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ESPORTS | Australian Team for 2020 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships

30/9/2020

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Cycling Australia is pleased to announce ten athletes have been selected to the Australian National Team to contest the 2020 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships.

The Esports Championships will take place on Zwift, the global online training and racing platform, from 8-9 December 2020 and will see athletes race virtually from their home or training centre. The two categories – Men Elite and Women Elite – will compete over the same route and distance on the Watopia course.

The inaugural winners will win the prestigious rainbow jersey which they will be able to wear during any sanctioned cycling esports events in 2021.

The ten athletes were selected in alignment with the CA selection criteria and the UCI event criteria requirements: performance in UCI Road events, performance in ESport events, riders registered or eligible to be registered in the Domestic or Registered Testing Pool.

The Australian Team includes UCI WorldTour riders Cameron Wurf (TAS/INEOS Grenadiers), Jessica Pratt (QLD/Canyon-SRAM), and reigning road time trial National champion Sarah Gigante (VIC/Team TIBCO - SVB).

“It’s an honour to be representing Australia at my first elite World Championship, and I am especially excited to see what the very first virtual championship will be like,” said Gigante, 19, who represented Australia as a junior in 2018. “2020 has been a rollercoaster, and while I know there are much bigger problems in the world right now, I’ve missed racing my bike. 

“I’ve been riding on Zwift almost every day over the past few months, and I’ve also taken part in a few events with my team, Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank. 

“So hopefully, with my Level 50 Zwift experience, I will be able to play a solid part in the Aussie team’s race plan come December!”

Other selections include 2020 Cycling Australia National Racing Series champion Jay Vine (Nero Continental) and wife Bre Vine (StepFWD Suzuki), who finished second overall in the women’s series.

Israel Cycling Academy’s Freddy Ovett (VIC), Team BridgeLane’s Benjamin Hill (ACT) and Nero Continental’s Cooper Sayers (SA) complete the men’s selections. 

Making a return to the national team for the first time since 2011 is four-time World Championship representative Vicki Whitelaw (ACT/Sydney Uni Staminade). 2020 Road National Championship silver medallist Justine Barrow (VIC/Roxsolt Attaquer) rounds out the women’s selections. 

“In a challenging year, Esports has provided riders with an opportunity to continue to train and compete at all levels, resulting in a virtual cycling participation and racing boom,” said Steve Drake, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Cycling Australia.

“The Esports World Championships will provide another opportunity for Australian athletes to test themselves against the best in the world and compete for a rainbow jersey.”

For more information on the 2020 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships, visit the UCI website. 

Australian National Team

Women’s 
  • Justine Barrow (VIC/Roxsolt Attaquer) 
  • Sarah Gigante (VIC/Team TIBCO - SVB) 
  • Jessica Pratt (QLD/Canyon-SRAM) 
  • Bre Vine (ACT/StepFWD Suzuki) 
  • Vicki Whitelaw (ACT/Sydney Uni Staminade) 

​Men’s
  • Benjamin Hill (ACT/Team BridgeLane) 
  • Freddy Ovett (VIC/Israel Cycling Academy) 
  • Cooper Sayers (SA/Nero Continental) 
  • Jay Vine (ACT/Nero Continental) 
  • Cameron Wurf (TAS/INEOS Grenadiers)
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TRACK | All Aussie sprint clash in Berlin

1/3/2020

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Women’s 500m Time Trial    

2019 World Championship time trial bronze medallist Kaarle McCulloch ended her 2020 Worlds campaign with a fourteenth placing (34.139) in the 500m time trial.

The 32-year-old teamed with Stephanie Morton on the opening day of competition to win silver in the team sprint in what was a stirring result considering injuries sidelined the pair for parts of 2019. 

“Seeing what form I had in the sprint and time trial makes that team sprint result so much special,” said McCulloch, who reached the Round 1/16 of the individual sprint before being knocked out by the eventual silver medallist Anastasiia Voinova (RUS). “For Steph and I to do that under the pressure of being defending champions, in good time too and while not even near our best, is a great sign.” 

McCulloch will now enjoy six days rest before heading back to team training in Adelaide on Friday where she will await the Australian Olympic Team announcement on 18 March.

“I feel really confident that we have a clear strategy, a clear plan, I trust my team, I am backing my coaches,” a confident McCulloch. “I know that I am not the athlete I was twelve months ago in Poland, and I am not the athlete I want to be now in Berlin. But that is because I am working hard to make sure I am the athlete I need to be in Tokyo.”

Germany’s Lea Sophie Friedrich (33.121) took gold. 

Men’s Sprint

After teaming to win bronze in the team format of the sprint on the opening day of competition, Nathan Hart and Matthew Richardson became adversaries in the individual event on Saturday. 

Just four one-thousandths of a second separated the pair in the afternoon’s flying 200m qualifying with Hart (16th - 9.624) just edging his younger teammate Richardson (17th - 9.628).  
Unfortunately for the pair, they were seeded into an all-Australian round 1/16 knock out heat.  

Hart prevailed in their clash but was knocked out in the next round heat by five-time track world champion Harrie Lavreysen (Netherlands).

​The men’s sprint continues on Sunday with Lavreysen through to the semi-finals along with Azizulhasni Awang (Malaysia), Jeffrey Hoogland (Netherlands) and Mateusz Rudyk (Poland). 
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TRACK | Madison, IP and Omnium recaps - Day 4 Berlin

1/3/2020

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Photo Casey Gibson
Women’s Madison 120 laps / 30km 

One of the fastest ever World Championship Madison took its toll on the Australian pairing of Annette Edmondson and Amy Cure with the duo unable to complete the 120-lap final in Berlin. 

Edmondson’s dual 2019-20 World Cup gold medals and Cure’s two career World Championship medals in the discipline placed Australia as one of the favourites leading in, and the pair followed their plan during the first thirty laps after figuring in the first two sprint points. 

Reigning champions the Netherlands upped the pace shortly after, with France leading a race-changing attack at the halfway mark which splintered the field across the length of the track.

With the average pace the race ticking over the 50-kilometre an hour mark, and the physical intensity causing several crashes, the Aussie pairing fell off the pace and were lapped by the main bunch inside the final 30 laps. The Australian duo then pulled out of the race with 15 laps remaining. 

“We [Australia] had a lot of success as pairings in the World Cups this season, and we felt we knew what to expect,” said a disappointed Edmondson following the race. “We have been working so hard at home as a squad for the Madison, and we feel we were as mentally and tactically prepared as we could have been. 

“So I will take responsibility for that result because Amy had good legs. She was making really good decisions. I was making good decisions at the start of the race, I thought we were on, but as the race went on, I had no legs. I knew what I needed to do, but my legs couldn’t take me to do them.” 

While World Championships marked Edmondson’s return to competition after recovering from a broken collarbone sustained at December’s Track Cycling World Cup, the twenty-eight-year-old wasn’t using that as an excuse for the result. 

“I wouldn’t have put my hand up to race this race if I didn’t think I was mentally and physically prepared. Obviously, it was a slightly different prep, but I felt fitter than I have before. 

“Amy’s back has been average over the last few months, but she has been back on top, and she was ready to go as well. We both believed we could do it.”

Kirsten Wild and Amy Pieters of The Netherlands (36pts) defended their title in emphatic style, with France (24pts) and Italy (20pts) joining them on the podium. 

Men’s Omnium

Cameron Meyer launched a thrilling comeback late in the points race to secure sixth overall in the men’s omnium. 

Meyer, who claimed World Cup gold in the event last December, opened his 2020 World Championship omnium campaign with fourteenth in the scratch race, before placing eleventh in a hectic tempo race. 

Despite crashing early in the elimination race, commissaires allowed Meyer to rejoin the race and his eighth-place moved him eleventh overall on 60 points, 52 behind France’s 2017 world champion Benjamin Thomas. 

In the points race, Meyer attempted several attacks early but the field kept the Australian in check. Meyer lead a late breakaway with Britain’s Matthew Walls, and such was the pace of the race, it took nearly forty laps for the pair to take the lap on the field.

The twenty points rocketed Meyer into sixth overall however as it came with ten laps remaining, this is where he remained on the final standings. 

