           Podium Ready 
Sarah Roy               NSW         Podium Ready 
Chloe Hosking        ACT          Podium Ready 
Lucy Kennedy         QLD          Podium Ready 
Sarah Gigante        VIC           Podium Potential 
                                   
Men's Road - Agreement Period: 1 January - 31 December 2021                        
Rohan Dennis                  SA            Podium 
Michael Matthews          ACT          Podium 
Caleb Ewan                     NSW         Podium Ready 
Jack Haig                        VIC           Podium Ready 
Simon Clarke                  VIC           Podium Ready 
Richie Porte                    TAS          Podium Ready 
                                   
Women's Track Endurance - Agreement Period: 1 May 2020 - 30 April 2021                               
Ashlee Ankudinoff             NSW        Podium 
Georgia Baker                   TAS          Podium 
Annette Edmondson          SA            Podium 
Alexandra Manly               SA            Podium 
Maeve Plouffe                  SA            Podium 
                                   
Men's Track Endurance - Agreement Period: 1 May 2020 - 30 April 2021                               
Cameron Meyer              WA           Podium 
Kelland O'Brien               VIC           Podium 
Alexander Porter             SA            Podium 
Leigh Howard                  VIC           Podium 
Samuel Welsford             WA           Podium 
Lucas Plapp                    VIC           Podium 
                                   
Women's Track Sprint  - Agreement Period: 1 May 2020 - 30 April 2021                               
Kaarle McCulloch              NSW        Podium 
                                   
Men's Track Sprint - Agreement Period: 1 May 2020 - 30 April 2021                               
Matthew Glaetzer             SA            Podium 
Nathan Hart                      ACT          Podium 
Matthew Richardson        WA           Podium 
                                   
Podium Potential Academy  - Agreement Period: 1 December 2020 - 30 November 2021                         
Alexandra Martin-Wallace   QLD        Podium Potential  
Sophie Edwards                   SA           Podium Potential  
Ruby Roseman-Gannon      VIC          Podium Potential  
Lauren Perry                       TAS          Podium Potential  
Chloe Moran                       SA             Podium Potential  
Conor Leahy                       WA           Podium Potential  
Joshua Duffy                      TAS          Podium Potential  
Graeme Frislie                  VIC           Podium Potential  
James Moriarty                 QLD         Podium Potential  
Jensen Plowright              VIC          Podium Potential  
James Brister                   SA            Podium Potential  
Tom Cornish                    NSW         Podium Potential  
Leigh Hoffman                 SA            Podium Potential  
Kristina Clonan                QLD         Podium Potential  

2019 world champion Stephanie Morton OAM, 29, has announced her immediate retirement from international cycling after a ten-year international career which spanned both able-bodied and para-cycling disciplines. 

One of the world's fastest for nearly a decade, Morton's impressive resume boasts the 2019 team sprint world title with Kaarle McCulloch, seven World Championship medals, four Commonwealth Games gold medals, thirteen national titles and stunningly, three Paralympic world titles and Paralympic Games gold.    

As a strong medal chance in the three Tokyo Olympic Games track sprint events, including one of the team sprint gold medal favourites, the decision to hang up her bike eight months out of the rescheduled Games did not come lightly for Morton. 
 
“It was not a decision I have taken lightly, and thankfully I had the support of the Australian Cycling Team throughout the whole process, along with my family and close friends," said Morton. 

“No one could have prepared for what 2020 delivered, hence why this decision has been eight months in the making as I needed to really consider what was best for me moving forward, and it has probably been the toughest thing I've ever had to do.  

“But even before the COVID-19 pandemic hit and it moved the Games' date, I had always said that the Tokyo Games wasn't going to define me, win or lose. 

“In an ideal world, it would have been nice to go out one more time wearing green gold, but we aren't in an ideal world anymore.  

“I feel like if we have gone through a global pandemic and the worst that happens to me is I miss a bike race, then I'm doing ok."

Beginning her cycling journey in 2005 at the age of 15 with South Coast Cycling Club in Adelaide, Morton impressed both on a state and national level as a teenager.  

At twenty in 2010, Morton took on the role as Tandem Pilot for visually impaired cyclist Felicity Johnson, with the combination winning three world titles across 2011 and 2012, followed by gold at the London 2012 Paralympic Games. In 2013, the pair were awarded the Order of Australia (OAM) Medal for service to the sport.  

After the 2012 Paralympic Games, Morton switched her sole focus to the single bike and individual success immediately followed with a triple national title haul in 2013 gaining her a maiden elite World Championship selection.  

Over the next three years, Morton amassed a further seven top-eight places before breaking onto the World Championship podium in 2017 where she claimed dual silver in the individual sprint, the first of three consecutive silver medals in the event.  