Benjamin Thomas held off a late surge by the Netherlands’ Jan Willem van Schip to take gold over the Dutch cyclist with Walls taking the bronze medal.  

Meyer returns to the track on the final day of competition for the men’s Madison, with the two-time world champion to team with Sam Welsford for the 200-lap/50-kilometre race. 

Women’s 3km Individual pursuit    

Twenty-year-old Maeve Plouffe continued to impress on debut with a top ten finish in the 3000m individual pursuit. The reigning national champion Plouffe clocked 3mins 26.742secs for the 12-lap event, bettering her personal best by five seconds which set only four months ago at the Oceania Championships. 

“The individual pursuit is an event I really enjoy riding, as weird as that sounds,” Plouffe said. “So to get the opportunity to ride it this week was amazing.” 

It has been a rapid rise for the Adelaide cyclist who joined the Australian Cycling Team’s Podium Potential Academy in 2018, before becoming a train-on member of the Podium squad late in 2019. Since then, Plouffe has claimed the World Cup team pursuit gold and silver and impressed while on her World Championships debut this week. 

“People are congratulating me on my steep trajectory, but I wouldn’t have had it if I didn’t get to train with the squad every single day,” said Plouffe. “My results started to improve when I got to train with them once a week. The squad are hard racers, but they are also hard trainers. They go out every day in training and rip their legs, and it is motivating to be with them.” 

Plouffe believes the disappointment of finishing off the podium this week will fuel the squad as they continue their charge toward the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. 

“Even though we have been a little disappointed this week with the team pursuits, It is almost a blessing in disguise coming out and seeing where the world is at,” Plouffe said. “Everyone says that Tokyo is only five months away, but I think you can achieve a lot in five months.”

“And I have never had an amazing result off the back of an awesome result because sometimes you need a kick in the guts to come back strong.”

2019 world champion Ashlee Ankudinoff finished in fourteenth position in a time of 3mins 28.118secs. 

Chloe Dygert claimed her third world title in the event in four years, breaking the world record twice on the day (3:16.937).
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TRACK | Tokyo strategy on target

29/2/2020

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Less than twenty four hours after finishing outside of the medals in the team pursuit, Australia’s charge at Olympic gold in Tokyo continued in Germany with Alex Porter and Luke Plapp delivering personal bests in the 1000m time trial and individual pursuit finals. The non-Olympics events were used to help simulate the Tokyo racing schedule, and prepare them for August.

In the women’s omnium, a knee injury sustained after a crash in the elimination race cruelly ended Georgia Baker’s run at the podium. 

Men’s Time Trial / Individual Pursuit 

After finishing outside of the medals yesterday in the team pursuit, Australia's focus on delivering Olympic gold continued through the punishing 1000m time trial and 4km individual pursuit events.

Despite both events not being on the Olympic programme, Australia used the racing opportunity to simulate the sensations of competing across three consecutive days with the men's team pursuit to be contested across the same duration at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. 

"The whole process of today was to get up like it was the last day of the Olympics, do a pre-start in the morning, come out to the track, get in that headspace of full gas and execute it on the track," said Alex Porter, who bolted from the gates to cover the four-lap time trial in a personal best time (1:00.960). 

"After last night's TP final, I was unsure how I would back up this morning, but on the rollers this morning I felt better than I did yesterday. So to go out and ride a four-second PB [personal best] in a kilo after having raced three team pursuits over two days, it has given me a huge boost of confidence." 

Reigning world champions Australia finished fourth in the team pursuit held across the first two days of the Championships. The team narrowly missed the medal rounds and were surprisingly overlapped in the bronze medal final by Italy.

"In the final, we thought we would throw caution to the wind and go full gas and see how it would go, but it ended up hurting us in the back end," said Porter, who fell off the pace in the final few laps of the final. "But that happens, we went out there trying something different, and we are disappointed for sure. We came for our last hit out before the games wanting to put the right foot forward.  
 
"But at the end of the day, as much as it is nice to win a world title, we weren't here to peak for Worlds, or win Worlds.  

"The main goal is to win an Olympic gold medal, and this is a stepping stone towards that." 

Denmark set a new benchmark in the event after shattering the world record three times, ultimately posting a stunning 3mins 44.672secs. Despite having nearly four seconds shaved off their 2019 world record this week, Porter and the Australian team remain committed to the ultimate target, the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. 

"We have now gone from being the hunted to hunting," Porter said. "We've known it was coming for a long time, everyone has been going fast, and I am glad it has happened here. 

"The feeling we all have now, none of us like it. We have taken a hit, but the real sign of a champion is how you get back up in the next fight.

"And as I said to Glenn [O'Shea] on the start line, my 3:42 TP training starts now. That's it, that is the goal now. I personally and all the boys believe it can happen."

Like Porter, Luke Plapp lined up in all three team pursuit rounds on Wednesday and Thursday, and on Friday the nineteen-year-old fronted for the individual race against the clock. 

"To ride a PB given the last few days of racing, you can't be disappointed with that," said Plapp who recorded a personal best time (4:18.520) on his way to finishing thirteenth. "I'll be honest. I woke up this morning and felt like I had been hit by a truck, the legs were pretty buckled, but it was good to go through the process and be able to switch off and on." 

Plapp came into the team on the eve of the Championships after Kelland O'Brien - a member of Australia's 2019 world champion and world-record-setting outfit - was unable to recover in time after breaking his collarbone in January. The opportunity of riding his maiden World Championships was not lost on the teenager. 

"Everything happens for a reason," said Plapp. "Kell will come back so much hungrier for having missed these Championships, and he will come back so much more determined for Tokyo.  

"We all will. There are some easy things to fix that will get us where we want to be. The little things just had a domino effect, so once we fix those, everything falls into place. 

"I think that what has happened here is a blessing in disguise and we will turn it around for Tokyo."

The individual pursuit World Championship was won by Italy’s Filippo Ganna. He secured the title against Lambie Ashton (USA) after he posted a world record time of 4mins 01.934secs in qualifying.

Cameron Scott (1:01.057) finished fifteenth overall in the time trial which was won by Sam Ligtlee of the Netherlands. 

Women’s Omnium

In the women’s omnium, a knee injury sustained after a crash in the elimination race cruelly ended Georgia Baker’s run at the podium. 

In the omnium’s opening event, the scratch race, Baker avoided a crash which brought down five riders on the penultimate lap. After finishing eighth, she moved into the top ten after grabbing eleventh in an animated tempo race. 

Baker looked strong late in the elimination race before being unable to avoid a rider falling in front of her. The race was neutralised, and Baker impressively rejoined the race before being the sixth-last rider eliminated two laps later.  

The sixth-place finish in the elimination race shot her into sixth overall and into medal contention with only the points race to come. 

However, with her knee taking much of the impact in the crash, Baker was unable to keep pace in a hectic points race. After losing twenty points halfway through the race after being lapped by the field, Baker fell out of the top ten before gallantly finishing the event in fourteenth overall.  

The title was taken out by Japan’s Yumi Kajihara, who finished with 121 points, 12 points clear of Italian Letizia Paternoster.
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TRACK | Team pursuit outside medals, focus on Games remains

28/2/2020

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Image: Casey Gibson
Sam Welsford, Alexander Porter, Cameron Scott, Leigh Howard and Luke Plapp finished fourth in the team pursuit while Ashlee Ankudinoff, Georgia Baker, Annette Edmondson and Maeve Plouffe took fifth in the women’s competition on day two of the 2020 UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Berlin, Germany. 

After teaming to win silver in the team sprint on Wednesday’s opening night of competition, Stephanie Morton and Kaarle McCulloch were knocked out of the individual sprint competition on Thursday afternoon.

Day 2 Snapshot

  • Men’s Team Pursuit - Sam Welsford, Alexander Porter, Cameron Scott, Leigh Howard and Luke Plapp - fourth 
  • Women’s Team Pursuit - Ashlee Ankudinoff, Georgia Baker, Annette Edmondson and twenty-year-old debutant Maeve Plouffe - fifth
  • Men’s Scratch Race - Welsford 11th 
  • Women’s Sprint Qualifying - Morton & McCulloch exit competition before quarterfinals.