In the team sprint event, Morton enjoyed early success with Meares, before winning World Championship silver in 2017 with Kaarle McCulloch. The pair went to break the Australian record on multiple occasions over the next few seasons, before setting their existing mark during their 2019 World Championship winning campaign in Poland.   

At the Commonwealth Games, Morton claimed four gold across two campaigns, firstly at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games where she defeated long-time idol Anna Meares to win gold in the sprint. On home soil in 2018 on the Gold Coast, Morton dazzled with a triple gold medal haul.   

Morton's Olympic debut came in Rio 2016 where she teamed with Anna Meares in the team sprint where they finished fourth. Morton also claimed two 13th place finishes in the women's keirin and individual sprint. 

“I have had such an amazing career.  

“The past fifteen years has left me with a lot of favourite moments.  

“I think winning three gold medals in front of a home crowd at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games would have to be up there, along with becoming world champion with Karlz in 2019”. 

Morton will now turn her attention to her post-racing career having studied a Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice in parallel with her international cycling career.  
​
“I have always had a plan for after cycling. You have to. I made sure I was studying so that when the time came to enter the "real world" I would hit the ground running.  

“The bike has given me a lot of achievements but cycling and being an elite athlete has given me the ability push myself and always strive to be the best version of me, and to me, that's a huge achievement I can take with me into my new life. I start my new career next month, and I'm really looking forward to taking the skills I've obtained as an athlete with me into the workforce”.  

A selfless person on and off the bike, Morton quickly thanked all those who played a part in her sensational career.   

“It takes an absolute army to get an athlete to their best. To all the staff I have worked with over the years, thank you for pushing me to be my best, and for creating an elite environment. They work so hard behind the scenes to make our dreams come true.  

“Thank you to the Australian Cycling Team for believing in me, especially in the last four years with Simon Jones at the helm, making sure we were doing everything possible to put ourselves in a position for medals.  

“Thank you to my teammates, both past and present. I've made some friendships that will last a lifetime, and we have shared some amazing experiences that have shaped me into the person I am today. I cannot wait to see what this team does in Tokyo-look out.  

“To my coach Nick. Thanks for always putting the person before the athlete. This has helped not only me, but the whole team be the best person they can be, which then carries over onto the bike. It was an absolute honour to have you by my side through this journey. 

“A huge thank you to the supporters who have followed my journey. I love reading your messages of support, and racing in front of the roar of a home crowd- it still gives me goosebumps. 

“My family and friends. For following me around the world and sharing in the highs and lows and chasing the dream with me. I couldn't have done this without you”.  

Morton - Career Snapshot  
​ 

• 4x World Champion (Elite – 2019; Para – 2011, 2012 x 2)  
• 4x Commonwealth Games gold (2018 – 3; 2014 - 1) 
• 2x Olympian (Rio 2016; Named to Tokyo 2020 team prior to retirement)  
• 13x National Champion (Elite) 
• 2012 Paralympic Games gold medalist (Tandem Pilot for Felicity Johnson)  
• Current Australian record holder (with McCulloch) Team Sprint (32.255seconds) 

2020 has been a challenging year for everyone and circumstances have made it even more important for us all to stay connected and be willing to support those around us.

Cycling Australia encourages all coaches, athletes and our cycling community to take time on Thursday 10 September to reflect on R U OK? Day and how we each make time in our relationships for asking R U OK? and remember, there is more to say after R U OK?

Australian Cycling Team staff and athletes will gather together on Thursday 10 September for a morning tea and walk two laps of the Adelaide Superdrome to highlight R U OK? Day and the importance of creating space for conversations.

#RUOKDay is on Thursday 10 September and is a reminder that a conversation could change a life. This year we are learning what to say after R U OK? so we can keep the conversation going when someone says “No, I’m not OK”. Resources are available at www.ruok.org.au

#RUOK is an important question but there’s more to say after R U OK? If someone says they’re not OK, make time to listen, encourage action and check-in. That conversation could change, or even save, their life.

You don’t have to be an expert to keep the conversation going when someone says they’re not OK. By knowing what to say you can help someone feel supported and access appropriate help long before they’re in crisis, which can make a really positive difference to their life

More on R U OK? 

People are also encouraged to learn what to say after R U OK? and download R U OK? resources from ruok.org.au for tips and ideas to help them share the message in their community.

Useful contacts for someone who is not OK - Encourage them to talk to a trusted health professional or call on these Australian crisis lines and professionals:
​

• Lifeline (24/7) 13 11 14 lifeline.org.au
• Suicide Call Back Service (24/7) 1300 659 467 suicidecallbackservice.org.au
• Beyond Blue (24/7) 1300 224 636 beyondblue.org.au
• Kids Helpline (24/7) 1800 55 1800 kidshelpline.com.au 

​The Australian Cycling team is participating in R U OK? Day with support from AIS; and the Podium Potential Academy is proudly supported by Commonwealth Games Australia.