Day 2 Recaps 

Men’s Team Pursuit 

While Australia’s men’s and women’s team pursuit outfits will depart Berlin without a medal, the squads remain focused on their pursuit of gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. 

Australia’s world title defences were halted on Wednesday’s opening day of competition after each outfit posted the fifth-fastest times in qualifying, leaving them outside a top-four position required to remain in contention for the world title.  

Welsford, Porter, Howard and Plapp (3:50.015) fell just two-hundredths of a second off fourth, and while they recorded Australia’s best qualifying time at a World Championships, Ankudinoff, Baker, Edmondson and Plouffe (4:14.934) finished six-tenths of second outside the top four. 

With the winners of the First Round 1v4 and 2v3 matchups progressing to the gold medal final, the bronze medal final would be comprised by the two best times posted from the remaining six teams in the round. 

Welsford, Porter, Plapp and Scott fended off eighth-fastest Switzerland with the round’s second-fastest time (3:48.625), while Italy posted the fastest time (3:46.513) in their first-round loss to Denmark. 

In the bronze medal final, Italy reeled in the Australian quartet of Welsford, Porter, Howard and Plapp inside the final few laps to take the bronze. 

“Of course it hurts, we came here as one of the favourites and were the world record holders before the competition,” said a measured Howard. “But one point we keep coming back to is taking positives out of the mistakes we make. We made a couple of crucial mistakes, probably pacing in the first couple of rounds. We probably were too conservative. 

“We have to take positives out of whatever we can and look forward. We haven’t given up the fight. We have plenty of time to make it up – so we’re still very positive.”

Howard pointed to the loss of Kelland O’Brien to injury, a key member of Australia’s world champion and world-record-holding quartet over the past two years, as a key moment in the team’s preparation. 

“To be honest, we’re all hurting – Kell is probably one of the most passionate bike riders you can ever meet. I know he’s doing it tough back home and we’re doing it tough without him,” said Howard, who was also quick to highlight the performance of 19-year-old debutant Plapp who shone across all three rounds. 

“We have an incredible young guy in Luke Plapp, who has stepped up to the mark. He’s incredible, and I’m looking forward to seeing his future.”

In stunning scenes, Denmark obliterated the world record in three consecutive rides. After shattering Australia’s existing world record in Wednesday’s qualifying (3:46.579), the Danes bettered their new mark in the first round (3:46.203), before soaring to gold with a time of 3mins 44.672secs. 

But while the Danes team carved nearly four seconds off Australia’s 2019 world record this week, Howard remains confident of the Australians’ potential to deliver in August at the Olympic Games. 

“I have absolute faith we can [match Denmark]. I’ve seen what we’re capable of doing in training with our full squad. We’ve had a tough year – our coach Tim Decker has had a really tough year, we’re a tight unit [and] that affects us all. 

“But we’ll all be back together next month in Adelaide, and we have five solid months of preparation and training for the Olympics coming up.

“So it hurts, but it’s the extra fire in the belly. That’s all we can do. We can look forward and work on the areas we know we need to.”

Women’s Team Pursuit

In the women’s first round on Thursday, Ankudinoff, Baker, Edmondson and Plouffe looked on track to secure a spot in the bronze medal final with a strong ride in the first round against Ireland. However, after catching the Irish inside the final two laps, the Australian outfit lost momentum and time while overtaking and finished 0.8secs shy of the bronze medal final in a time of 4mins 13.454secs. 

“We were quite disappointed in our ride in qualifying as we didn’t execute our plan. We were very disappointed to fall short in fifth and not make that top four ride off,” said Ankudinoff, who revealed the result will only strengthen the team’s resolve as they target the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in August. 

“This is all a learning curve for us. There is a bigger picture. Yes, it is hard to think about when you are here getting fifth, it is not where we wanted to finish. But we have learned a lot, and it is bittersweet as we are walking away knowing we have lots of room for improvement.

While the team’s preparation for the World Championships was affected by injuries to dual world champions Cure and Edmondson, stunning performances by Baker and Plouffe at the recent World Cups has Ankudinoff excited about the team’s ultimate potential. 

“It hasn’t been a perfect lead-in, Amy [Cure] hasn’t done a team pursuit since Worlds last year because she has been riddled with injuries, and Nettie crashing in Brisbane last December wasn’t ideal,” Ankudinoff said. “But we definitely have some depth now. Georgia [Baker] has really stepped up, and it is great to see. And Maeve [Plouffe], who would have thought she would have been in a qualifying round at a World Championships so soon, she has come of age, and it is really cool to see. 

“We know we have the support network and the talent to be competitive in Tokyo. I’m not walking away doubting any of that. We are ready to make that next step.

“We all know we are in for a tough five months, but we are really looking forward to it. This has only put fuel in our bellies, and we are hungrier than ever.”

Baker will now turn her attention to Friday’s omnium, Ankudinoff and Plouffe will contest the individual pursuit on Saturday, while Cure and Edmondson will line up in the Madison also on Saturday. 

Women’s Sprint

After teaming to win silver in the team sprint on Wednesday’s opening night of competition, Stephanie Morton and Kaarle McCulloch were knocked out of the individual sprint competition on Thursday afternoon.

Morton, a sprint silver medallist at the last three World Championships, opened her campaign with a personal best time of 10.483secs in the flying 200m qualifying to better her previous best mark by 0.001 seconds.  

Morton accounted for Lithuania’s Marozaite Migle in their round 1/16 clash before Mexico’s Daniela Gaxiola Gonzalez upset Morton in the 1/8 round.   

Nineteenth fastest in qualifying, Kaarle McCulloch’s (10.744) campaign came to an end in the Round 1/16 Finals at the hands of four-time track world champion Anastasiia Voinova (RUS). 

McCulloch will turn her attention to the 500m time trial on Saturday, while Morton will line up in the keirin on Sunday. 

Men’s Scratch Race

Moments after contesting the men’s team pursuit bronze medal final, defending scratch race world champion Sam Welsford took eleventh in the final. 

Welsford will now take two days rest before returning to the track on Sunday to contest the men’s Madison with Cameron Meyer.
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TRACK | Australia challenge in Team Pursuit Qualifying

27/2/2020

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Team Pursuit Qualifying

Australia's title defence in both the men's and women’s team pursuit was cut short after both teams finished fifth in Thursday’s afternoon qualifying session. 

In the men’s competition, Denmark stunned the Championships after shattering Australia’s existing world record set one year ago in Poland by over a second (3:46.579). The Danes then went on to beat their own mark hours later in the first round with a time of 3mins 46.203secs. 

For Australia, reigning world champions and former world record holders Sam Welsford, Alexander Porter and Leigh Howard teamed with nineteen-year-old debutant Luke Plapp to clock the fourth-fastest time of the day (3:50.015). 

While the eight fastest teams secure a trip to the first round, a top-four position is required to remain in contention for the rainbow jersey. Australia’s title defence remained intact until the final ride of the day when Italy took fourth overall, just two-hundredths of a second ahead of the Aussie team. 

In the first round on Wednesday evening, Cameron Scott came in for Howard, with the quartet posting a time of 3mins 48.625secs in their defeat of Switzerland. They will face Italy in Thursday’s bronze medal final. 

In the women’s event, reigning world champions Ashlee Ankudinoff, Georgia Baker, Annette Edmondson and twenty-year-old debutant Maeve Plouffe looked strong in their ride (4mins 14.934secs), the second-fastest of the day to that point behind Great Britain. 

However, subsequent rides by Canada, New Zealand and finally the USA, who posted the fastest time of the day of 4mins 11.229secs, pushed Australia into fifth, ending their title defence. 

Competition in the women’s team pursuit resumes with the first round on Thursday, with the winner of Australia and Ireland to race the winner of Italy and Germany for the bronze medal. 

Scratch Race
In the women’s scratch race, Alexandra Manly finished eleventh. Manly will look to defend her points race world title later in the week. 
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TRACK | Men's surprise surge to World Championship bronze

27/2/2020

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Photo - Casey Gibson
Nathan Hart, Matthew Richardson and Thomas Cornish surged to bronze in the team sprint in what was Australia’s highest finish at a World Championships in eight years. 

With Matthew Glaetzer withdrawing on the eve of the Championships due to a leg injury, Podium Potential Academy member Cornish, 20, received a call up for his maiden elite World Championships. 

The addition of Cornish meant a reshuffle of positions within the team for the three-lap event, with the youngster moving into the first-wheel position and Richardson to third. Despite the changes, the Australian trio opened their 2020 campaign with the fourth-fastest qualifying time and a combination-best time (42.996), before powering into the bronze medal final by defeating Poland in the first round (43.044). 

The trio then scorched France to take the bronze medal with another combination-best time of 42.829secs to put Australia on the podium for the first time since 2012. The group averaged 63km per hour over the three laps. ​

#Berlin2020 “Didn’t think this would be the outcome, to be honest. I just took it race by race today and it came together. Just really happy how I rode and the team rode.” 20yo debutant Tom Cornish on winning World Championships bronze with Hart & Richardson. #AusCyclingTeam pic.twitter.com/Uyl0BZklim

— AusCyclingTeam (@AusCyclingTeam) February 26, 2020
Tom Cornish - “I didn’t think this would be the outcome, to be honest. I just took it race by race today and it came together. I’m just really happy how I rode and the team rode.” 

Nathan Hart - “It was unfortunate with Matt Glaetzer getting injured quite recently, but we backed Tom Cornish here and he delivered exceptionally today. It was really great to string three solid rides together. I have never podiumed since my first champs in 2014, so this is definitely a highlight of my career so far.” 

Matthew Richardson - “We just took it ride by ride, being the starter, {then] going to third wheel was a challenge, but I just dug deep and took it home for the boys.”

The Netherlands took an emphatic gold medal, setting world records in both qualifying and the final.
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TRACK | Morton & McCulloch throw setbacks aside to win silver

27/2/2020

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Photo - Casey Gibson
Reigning world champions Stephanie Morton and Kaarle McCulloch shook off recent injury setbacks with a stunning silver medal performance in the team sprint. 

Since winning their maiden world title as a pairing last February, knee surgery for Morton and a back complaint for McCulloch saw them race internationally just once over the last twelve months, a gold medal performance at the Oceania Championships last October. 

On Wednesday in Berlin, the team picked up where they left off by clocking the third-fastest time of qualifying (32.696). They progressed to the final by defeating Mexico with the second-fastest time of the first round (32.353) averaging 55.6kmh, just outside of their national record set one year ago en route to the world title. 

Coming up against the hometown favourites, Germany, in the final, the pair once again nudged their national record (32.384) but the strong German team rode the parochial crowd wave to gold in a time of 32.163secs. 

#Berlin2020 “We had to go through some pretty dark clouds to even look at the rainbows, so to come away with the silver I think I am even more stoked than last year.” @StephMorton28 & @kaarlemcculloch chat after winning team sprint silver after recent injuries. #auscyclingteam pic.twitter.com/Hlks6dWaqo

— AusCyclingTeam (@AusCyclingTeam) February 26, 2020
Stephanie Morton - “I think we are the happiest silver medallists you have ever met. We had to go through some pretty dark clouds to even look at the rainbows here, so to come away with the silver I think I am even more stoked than last year. 


“We knew we had to focus on the things we could control. We kept it simple, we had our jobs and usually when you do that, the times will follow. So to be just a smidgen off our best, we are more than happy about that. 

Kaarle McCulloch - “I am just so proud that despite everything that has happened this last year, we kept training and we kept believing and we walked away with silver.” 

“Even this morning we had a little bit of a shake-up, so just to be out there in the final is next level, it really makes us believe we can do this in five months time [In Tokyo}. The world hasn’t seen the best of us yet, so that is really exciting.

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Argon 18, Cycling Australia & Zipp unveil 2020 Electron Pro

26/2/2020

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Photo - Casey Gibson
After nearly two years of collaborative research and development, Argon 18, in partnership with Cycling Australia, Zipp, Monash University and the University of Adelaide, is thrilled to unveil the result of the new 2020 Electron Pro.

With cutting-edge aero optimisation and stiffness to match the massive outputs of the world’s most powerful riders, the new Electron Pro is ready to make its mark on the world stage in 2020.

Top athletes know that it takes a team to reach the podium of the world’s most prestigious sporting events – and it took a team to create the machine to get them there.

“This project brought together a team committed to innovation, optimisation, and performance,” says Martin Faubert, VP Product, Argon 18. “By combining resources to develop the best possible equipment, we now have a bike that pushes the boundaries in every way, giving riders every possible advantage in the quest for gold.”

“We are really proud of this bike, and it’s through real teamwork and collaboration that Argon 18 and Zipp have developed this bike for us,” says Simon Jones, Performance Director at Cycling Australia. “To have the bike on time is excellent, as it gives all the riders time to get used to the feeling, which they all have done very quickly. I want to thank everyone at Argon 18, Zipp and CA who worked together - across many time zones - to deliver our new bike.”

The most immediately noticeable features on the new Electron Pro are the radically slender pursuit fork coupled with the custom-designed Zipp Super-9 Tubular Track Disc AUS wheelset, as well as the custom-moulded sprint handlebars and pursuit extensions. The bike also features an integrated timing chip, for a fully loaded velodrome winner.

The new Electron Pro:
  • Over 4500 hours of engineering: design, modelling and testing.
  • For both sprint and pursuit configuration, drag has been decreased and stiffness increased to provide a higher-performing frameset, as benchmarked against the previous-generation Electron Pro.
  • Extensive work was done developing the narrow fork, reducing the fork drag by up to 30% compared to the previous-generation Electron Pro.
  • The biggest aero gains were made by working closely with athletes, coaches and Cycling Australia’s aerodynamicist to achieve precise rider position, optimising both the lowest drag and highest power output. To achieve that we have developed an integrated drop bar for bunch races, and sprint and custom extension bars for the team pursuit.  
  • The strongest athletes need the strongest equipment. We, therefore, raised the maximum resistance up to 350kgf - more than 3x the load recommended for the BB by ISO test standards. We did the same thing for the cockpit, where we doubled the load compared to ISO standards for fatigue and ultimate strength testing.
Images - Hikari Media
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TRACK | Baker & Australia boast all the right ingredients

25/2/2020

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Australia’s women’s endurance squad boasts incredible depth, experience, and proven success across all levels with multiple world champions such as Annette Edmondson, Amy Cure, Ashlee Ankudinoff, Georgia Baker and Alexandra Manly. 

At the 2020 World Championships in Berlin, the stellar squad will be joined by 20-year-old debutant Maeve Plouffe who comes to the team from the Podium Potential Academy ranks. 

The squad heads into the Championships as the defending world champions in three events, team pursuit, individual pursuit and points race. However, the World Championships will offer more than just rainbows in 2020 as it is the final opportunity for the world’s best to refine and rehearse ahead of August’s Olympic Games in Tokyo.

“In every other year, the World Championships is the focus, it is the key priority for us,” Tasmania’s Baker explained. “But this year is a special year being an Olympic year, so it provides an opportunity to trial some different things. 

“We are making sure that we have everything right for Tokyo, while still having our eye on the prize here too."
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In the team pursuit. Australia enters the Championships as the reigning world champions after Baker, Edmondson, Ankudinoff, Cure and Manly soared to the world title one year ago in Poland. 

In 2020, Australia’s team pursuit outfit will feature Baker, Edmondson, Ankudinoff, Cure plus debutant Plouffe across the two-day, three-round event which opens the Championships on Wednesday morning. 

The squad has enjoyed success this summer with silver and gold during the World Cup season, during which they unveiled a new strategy which involves the front riders making their turn in the straight, rather than the traditional bend change. 

“As we go from different tracks, we have to make some adjustments the last two track sessions have been focusing we get our swings right, to make sure that we nail them,” said Baker. “It has been going really well in training and we are used to that swing now.
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Four years ago, the then 21-year-old Baker finished fourth in the points race and fifth in the team pursuit while on her elite World Championships debut. A few months later she made her Olympic debut in Rio where she rode in all three rounds as Australia finished fifth in the team pursuit.

As she aims for a second Olympic selection and the team strives for Olympic glory, Baker, 25, can see similarities in Plouffe’s path onto the team and is revelling in mentoring her younger teammate where possible. 