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.  ​

In response to the current global COVID-19 pandemic, Cycling Australia (CA) wish to make public its current position on its international competition activities. 

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) currently advises there is a ban on overseas travel from Australia. Australian citizens cannot leave Australia without an exemption from DFAT.

Our primary concern is the health of our athletes and staff. As such, CA will not be conducting any national team campaigns or projects outside of Australia before 1 January 2021 with the following possible exceptions: 

1. CA’s position may be reconsidered for activities in New Zealand in the event there is a government-endorsed Trans-Tasman travel bubble.
2. CA’s position may be reconsidered for the 2020 UCI Road World Championships, the 2020 UCI MTB World Championships, the 2020 MTB Marathon World Championships, 2020 season Mountain Bike World Cups and remaining 2020 season BMX World Cups. 

When considering its position in relation to the above events, CA will consider a range of factors including but not limited to the most up-to-date DFAT position, the current COVID-19 position of the host country, information from the UCI and Event Organisers, and the ability of CA to appropriately provide for the health and safety of the team and the community.

In respect of the 2020 UCI Road World Championships, CA will continue to monitor the situation. CA will only consider selecting and endorsing entries for Elite riders. Riders in these categories wishing to be considered will need to have been based in Europe for a minimum of two (2) weeks prior to the date of the start of the competition in question. 

For the avoidance of doubt, CA will not enter any U19 (UCI Junior category) riders in any overseas events over which it has entry jurisdiction between now and 31 December 2020 (regardless of any potential exceptions listed above) and will not be selecting U23 riders for the 2020 UCI Road World Championships. 

Decisions in relation to mountain bike events will be reached in conjunction with MTBA. Decisions in relation to BMX events will be reached in conjunction with BMXA. 

​CA will continue to monitor the global situation and reserves the right to modify its approach to its activities as the situation develops over the next few months.

As the uncertainty of the COVID-19 Pandemic continues and as the timelines for easing of restrictions varies across the country, Cycling Australia (CA) can confirm the 2020 Elite & U19 Track National Championships in Brisbane has been rescheduled to December. 

In considering the decision, CA consulted with state governments, medical experts and our Member States, to ensure that the Championships operate in a manner that is accessible, fair and safe for all participants, officials and local communities. 

The Championships was initially scheduled for March 2020, but was postponed to September following the outbreak of COVID-19 Pandemic. The Championships will now be contested from 16-20 December in conjunction with the Para-Track National Championships (18-20 December) to create a blockbuster five-day feast of track cycling at the Anna Meares Velodrome. 

The Championships is expected to attract a host of Australia’s best, including those athletes aiming for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, across the traditional team and individual events including the sprint, pursuit, time trials, Madison and Omnium. 

While Australia’s Team for the 2020(1) Paralympic Games is yet to be named, Emily Petricola and Paige Greco will use the nationals to further push their names in front of selectors for the Games. 

“It’s disappointing that the Games were postponed but we’re all looking forward to getting back into serious racing at the nationals, which is always a highlight,” said Petricola, a C4 pursuit, omnium and scratch race world champion.“(If selected) This would be my first Paralympics if chosen so I’m hopeful a vaccine can be found so it can go ahead.

“You can’t spend too much time worrying about it, you’ve just got to keep training in the hope that it is going to happen.”
​
The program and entry information for the rescheduled Elite and U19 Track National Championships will be available soon at tracknationals.org.au. 

2020 Track National Championships - Frequently Asked Questions

Tasmania’s Amy Cure, 27, has announced her immediate retirement from international cycling following a glittering twelve-year career representing Australia on the highest stage.

“It’s one of the most difficult decisions I have had to make,” said Cure, who was selected to the Australian Olympic Team for Tokyo 2020 last March. Cure revealed her decision to retire came following the postponement of the Games due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. “I feel the same as I do on the start line at an Olympic Games or World Championships. I’m incredibly nervous, but also so excited for the unknown.”
​ 

 

One of the world’s most decorated track cyclists, Cure etched her name onto almost every honour board with her enviable resume boasting three world titles, two Commonwealth Games gold medals, three Australian Olympic Team selections and ten national titles. 

Cure stands alone as the only track cyclist in history to win a medal in six different world championship events - the individual and team pursuits, points and scratch races, the Madison and the omnium. Her 13 career World Championships medals (3 gold, 5 silver, 5 bronze) ranks second all-time for Australia’s female track cyclists behind Anna Meares (27). ​

“I have settled on this decision for a little while now, and I’m confident I have made the right choice and am excited for the next chapter in my life,” said Cure. “Cycling is and will always be something for which I’ll be forever grateful. It’s taught me so many valuable lessons that have shaped me into the person I am today. I’ve learned to be disciplined, perseverant and optimistic, but I think one of the biggest things I’ve learnt is how to be resilient.
 