“Maeve has been a really big breath of fresh air.  She definitely deserves the spot to be in our team, she is so strong and I look forward to seeing her debut this week,” said Baker.   

“It is funny, I think she is doing exactly the same thing I was doing four years ago. I learned so much from the last Olympics, and I would love to pass on as much as I can to Maeve. 

“If we want to have the best result, then every piece of information we have to give to her is really important.  She is great with that, she is absorbing everything and taking it all in.”
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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

FOLLOW

​WATCH 

Live on FOXSPORTS Australia Channel 506
https://www.foxtel.com.au/tv-guide/search?q=world%20championships 

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Photos - John Veage, Hikari Media
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TRACK | Team Australia Guide for Berlin Track Worlds

20/2/2020

 
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Photo - Hikari Media
The 17-member Australian Team departed Adelaide on Wednesday evening bound for the 2020 UCI Track World Championships in Berlin, Germany. 

The five-day Championships, to be held from 26 February - 1 March, offers the world's best a final opportunity to refine and rehearse ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. 

In all, 20 titles will be decided in Berlin, with particular interest on the six Olympic events - Team Pursuit, Madison, Omnium, Team Sprint, Sprint and Keirin. 
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Photo - Casey Gibson
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. 
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Photo - Hikari Media
Reigning women's world champions Ashlee Ankudinoff, Georgia Baker, Annette Edmondson will team with World Championship debutant Maeve Plouffe in the team pursuit. 

Ankudinoff will look to defend her individual pursuit crown with 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. 

Edmondson and Amy Cure will pair up for the Madison, while Baker will tackle the omnium. 
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Photo - Casey Gibson
SPRINT 

  • Stephanie Morton - South Coast CC, SA - 2019 team sprint world champion
  • Kaarle McCulloch - St George CC, NSW - 2019 team sprint world champion
  • Nathan Hart - ANU CC, ACT - 2018-19 Track World Cup gold medallist  
  • Matthew Richardson - Midland CC, WA
  • Thomas Cornish - Southern Cross CC, NSW - World Championship debut

Reigning world champions Stephanie Morton and Kaarle McCulloch begin their team sprint title defence on Wednesday's opening day of competition. Triple World Championship sprint silver medalist Morton will also race the individual sprint and keirin.  

McCulloch, a triple medallist in 2019, will take on three events; the team sprint, individual sprint and 500m time trial. 

2018 sprint world champion Matthew Glaetzer is a late withdrawal from the Championships after sustaining a leg injury at training last week. With his 2020 focus on a third Olympic Games selection, Glaetzer, who was slated to ride the team and individual sprint plus the keirin, will remain in Australia to focus on his recovery. 

Podium Potential Academy member Thomas Cornish will replace Glaetzer for the team sprint, scheduled for the opening day of competition, where he will team with Nathan Hart and Matthew Richardson. 

Hart and Richardson will also contest the sprint, while Cameron Scott and Alexander Porter will line up in the 1000m time trial. 
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Photo - Hikari Media
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

​​WATCH 

Live on FOXSPORTS Australia Channel 506

FOLLOW 

#AusCyclingTeam 
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TRACK | Morton cycling fine line in Berlin

18/2/2020

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Morton v Lee - Brisbane, December 2019. Photo - John Veage.
Reigning world champion Stephanie Morton will have one eye on rainbows and one on the Olympic rings when she hits the track at the 2020 UCI Track World Championships in Berlin from February 26. 

While the World Championships offers the world’s best their final opportunity to refine and rehearse ahead of August’s Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, Morton knows the fight for rainbows will be as fierce as ever. 

“While this is the last opportunity to rehearse the things we want to get right at the Games, at the same time, it is a World Championships and the rainbows are on the line,” said Morton. “It is a fine line of practising and going hard. You can’t lose sight of the big picture of the Games, but you can’t use that as an excuse not to go hard. 

“I will be going to win gold, that is why we are all there. Everyone wants rainbows.”

In the team sprint, reigning world champions Morton and Kaarle McCulloch will line up on day one of competition in Berlin in defence of their rainbows. It has been an interrupted season for the pairing who opened with gold at the Oceania Championships last October before McCulloch was forced to miss December’s World Cups in Brisbane and New Zealand due to a back complaint. 

“I don’t feel any athlete really ever has a perfect run into a Worlds, so it also becomes about how you deal with things like this as you head into the racing,” said Morton, who went on claim team sprint bronze and fourth with Podium Potential Academy member Caitlin Ward in McCulloch’s absence.

“Kaarle and I are both really positive and are very hungry to bring the rainbows back home again. 


“And that mindset is going to be the difference, not thinking about the couple of training or racing opportunities we might have missed.”
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Morton & McCulloch - 2019 world champions | Photo Casey Gibson
In the individual events during the 2019-20 season, Adelaide’s Morton claimed the Oceania crown, dual World Cup bronze in the sprint and keirin in New Zealand, before upgrading to the silver medals in the same two events at Brisbane’s World Cup. 

And with three consecutive World Championship sprint silver medals under her belt, Morton will be one of the favourites for the rainbows in the individual event. But as the 29-year-old continues to shine, she is anticipating her rivals will be just as bright in Berlin. 

“Just getting to the final will be tough work as there are so many riders who are stepping it up coming towards the Games. The top ten is so strong at the moment. It is anyone’s race,” said Morton, who took sprint silver behind Hong Kong's Wai Sze Lee at the 2019 World Championships, and December's World Cup in Brisbane. 

“So it is about taking it one race at a time and trying to learn from everyone you race. Lee is in the form of her life, she is the one to beat, and an opportunity to race her before the Games is another great opportunity to learn and to try things.”
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Morton leads at the World Championships | Photo Casey Gibson

While she has established herself as one of the masters of women’s sprinting over the past four years, Morton taps into knowledge gained while racing as an apprentice under Anna Meares at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. 

“It is a different experience leading into these Games, ahead of Rio I was the new kid on the block with Anna (Meares) who had all that experience and four years later I am one of the more experienced ones,” said Morton, who awaits the Australian Olympic Team announcement scheduled for March 18. 

“But I think that is why I feel like I am in such a good place because there are no unknowns for me. 

“I can take comfort and confidence knowing I have done this before, I know what the emotions are, what my body does, and that experience is what I am banking on.” 

Morton and McCulloch will take on the team sprint on Wednesday’s opening day of competition. The women’s sprinters will be in action across all five days with Morton to also contest the individual sprint and keirin.  McCulloch will race the team sprint, individual sprint and 500m time trial. 

And they will do so on the team’s soon to be launched new Argon and Zipp bikes. 

“Argon and Zipp have produced a great new bike. The transition has been really straightforward as it can be quite daunting to change so close to Worlds and the Games,” said Morton. “But it is a great bike, a fast bike, and looking forward to christening it in Berlin.”

#Berlin2020

🌈 Track Cycling World Championships 2020 Berlin
🗓 February 26 - March 1
🇦🇺 Team Australia
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Photo - Cycling Australia
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PARA | Australia secure eight world titles at 2020 Para-cycling Track World Championships

3/2/2020

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Picture
Photo - Casey Gibson
The Australian Cycling Team has finished third on the medal tally at the 2020 UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships held in Milton, Canada, January 30 to February 2. 

The Australian Team's eight athletes won a total of eight gold, one silver and one bronze, with powerhouse China the only nation to win more gold with nine. Only China (21), Great Britain (14) and the USA (12) won more total medals.

Triple rainbows for Emily Petricola (VIC), dual crowns for Amanda Reid (NSW), and gold to Paige Greco (SA), David Nicholas (QLD) and Alistair Donohoe (VIC) highlighted the Championships.

"I am very pleased from the solid performances from the targeted group of athletes we selected," said Warren McDonald, Para-cycling Technical Director, Cycling Australia. 

"To finish so high on the medal table, while competing against teams over twice our size, is a testament to the hard work and commitment from all of our athletes and staff. 

"While we recognise there is still work to be done, I am confident the athletes and the high-performance team behind them are on a trajectory for a successful campaign at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games."