“I’m satisfied with the achievements I’ve accomplished across my career, and my time with the Australian Cycling Team has given me so many incredible things in my life, and I’m so thankful for the opportunities and experiences I have had and the friends I have made. 

“But after making cycling my priority for the last decade, my relationships with family and friends are my priority now.”

Cure’s interest in cycling was sparked at the age of twelve after a visit to watch the Tasmanian Christmas Carnivals with her family. 

After quickly joining her local Cycling Australia club, Mersey Valley Devonport, Cure began to impress on the national stage as a teenager, before turning heads while on her Australian debut when she claimed four junior (Under 19) world titles across 2009 and 2010, including setting a world record in the individual pursuit. 

Cure made her elite World Championships debut in 2011 at the tender age of 18, before her first Australian Olympic Team experience came a year later with selection for the London 2012 Olympic Games. At the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, an unfortunate training crash on the eve of the Games cruelled the team’s chances of a podium finish. 

Breaking through for the first of three world titles in 2014 with victory in the points race in Colombia, Cure added a second rainbow jersey one year later in France after victory in the team pursuit in world record time (with Melissa Hoskins, Ashlee Ankudinoff and Annette Edmondson). 

At the 2019 UCI Track World Championships in Poland, Cure secured her third world crown with Ashlee Ankudinoff, Alexandra Manly, Annette Edmondson and Georgia Baker in the team pursuit. 

Amy contested two Commonwealth Games, firstly in Glasgow in 2014 where she won silver and bronze medals, before dual gold on home soil at the 2018 Games on the Gold Coast.

While focused on the track, Cure also achieved success on the road with a triple victory (GC, Youth and Points Classification) in the 2013 Tour de Feminin in the Czech Republic a highlight, while also contesting such WorldTour Classics as Ronde Van Vlaanderen, La Flèche Wallonne and La Course by Tour de France. 

“The 2018 Commonwealth Games Gold medals would have to be up there for one of the best. A home Games is something so special and to have all your loved ones close by was incredible,” said Cure, who revealed her 2019 world title was her greatest achievement. 

“Four months prior to those world championships, I had a breakdown of a long-term relationship that came to an unexpected end. It was a difficult and dark time, so to be able to come out and win the gold medal despite the circumstances was an incredible self-achievement and my proudest moment.”

While Cure walks away from the team with a third Australian Olympic Team selection secured, she is confident that her squad has the goods for success in Tokyo in 2021. 

“I really believe they have the girls to give Australia every opportunity of success in Tokyo as they have great depth, talent and coaching.

“It’s been a difficult decision as I know Glenn O’Shea will be an exceptional coach. That made it hard in my decision making as I know it’s a huge set back in moving forward.

“I would much rather allow someone else that has the drive, energy, motivation and potential to be great. I believe they will do just as good, if not better without me there. And there is no doubt in my mind about that.

Cure paid tribute to the many people integral to guiding her along her journey in the sport. 

“I’ve been fortunate to have some pretty influential people in my career, both on and off the bike. It is hard to thank everyone, but I would like to mention Matthew Gilmore, who has been beside me all 15 years of my career. Whether it was in the TIS as a coach or CA, he has been such an influential mentor to myself personally and my career as a cyclist. 

“And the other would have to be the Trengove family. I moved in with them ten years ago when I was trying to make my first Olympic Games, and they have been so supportive and understanding.

“And to my teammates who have been there every single day along the way and the support from all the staff at both Cycling Australia and the Tasmanian Institute of Sport. They have given me so many opportunities for which I will be forever grateful. 

“And finally, a thank you to my family back in Tassie. They have been so supportive of me across the whole journey, through all the ups and downs. I wouldn’t have achieved what I did without their support.”

“I want to personally thank Amy for her tremendous contribution to the sport of cycling for more than 15 years,” said Cycling Australia Performance Director Simon Jones. “I fully support Amy’s decision to retire, understanding the significance to her and the team. From all the team, we wish you well for the future."

Cycling Australia will nominate a new athlete to the AOC for selection to the Tokyo 2020 Australian Olympic Team in line with its nomination criteria. 

Amy Cure - Career Snapshot  

• 3x World Champion (Elite - 2014 Points Race, 2015 & 2019 Team Pursuit) 
• 3x Olympian (2012, 2016, Named to 2020 team prior to retirement) 
• 2x Commonwealth Games gold (2018 - Team Pursuit & Scratch Race)
• 10x National Champion (Elite)
• 4x Junior World Champion (2009 & 2010)

Below is an update on the nomination processes for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, plus a notice regarding no Australian Team selection for the 2020 UCI Junior Track World Championships in August, in Egypt. 

Olympic & Paralympic Nominations Update

Following the deferral of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games until 2021 and recent Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) announcements, Cycling Australia (CA) can make the following updates with regards to nomination processes for the following teams after the suspension of the qualification periods as of 3 March 2020.

For Mountain Bike, BMX Freestyle and BMX Race (Supercross), the Olympic qualification periods for which should have ended on 11 May 2020, 27 May 2020 and 1 June 2020 respectively, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) replied favourably to the following propositions from the UCI:

• Mountain Bike Cross Country (XCO): The points awarded at two weekends of the UCI MTB XCO World Cup during the 2021 season will be added to those taken into account in the ranking of 3 March 2020. The weekends are still to be determined and will be communicated at a later date.
• BMX Freestyle: The points awarded at two weekends of the UCI BMX Freestyle World Cup during the 2021 season will be added to those taken into account in the ranking of 3 March 2020. The weekends are still to be determined and will be communicated at a later date.
• BMX Race: The points awarded at two weekends of the UCI BMX Supercross World Cup during the 2021 season and at the 2020 UCI BMX World Championships will be added to those taken into account in the ranking of 3 March 2020. The remaining UCI World Cup weekends are still to be determined and will be communicated at a later date.  CA will also await further updates from UCI as to the rescheduled dates for the 2020 UCI World Championships and the 2021 UCI BMX Supercross World Cup schedule.

With regards to Para-cycling and Road:  
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• Para-cycling: The UCI Management Committee has approved a modified qualification system based on the principles applied for the Olympic qualification process mentioned above. This is awaiting approval from the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). The points gained in the UCI combined nations ranking up until 3 March 2020 will remain valid and will see the addition of points earned in the first two rounds of the UCI Para-cycling Road World Cup for the 2021 season. The weekends are still to be confirmed and will be announced at a later date.
• Road: Cycling Australia will add several races from the 2020 calendar to the Olympic nomination document but races in 2021 will be weighted with higher importance. The selection window will be frozen for the majority of the 2020 season and will resume before the 2020 UCI Road World Championships and will include events up until the end of April 2021.

“With specific regard to the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) nomination process, we will continue with our approach to nominate athletes with medal-winning potential as a priority,” said Performance Director Simon Jones.

“These changes to the qualification window simply mean we have more time to get those nation quotas that will support our medal targets. With COVID-19 looking like it's under control in Australia, we will need to make the best of this situation and work towards 2021 goals.”

No Cycling Australia National Team Selection for 2020 UCI Junior Track World Championships

Due to the Australian Government’s international travel bans as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, CA will not be selecting a team to compete at the 2020 UCI Junior Track World Championships which are scheduled for 16 - 21 August 2020, in Egypt. 

“It is unfortunate that we have had to make this decision, but the health and safety of our athletes and staff team is paramount,” said Performance Director Simon Jones.
 
“As a high-performance network, we will continue to create domestic opportunities for developing athletes as we have done recently with the Under 19 Individual Time Trial camp and the High Performance Network (HPN) virtual camps in April.” 

Updates on the next camp will be communicated shortly.

Cycling Australia says thank you - National Volunteer Week 

As the country celebrates National Volunteer Week, Cycling Australia would like to thank all our wonderful volunteers who give their time to keep the wheels of our great sport turning across Australia.

The contributions and sacrifices of thousands of volunteers across our hundreds of clubs, events and the Australian Cycling Team, ensure our cyclists, participants and spectators can share in and enjoy our great sport. 

The theme for National Volunteer Week 2020 is “Changing Communities. Changing Lives” and it is clear that we have many unsung heroes who are doing just that across the country. 

In the Australian Cycling Team, Olympian Stephanie Morton has been making a difference through her volunteer work with the University of South Australia Invictus Pathways Program.

The Invictus Pathways Program is for current and past-serving veterans and emergency first responders who have physical, emotional and/or psychological conditions often suffered as a result of traumatic events. The aim of the program is to provide pathways for community reintegration, rehabilitation and recovery programs and to also provide goal setting, peer to peer activities and to support well-being.
 
The Program utilises sport and exercise to help those impacted achieve life goals and Morton jumped at the opportunity to become an ambassador in 2017 and has attended a number of training camps with athletes. 

“Having been a part of the Australian Para-cycling program from 2010-2012, I thought it was a great opportunity to pass on some of my experience and even learn a thing or two myself,” said Morton, a 2012 London Paralympic Games gold medallist as a Tandem Pilot. 
 
“These people have literally sacrificed their lives to keep ours safe, so being able to chat with them and even just be a small part of their journey is humbling. 

“We talk about everything from recovery to race day pressure, but I enjoy attending their events and functions where I hear them share their story or be recognised for their efforts at the Invictus Games.”

Following a review of the Australian Cycling Team’s Performance Strategy and operations, Cycling Australia is undertaking an operational restructure of the Australian Cycling Team which will support its objectives for Tokyo 2021 while underpinning the athlete pathway and coach development through to 2024 and beyond. 