Medals (8 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze)
​
  • Emily Petricola (VIC) C4 - Gold individual pursuit, scratch race, omnium
  • Amanda Reid (NSW) C2 - Gold time trial, omnium 
  • David Nicholas (QLD) C3 - Gold individual pursuit 
  • Alistair Donohoe (VIC) C5 - Gold scratch race 
  • Paige Greco (SA) C3 - Gold individual pursuit 
  • Meg Lemon (SA) C4 - Silver individual pursuit
  • Gordon Allan (NSW) C2 - Bronze time trial

Event Summaries

Head to https://www.australiancyclingteam.com/2020paratrackworlds.html 
Photos - Casey Gibson
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PARA | Six rainbows highlight weekend in Milton

3/2/2020

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Triple rainbows to Emily Petricola, dual rainbows to Amanda Reid and rainbow redemption for Alistair Donohoe highlighted the weekend at the 2020 UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships in Milton, Canada. 

It was a triple Canadian treat for Victoria's Emily Petricola who stunned the Track World Championships by winning three rainbow jerseys in one day. Full recap. 

Amanda Reid defended her 500m time trial title in sensational style by breaking her own world record en route to rainbows. Reid stopped the clock in 39.035secs, half a second ahead of her own world mark (39.505) set at the 2019 World Championships in The Netherlands.

After the race, Reid dedicated her victory to her grandfather who passed away on the morning the team were scheduled to depart Australia. 

“This race was one of the hardest races I’ve had to do, this race was for him,” said Reid, who soared to the world record in his honour.  “My first lap was fast, and I just had to hold on all the way to the end. 

“The world record was just the icing on top of the cake after the last few weeks. 

“I would like to thank my coach Tom (Skulander) and Zsolt, as well as many other people who work hard behind the scene to make this possible for me.” 

Reid then took victory in the scratch race to join Petricola as a multiple rainbow jersey winner at the 2020 Championships. 

Unfortunately, Alistair Donohoe (VIC) was unable to defend his C5 individual pursuit crown after crashing in his qualifying heat after clipping a foam pad. Although only suffering abrasions after sliding on the boards, Donohoe was unable to finish his heat and did not progress to the finals. 

Donohoe found redemption however on the final day of competition when he stormed to the scratch race gold. 

“After the disappointment of the individual pursuit, today I was out for redemption and I think that’s what got me across the line first, I just wanted it that bit more than the rest,” said Donohoe. “It was a brutal race from the start and I had to take two laps on the field just to stay on winning terms, but I really love that aggressive style of racing so it played Into my hands perfectly. 
“Every athlete knows the frustrations of something going wrong In their event or not being able to compete so to end the worlds trip on this note takes the pain away from my wounds and puts a smile back on my face.”
Gordon Allan (NSW) claimed bronze in the C2 1000m time trial, less than two seconds behind France’s Alexandre Leaute (1:11.373) who set a new world mark on his way to winning gold. Allan’s time of 1min 12.789secs also eclipsed the old world record before Leaute leapfrogged him to victory. 

‪David Nicholas (QLD) finished sixth in the C3 scratch race, while in the C2 final Darren Hicks (SA) was ninth and Allan twelfth. Hicks was also seventh overall in the omnium. 

Follow #Milton2020 

  • www.2020uciparatrack.com 
  • Results https://tracktiming.live/eventpage.php?EventId=2003 
  • Live Streaming via uci.org or https://www.flobikes.com/ 

Follow #AusCyclingTeam 
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Australian Team for 2020 UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships 

Athlete (State) Classification

  • Gordon Allan (NSW) C2 - 2019 World Championship medalist
  • Alistair Donohoe (VIC) C5 - 2019 individual pursuit & scratch race world champion
  • Paige Greco (SA) C3 - 2019 individual pursuit & time trial world champion (dual world record holder)
  • Darren Hicks (SA) C2 - 2019 individual pursuit world champion
  • Meg Lemon (SA) C4 - dual 2019 World Championship medalist
  • David Nicholas (QLD) C3 - 2019 individual pursuit & scratch race world champion
  • Emily Petricola (VIC) C4 - 2019 individual pursuit world champion (world record holder)
  • Amanda Reid (NSW) C2 - 2019 time trial world champion (world record holder)
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#PARA | Petricola’s triple rainbows in Canada

3/2/2020

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Picture
Photo - Casey Gibson
It was a triple Canadian treat for Victoria's Emily Petricola who stunned the 2020 UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships in Milton by winning three rainbow jerseys in one day. 

Petricola, 39, took gold in her pet event, the individual pursuit, before storming to win the scratch race gold only two hours later, which in turn secured her overall victory in the omnium. 

"Today was a pretty unbelievable day, I still can't believe that it has worked out like this!," said Petricola, who was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis twelve years ago at the age of 27. 

Petricola opened her 2020 Track Worlds campaign by finishing just two tenths off a second off the 500m time trial podium in fourth, before taking second in the 200m time trial (not a World Championship event). Notably, Canada's Kate O'Brien won gold in both events in world record time. 

Petricola then defended her 3000m individual pursuit world title by catching teammate Meg Lemon inside the final two laps of their final clash. Despite having to negotiate her way around Lemon, Petricola powered home over the final few laps to post a scorching time of 3mins 44.146secs, just three seconds outside of her (still to be ratified) world record set at the Brisbane Track World Cup last December. 

"I really wanted to defend my title from last year in the IP, and was so excited that it was an all Australian gold medal ride with Meg in the ride-off.  It was a win/win for the team, regardless of the result," said Petricola.

With only two hours separating the 
individual pursuit and the scratch race, Petricola revealed tips from dual world champion Sam Welsford - who won team pursuit and scratch race gold inside an hour at the 2019 World Championships - paid dividends. 

Petricola won the scratch race which, when combined with IP gold, plus fourth and second in the time trials, secured her victory in the four-event omnium. 

"I had mentioned to my coach Cam a few weeks ago that I wanted to win the scratch race, and I think he thought I was joking," revealed Petricola. "I got a few tips from Sam (Welsford) before I left Adelaide about how best to back up the IP into the scratch race and was lucky enough I could implement his strategy and get away with the win, which in turn sealed the omnium."

Petricola paid tribute to the entire team following her triple victory. 

"I feel so grateful to be a part of such a great, strong team. We are so lucky to work with such amazing staff and coaches who support every part of our preparation," she added. 

"There is no way I could do this without any single one of them - our team's strength is a reflection of the hard work and dedication of not just the athletes, but every person associated with our team."

Meg Lemon (SA) was fourth overall in the omnium after winning silver the in the individual pursuit, sixth in the scratch race and 200m time trial and seventh in the 500m time trial. 

Follow #Milton2020 

  • www.2020uciparatrack.com 
  • Results https://tracktiming.live/eventpage.php?EventId=2003 
  • Live Streaming via uci.org or https://www.flobikes.com/ 

#AusCyclingTeam 
  • https://www.australiancyclingteam.com/2020paratrackworlds.html 
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Australian Team for 2020 UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships 

Athlete (State) Classification

  • Gordon Allan (NSW) C2 - 2019 World Championship medalist
  • Alistair Donohoe (VIC) C5 - 2019 individual pursuit & scratch race world champion
  • Paige Greco (SA) C3 - 2019 individual pursuit & time trial world champion (dual world record holder)
  • Darren Hicks (SA) C2 - 2019 individual pursuit world champion
  • Meg Lemon (SA) C4 - dual 2019 World Championship medalist
  • David Nicholas (QLD) C3 - 2019 individual pursuit & scratch race world champion
  • Emily Petricola (VIC) C4 - 2019 individual pursuit world champion (world record holder)
  • Amanda Reid (NSW) C2 - 2019 time trial world champion (world record holder)
Photos - Casey Gibson
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PARA | Greco & Nicholas defends world titles

31/1/2020

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Photo by Casey Gibson
#Milton2020 🌈 Day 1 | Paige Greco and ‪David Nicholas defended their individual pursuit world titles on the opening day of the 2020 UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships to be held from 30 January to 2 February. 

Paige Greco (SA) staged a sensational comeback inside the final few hundred metres of her C3 3000m final to defend her world title. 