A review was scheduled to take place after the completion of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2020, however, the review was brought forward to ensure a smooth transition to new operations ahead of the rescheduled Games in 2021 and a shortened performance cycle through to Paris 2024. 

This restructure does not represent a change of strategy, but rather a refinement of the way the current strategy is delivered. The objective of the restructure, which is primarily focused on the track and para programs, is to maximise performance by supporting and developing coaches to deliver and lead their programs with tighter performance support teams, meaning that communication, training, and preparation will be streamlined.

As a result of the changes detailed above, eleven roles will be restructured, resulting in seven staff members leaving the team, with a further four staff members being offered refocused roles. The Team will recruit a number of new roles including a Director of Coaching and Director of Performance Pathways. 

Steve Drake, CEO, Cycling Australia: “I would like to thank the departing staff members for their significant contributions to the Australian Cycling Team during their tenures. While we are very conscious of the timing of these decisions, the deferral of the Olympic and Paralympic Games necessitated these changes being made now and is in the best interests of the athletes and the broader performance team.”

Simon Jones, Performance Director, Australian Cycling Team: “With the delay of Tokyo 2020 and the interruption of normal performance activity due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, we believe that it is in the best interests of the entire program to complete a review and to implement this restructure now. 

“The period post-Tokyo 2021 will see a condensed competition phase that includes the 2021 Road and Track Cycling World Championships, Paralympic and Olympic Nation / World Cups, followed shortly by Birmingham Commonwealth Games in 2022 which is a major objective for the team.
 
“We believe these changes increase our chance of success in 2021 with more focussed and strategically aligned teams, and at the same time we will look closely at our pathway strategies over the coming months to ensure we have a surplus of talent creating upward pressure in the pathway to meet Cycling’s 2024 and 2028 medal potential.” ​

The Australian Cycling Team is pleased to announce the Athlete Memberships across all disciplines for 2020/21.

In all, 62 athletes will feature across the Para-cycling Track and Road (15), Track Sprint and Endurance (17), BMX Race and Freestyle (7), Road (13), and Podium Potential Academy (10) programs after being classified in the Podium, Podium Ready and Podium Potential categories. About the Australian Cycling Team Pathway. 

The Para-cycling (Track and Road) memberships include reigning Paralympic and world champions Carol Cooke and David Nicholas, plus Emily Petricola and Darren Hicks in a 15-athlete squad.  

The Track program is highlighted by Matthew Glaetzer, Stephanie Morton, Annette Edmondson and Samuel Welsford and welcomes three new members in Matthew Richardson (Sprint), Maeve Plouffe and Lucas Plapp (Endurance) who have progressed through the Podium Potential Academy^ pathway. 

In BMX, three athletes - Natalya Diehm (BMX Freestyle) and Lauren Reynolds and Izaac Kennedy (BMX Race) will receive Individual Athlete Performance Support (IAPS) memberships. The trio joins reigning world champion Brandon Loupos, 2017 world champion Logan Martin, plus Saya Sakakibara and Anthony Dean. 

Amanda Spratt, Chloe Hosking, Rohan Dennis and Michael Matthews headline the Road IAPS memberships, with five new athlete memberships to be provided to Brodie Chapman, Grace Brown, Sarah Gigante, Jay McCarthy and Lucas Hamilton.   

The Podium Potential Academy has inducted four new members in Leigh Hoffman (Sprint), Ruby Roseman-Gannon and Joshua Duffy (Endurance/Road), in addition to Kristina Clonan who will transition from the Podium Track Endurance to the Academy’s Sprint program. Caitlin Ward (Sprint) will receive transitional support as she exits the program.

The Para-cycling (Track and Road) will see six riders exit the program in Kieran Murphy, Brad Henderson (retirement), Michael Shippley, Darcy Thompson, plus Tandem pilots Lachlan Glasspool and Luke Zaccaria.  The latter four will transition to their respective High-Performance Network (HPN) state-based programs. 

Macey Stewart and Cameron Scott will exit the Podium Track Endurance program, while in Road, Rachel Neylan, Gracie Elvin, Shara Gillow, Nathan Haas, Luke Durbridge, and Richie Porte exited in December 2019.

Caroline Buchanan (BMX Race) has not been offered a new BMX IAPS membership, however, she will receive transitional support until August 2020. Kai Sakakibara (BMX Race) is receiving support as he continues recovery and rehabilitation following a racing accident in February.
  
“As we continue to prepare for the resumption of racing, and ultimately the Olympics and Paralympics in 2021, the confirmation of athlete memberships gives everyone a chance to continue to sharpen their focus on their preparation and individual progress and development,” said Simon Jones, Australian Cycling Team Performance Director. 

“I would like to thank those team members exiting the program for their commitment to their own personal development and to the Australian Cycling Team program as a whole. 

“Re-entry to the program for these athletes is possible. Sometimes, stepping back and taking time away from something can be a way to move forward if their ambition and desire remain.”

^ About the Podium Potential Academy - Launched in November 2018 with an inaugural class of thirteen athletes across both endurance and sprint disciplines, the PPA programme, which is supported and partly funded by Commonwealth Games Australia, focuses on the long term development of athletes orientated around success at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games and through to the 2024 Olympic Games and beyond.
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Australian Cycling Team Athlete Membership 2020/2021 - Full list (PDF)

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!

The #AusCyclingTeam’s ‘30 from 30 Series’ featured current and former Australian Cycling Team athletes, coaches and staff showing us the different, creative and unique ways they are keeping healthy and active both physically and mentally, and staying connected while in isolation or lockdown across Australia and the world.  

Ever wanted to ride with the Australian Cycling Team? Well this is your chance!

Cycling Australia is providing a virtual racing, workout and participation series on the online training platform Zwift which aims to get people active and have fun while the COVID-19 pandemic keeps us indoors.

Every Saturday at 10.00am AEST, cyclists will have their chance to ride with Olympians, Paralympians and world champions of the Australian Cycling Team in a variety of sprint and endurance HIIT rides.

Following a review following the 2020 UCI Track World Championships held in Berlin in February, Glenn O’Shea has been appointed to lead the women’s track endurance program, while Paolo Menaspà will now lead the performance support coordination for the track endurance program alongside his other duties.

With the support of the Victorian Institute of Sport (VIS), Glenn moves into the national coaching position from his senior VIS coaching role he has held since 2018.  O’Shea is a three-time world champion in the omnium and team pursuit, and a London 2012 Olympic Games silver medallist. 

Menaspà, a former Mapei scientist, coach for Greenedge and a UCI Junior Track World representative for Italy, brings an applied performance science and practical experience to the endurance team. 

As a result of the new appointments, Tim Decker will be able to maximise all his efforts to the Men’s Track Endurance objectives while Jason Bartram has been offered a new role within the team.

Welcome to the Australian Cycling Team's 30 from 30! 

Across the month of April, a host of current Australian Cycling Team members, coaches and staff, plus former Australian Cycling Team athletes, will take you behind the scenes to show you some of the unique and different ways we are keeping healthy and active, keeping a routine and staying connected, and supporting our community by helping to inspire and motivate in your own endeavours at home.

Whether you’re in isolation in Australia or across the world.

Follow the #AusCyclingTeam at Facebook @AustralianCyclingTeam, Instagram @AustralianCyclingTeam and Twitter @AusCyclingTeam

As we reported on 18 March, one of our Adelaide-based staff members tested positive to COVID-19 on Monday 16 March. The team member is receiving the right medical support and is in good spirits in hospital and making progress. 

Government health authorities have undertaken tracking and tracing, as per their policies and processes. 

In addition to these measures, we have chosen to test six additional team members - comprising three athletes and three staff - this decision was a precautionary measure only. Five have since returned negative results. We expect to receive the remaining test result over the next 24-48 hours and will provide an update when this is received.

Following a review of this situation, we are confident that staff and athlete exposure to the infected staff member was extremely low primarily due to a pre-planned staff and athlete break from the Adelaide training environment for the period of 7-15 March.

In responding to this situation, Cycling Australia and the Australian Cycling Team have activated its Critical Incident Management Team. This team convenes daily to facilitate rapid decision making and leadership. 

Cycling Australia and the Australian Cycling Team have been proactive in implementing a range of measures aimed at reducing the potential impact of the infection over and above government public health recommendations and considerations.  

Further to this, we have been proactive in implementing evidence-based hygiene practices and education as far back as 2018, and more recently we stepped up and reinforced hygiene practice for travel and training prior to the 2020 season. We are confident that we have taken and continue to take prudent measures to maximise athlete and staff health.

Recent measures that have been taken to reduce infection risk and protect staff and athletes:

• Super-drome closures this week; 17-20 March
• Additional cleaning of the training environment and office spaces
• Social distancing measures such as reduced staff and athletes at the Super-drome, reduced working in closed spaces and reducing contact and face to face meetings, the closing of meeting spaces such as athlete lounge and kitchen areas will be implemented from 23 March
• Podium Potential Academy athletes have returned to their families and home states
• SASI Development athletes will train outdoors for the next four weeks, providing more space between people, and sessions in the venue 
• Continued vigilance on best practice hand hygiene and no handshaking

On the performance side, we have been proactive in short and medium-term planning with scenario and contingency planning for all high-performance competition and domestic racing and camps with a continuing priority focus on protecting the health of athletes and staff. 
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We are seeking to provide both a training purpose and appropriate objective setting but also being considerate of the broader global impact of this infection pandemic.  