The fastest qualifier in the morning session (4:02.474), Greco, 22, found herself down by nearly three seconds at the halfway mark in her final against Clara Brown (USA). The reigning world champion was not fazed by the deficit however as she controlled her to peg back Brown’s lead with five hundred metres remaining. 

Greco then powered over the final two laps to win by more than four seconds, with her stunning time of 4mins 0.243secs just two-tenths of a second outside of her own world record set one year ago at the World Championships in Apeldoorn. 

"I was happy with the overall result of the day," said Greco. "I worried myself a little in the final when I was down a few seconds but thankfully had it in my legs to bring it home in the last two laps. I’m very happy I was able to defend my title in the individual pursuit."
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Photo by Casey Gibson
‪David Nicholas (QLD) claimed a fourth straight individual pursuit rainbow jersey and sixth career track world title after winning the C3 event. 

Nicholas (3:29.700) recorded the fastest time of qualifying, just two-tenths of a second ahead of Great Britain’s Jaco Van Gass which set up an exciting clash for gold. 

In the 3000m final, Van Gass rocketed to a lead of one second after the first two of twelve laps, before extending his lead to nearly two seconds at the halfway mark.

In a fitting finale to end the opening day’s schedule, Nicholas grabbed the lead on the final lap and showed his class by racing to the gold by half a second (3:28.764).

"I felt good coming into this World Championships. I had no expectations after a minor set back following a crash at the World Cup in Brisbane in December. I felt really relaxed heading to the start line and was happy I performed well," said Nicholas. "It was a tough final to back up against Jaco Van Gass, but I managed to squeeze everything out of myself and luckily get there in the last two laps."

Defending world champion Darren Hicks (SA) was edged off the podium in a scorching C2 3000m pursuit competition which saw the world record smashed in qualifying by eventual gold medallist Ewoud Vromant of Belgium. 

As he continues his comeback to racing following an injury which forced him out of the Road Nationals earlier this month, Hicks looked strong as he clocked the third-fastest time (3:39.276) in afternoon qualifying. 

In the final against Guihua Liang (CHN), Hicks held the lead at the 2000m mark before Liang took the lead inside the second last lap and the bronze which sent Hicks into fourth overall (3:42.718). 

In the time trials, Emily Petricola (VIC) (38.799) finished just two tenths off a second off the podium in fourth in the Women C4 500m Time Trial, while Meg Lemon (SA) was seventh (40.983). Canada’s Kate O’Brien won gold in world record time (35.223). 

Alistair Donohoe (VIC) was 15th (1:08.118) in the Men C5 Kilo Time Trial final. 

Follow #Milton2020 

  • www.2020uciparatrack.com 
  • Results https://tracktiming.live/eventpage.php?EventId=2003 
  • Live Streaming via uci.org or https://www.flobikes.com/ 

#AusCyclingTeam 
  • https://www.australiancyclingteam.com/2020paratrackworlds.html 
  • Facebook - @AustralianCyclingTeam
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Australian Team for 2020 UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships 

Athlete (State) Classification

  • Gordon Allan (NSW) C2 - 2019 World Championship medalist
  • Alistair Donohoe (VIC) C5 - 2019 individual pursuit & scratch race world champion
  • Paige Greco (SA) C3 - 2019 individual pursuit & time trial world champion (dual world record holder)
  • Darren Hicks (SA) C2 - 2019 individual pursuit world champion
  • Meg Lemon (SA) C4 - dual 2019 World Championship medalist
  • David Nicholas (QLD) C3 - 2019 individual pursuit & scratch race world champion
  • Emily Petricola (VIC) C4 - 2019 individual pursuit world champion (world record holder)
  • Amanda Reid (NSW) C2 - 2019 time trial world champion (world record holder)
Photo by Casey Gibson
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PARA | Aussies land in Milton ahead of Track Worlds

28/1/2020

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Hicks in action in 2019 | Photo by Casey Gibson
The Australian Team has arrived in Canada ahead of the 2020 UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships to be held from 30 January to 2 February. 

The eight riders and staff arrived in chilly Milton at the weekend after a week-long training camp in sunny Los Angeles where they celebrated Australia Day. 
View this post on Instagram

Enjoyed the week training in LA ahead of para track worlds in Canada □□ next week! □□□‍♀️ • • The @AustralianCyclingTeam is proudly supported by: • • ➖ Cycling Australia @cyclingaustralia ➖AIS @Theais_ ➖ Santini @santini_cycling ➖Argon18 @argon18bike ➖ Science In Sport @scienceinsport ➖ Kask @kask_cycling ➖ Bont @bontcycling ➖ Vittoria @vittoria_australia ➖ Elite @elite_cycling ➖ Shimano @shimanoaustralia ➖ NoPinz @nopinz ➖TrainingPeaks @trainingpeaks ➖Paralympics Australia

A post shared by Paige Greco (@paigevgreco) on Jan 26, 2020 at 11:13am PST

Australia enjoyed superb results at the 2019 UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships held last March, with the team finishing second on the medal standings with nine world titles in a glittering 17-medal haul.

The 2020 World Championships is highlighted by reigning world champions Alistair Donohoe (VIC), Paige Greco (SA), Darren Hicks (SA), David Nicholas (QLD), Emily Petricola (VIC) and Amanda Reid (NSW). 2019 World Championships medallists Meg Lemon (SA) and Gordon Allan (NSW) round out the selections. 

As the 2020 Championships provides the final opportunity to acquire qualification points towards the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, Cycling Australia Para-cycling Technical Director Warren McDonald has one eye on rainbows this week and another on the August's Games. 

"We had some great performances in Paralympic events in 2019, and this year we are looking to be very close to that performance but remembering that the benchmark is Tokyo 2020," said Warren McDonald, Para-cycling Technical Director, Cycling Australia. 

"This year we have narrowed the focus with the Paralympic Games in August, and as a result we have one of the smallest teams we have taken away with only eight athletes, but we believe all eight will be on the podium in Paralympic events."
​

Reluctant to highlight one cyclist over another in a team that boasts six reigning world champions, McDonald did suggest fans and media keep an eye on Gordon Allan. 

"Gordon won time trial silver in 2019, but since his main competitor has been reclassified, and after Gordon broke the time trial world record at the Brisbane Track World Cup last December, we could have a new addition to the world champion list if he continues to perform and stays healthy."

The Championships get underway at 9.30am local time on Thursday 30 January (1.30am AEDT -16 hours). 
View this post on Instagram

Got our first look today at the #paracycling @uci_cycling #worldchampionship velodrome here in #milton □□ Get our first ride tomorrow afternoon. □

A post shared by Darren Hicks (@hicksy37) on Jan 27, 2020 at 6:23pm PST

2020 Worlds  

  • www.2020uciparatrack.com 
  • Results via tracktiming.live/eventpage 
  • Live Streaming on http://uci.org provided by between Jan 31 - Feb 2

#AusCyclingTeam 
  • Australiancyclingteam.com 
  • Facebook - @AustralianCyclingTeam
  • Instagram - @australiancyclingteam
  • Twitter - @AusCyclingTeam

Australian Team for 2020 UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships 

Athlete (State) Classification

  • Gordon Allan (NSW) C2 - 2019 World Championship medalist
  • Alistair Donohoe (VIC) C5 - 2019 individual pursuit & scratch race world champion
  • Paige Greco (SA) C3 - 2019 individual pursuit & time trial world champion (dual world record holder)
  • Darren Hicks (SA) C2 - 2019 individual pursuit world champion
  • Meg Lemon (SA) C4 - dual 2019 World Championship medalist
  • David Nicholas (QLD) C3 - 2019 individual pursuit & scratch race world champion
  • Emily Petricola (VIC) C4 - 2019 individual pursuit world champion (world record holder)
  • Amanda Reid (NSW) C2 - 2019 time trial world champion (world record holder)
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PARA | Australian Team for 2020 UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships

18/11/2019

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Cycling Australia is pleased to announce the riders selected to the Australian Team to contest the 2020 UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships to be held in Milton, Canada, from 30 January to 2 February 2020. 

The Championships will provide the final opportunity to acquire qualification points towards the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, with the Australian team to vie against 200 of the world’s best from 30 countries.

Australia enjoyed superb results at the 2019 UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships held last March, with the team finishing second on the medal standings with nine world titles in a glittering 17-medal haul.