Simon Jones, Performance Director, Cycling Australia

More: The most up to date information on COVID-19 (Coronavirus) can be found at the Australian Government Department of Health website with advice and information relating to high-performance environments found at the AIS webpage.

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

Over the next few months, the athletes and teams that will represent Australia in the five cycling disciplines - Road, Track, Mountain Bike, BMX Racing and BMX Freestyle - at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games will be announced. 

Below is a summary of the Olympic Qualification and Selection Timing situation as it currently stands.
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We understand this is ever-evolving and rapidly changing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and we will await further updates from the AOC over the coming days and weeks. 

Table: Announcement Date, Events & Quota Places per cycling discipline

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. 
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"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."

Stephanie Morton won her maiden World Championship keirin medal in a dramatic end to the women's keirin final in Berlin. 
"It was one of those days where I was in the groove, I was doing things right, I made minimal mistakes, and the main thing was I was having fun, and it all paid off." said Morton. 

Three tactically strong rides through the early rounds, including a win in the semi-final, saw Morton move comfortably into the final. Coming into the bell lap, Morton worked herself into second position on the wheel of the form rider of the week in Germany's Emma Hinze, already a dual gold medallist at these World Championships.

As the riders entered the final corner, Korea's Lee Hyejin came from underneath, pushing Morton out of the sprinter's lane and almost causing the Australian to crash as they entered the finishing straight.

While Morton juggled to keep her bike upright, Lee moved past her and rode to the silver medal behind Hinze, with Morton crossing the line third.

"Out of turn four I thought I was going to come down, but I managed to stay upright and power through to the line for bronze," described Morton. "I was pretty happy with that because the old me probably would have backed off the pedals a bit and got a bit flustered. That shows you what racing does, and it gives you that confidence." 

Morton began her 2020 Worlds campaign with silver in the team sprint with Kaarle McCulloch, the emotional win coming after an interrupted lead into the Championships for the pairing due to injuries. Morton then posted a personal best (10.483) in the flying 200m sprint qualifying, before an earlier than expected exit in the round 1/8. 

"I am super happy with the results after not having a full season of training I would have liked," explained Morton. "I came in here without the best legs, so it made me rely on all my skills, and we worked on the tactics, we tried to execute the races well. 

“Yes it puts you into a corner, but you also know when the legs are there, everything will come together."

Morton will head back into training in Adelaide next Friday and will await the Australian Olympic Team announcement on 18 March. Despite the team not winning gold in Berlin during the week, Morton remains committed to the team's ultimate goal in 2020. 

"The world has stepped up, but we haven't stepped down," Morton said. "Yes, it is hard when you think back to how successful we were last year, but we have Tokyo around the corner.

"Traditionally we come out to the Worlds before a Games and do well, and we can't convert.  
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"We came here with a plan, and we are where we need to be."

Two-time Madison world champion Cameron Meyer and Sam Welsford finished fifteenth in the men's 50-kilometre Madison.  
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With Denmark and New Zealand setting the early tempo in the 200-lap race, the Australian team, which paired up to win Madison gold at the Brisbane World Cup last December, opened its points tally in two of the first four of the intermediate sprint points offered every ten laps.  

After the fourth sprint, Denmark made the first major move of the day with a solo lap, adding twenty bonus points, moving them to 36 points. 

With New Zealand, Italy, France and Netherlands amassing points over the next 50-laps, Australia added to its score in the ninth sprint and at the halfway mark were poised at fifth overall on 7 points behind Denmark on 47points. 

Germany went on the attack shortly after but was closely followed by the Danes and the Netherlands which brought the race back together. With 75 laps remaining, Denmark and New Zealand had a stranglehold on the top of the standings, while Australia sat just inside the top ten on 7 points. 

By figuring across the next few sprints, Germany and the Netherlands climbed into podium contention inside the final 50 laps. However, Denmark continued to pile on the points and with a lead of 36 points at 40 laps remaining, had the rainbows all but secured. 

Australia's hope of a minor medal remained mathematically possible as they were within twenty points of third-place inside the final thirty laps. However, their chances came to an end moments later when they, along with the United States, were lapped by the field which moved them to thirteenth and forty points away from the podium. 
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A thrilling final four-way sprint between New Zealand, Netherlands, Belgium and Germany resulted in New Zealand's Aaron Gate and Campbell Stewart (33 points) taking the silver and the hometown pairing of Roger Kluge and Theo Reinhardt (32 points) the bronze medal. 

It was the Danish pairing of Lasse Norman Hanssen - who formed part of the world record-breaking team pursuit outfit on day one - and Michael Morkov took gold on 62 points. 

2019 world champion Alexandra Manly finished fourteenth in the women's points race won by Elinor Barker who claimed Great Britain's first gold medal of the week.