The team for the 2020 World Championships is highlighted by reigning world champions Alistair Donohoe (VIC), Paige Greco (SA), Darren Hicks (SA), David Nicholas (QLD), Emily Petricola (VIC) and Amanda Reid (NSW). 

World Championships medallists Meg Lemon (SA) and Gordon Allan (NSW) round out the selections.  

“With the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games in August, the World Championships in January in Canada will be a great test for the athletes and coaches as we look to build and peak for later in the year,” said Warren McDonald, Para-cycling Technical Director, Cycling Australia. 

“Our ‘What Will It Take To Win’ process has identified gaps that mean we can still improve on our success from 2019.”

Prior to January’s World Championships, Australia’s para-cycling stars will be in action on home soil at the 2019-2020 TISSOT UCI Track Cycling World Cup to be held at Brisbane’s Anna Meares Velodrome from December 13-15. 

Australian Team for 2020 UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships 

Athlete (State) Classification - recent results

  • Gordon Allan (NSW) C2 - 2019 World Championship medalist
  • Alistair Donohoe (VIC) C5 - 2019 individual pursuit & scratch race world champion
  • Paige Greco (SA) C3 - 2019 individual pursuit & time trial world champion (world record holder in both events)
  • Darren Hicks (SA) C2 - 2019 individual pursuit world champion
  • Meg Lemon (SA) C4 - dual 2019 World Championship medalist
  • David Nicholas (QLD) C3 - 2019 individual pursuit & scratch race world champion
  • Emily Petricola (VIC) C4 - 2019 individual pursuit world champion (world record holder)
  • Amanda Reid (NSW) C2 - 2019 time trial world champion (world record holder)
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ROAD WORLDS | Matthews 24th in torrid men's road race

30/9/2019

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Matthews was 24th - Photo Casey Gibson
n atrocious conditions that felled the greatest cyclists in the world, Australia's Michael Matthews finished a gallant 24th in the 2019 UCI Road World Championships men's road race in Yorkshire.

‪"It was horrendous, not too many words can describe the day," said Matthews, the 2015 silver and 2017 World Championship bronze medallist who was just one of 45 finishers from 196 starters.

"It was one of those ones that winds you down. I tried to accelerate at the end, but I had nothing.

"In terms of conditions, that was the hardest race I've ever done."

“I knew it was always going to be difficult. A gamble of a race. With 4 laps to go, when a group of 5 went, we didn’t have any guys to go with it. I tried to wait to the last two laps before I moved. But they didn’t come back.” @blingmatthews #AusCyclingTeam #Yorkshire2019 pic.twitter.com/D0zqvEOJ2f

— AusCyclingTeam (@AusCyclingTeam) September 29, 2019
The north of England saved the worst for last with the men's elite race set to live on in history as the definitive example of a “race of attrition".

Heavy rain during the night across the region forced Yorkshire 2019 organisers and the UCI to divert the 280km race away from the flooded northern section of the course.

With the diversion eliminating two key climbs in Buttertubs and Grinton Moor, while seeing an increase in the laps of the technical 14 kilometre Harrogate finishing circuit from seven to nine, pre-race team plans were changed in an instant.

An early breakaway of eleven riders was established inside the first twenty kilometres of the revised 261km battle, with the Australians controlling the pace of the peloton through dual reigning time trial world champion Rohan Dennis.

With team captain Rory Sutherland (UAE-Team Emirates) calling the shots while the entire team surrounded Matthews in an attempt to protect him from the atrocious weather, Dennis drove the pace of the peloton through horizontal rain for the next 120 kilometres.

Dennis' superb efforts reduced the breakaway's margin from two and half minutes down to ninety seconds as the race approached the Harrogate circuit. As they hit the first lap of the circuit, Dennis and Sutherland hung up their bikes for the day after a perfectly delivered team performance.

The race was quickly brought back together on the first lap and the urgent pace setting during the early Harrogate circuit laps saw riders shed from the peloton seemingly at every kilometre.. Riders who ended their race in this phase included Australians Mitchell Docker (EF Education First), Nathan Haas (Team Katusha Alpecin) and Luke Durbridge (Mitchelton-Scott).

Simon Clarke's (EF Education First) efforts came to an end on the third last lap, with Jack Haig (Mitchelton-Scott) the team's only remaining support rider for Matthews until he lost contact on the penultimate lap.

One of the many race favourites Mathieu van der Poel (NED) attacked with two laps to go alongside Matteo Trentin (ITA), Gianni Moscon (Italy), Mads Pedersen (NED), and Stefan Kung (SUI) and while this group appeared cohesive and capable, the main bunch began to fade.

Teams that needed to chase were fast running out of bullets, while mechanicals, exhaustion, hunger flats, hypothermia and old fashioned "getting dropped" had relentlessly whittled the riders from nearly 200 to well below 50.

Despite the lead group being just a tantalising 50 seconds up the road, the bunch struggled to get themselves coordinated, and with Trentin unable to muster a winning sprint, it was the 23-year-old Danish rider Pedersen who held his nerve and watts to take the win from Trentin and Kung.

‪"I knew it was always going to be difficult, a bit of a gamble of a race," Matthews added. "With four laps to go, when a group of five went, we didn't have any guys to go with it.

"I was trying to wait for the last two laps until I moved, but they didn't come back.

"I was wound down too much, the guys were gone, I think there was a sprint for fourth of fifth, but the race was over.

Team Director Brad McGee was proud of the team's overall campaign for the World Championships and in particular their performance on what was the most testing of days.

"One of the toughest! You saw some of the mightiest bike riders on the planet today just stopping suddenly; going from a potential performer to zero," McGee said. "Michael, gallant to the end, but just legless in the last half lap. It happened to Clarkey too; all the boys finished as if it was the hardest race they have ever done.

"I don't know how you prepare for a day like today, physically you can't do anything, mentally you have your strategy, and you are confident with that. At the end of the day, there is an element of being born and made for the mud.

"We didn't have that today. But we gave it everything we could, we stuck to the strategy, stuck together, fought until the end.

"They made the perfect adjustments according to how the race unfolded. In the end, we just didn't have the firepower to make an impact," McGee added.
PHOTOS 

By Casey Gibson
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Spratt wins World Championship bronze in stunning women's road race

29/9/2019

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Australia's Amanda Spratt (Mitchelton-Scott) claimed the bronze medal in a stunning women's road race at the 2019 UCI Road World Championships in Yorkshire on Saturday. 

In one of the most incredible individual rides ever seen World Championship history, Dutch powerhouse Annemiek van Vleuten soloed the final 105 kilometres to claim the world champion's rainbow jersey. 

Following an epic battle in the chasing group across a punishing course, Spratt took the bronze behind 2018 world champion Anna Van der Breggen (NED). 

"That was epic. It was the hardest race I have ever done. Every part of my body was cramping, my thumb cramping in the end," said Spratt, who became the first Australian woman to claim two World Championships road race medals after winning silver in 2018. 

"I am really proud. I really feel like I have won this bronze medal."

□ What a race. What a ride. Congrats to @AmandaSpratt on one epic bronze medal. #auscyclingteam #Yorkshire2019 pic.twitter.com/SCVRJpWSWf

— AusCyclingTeam (@AusCyclingTeam) September 28, 2019
Spratt's team of Brodie Chapman (Tibco–Silicon Valley Bank), Tiffany Cromwell (Canyon–SRAM), Lucy Kennedy (Mitchelton-Scott), Lauren Kitchen (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope), Chloe Hosking (Ale-Cipollini) and Jessica Allen (Mitchelton-Scott) joined 152 starters from 49 nations for the 149km race from Bradford to Harrogate.

With the early pace set by the strong eight-rider Dutch outfit, debutant  Allen and Kitchen sheltered Spratt over the first 40 kilometres as the peloton approached the first major climb of the race, 'Lofthouse'. 

It was here Van Vleuten attacked as the climb further decimated the already dwindling peloton. Spratt took up the chase in a world-class nine-rider breakaway which included 2015 world champion Lizzie Deignan (GBR), reigning Olympic and world champion van der Breggen (NED), recently crowned 2019 time trial world champion Chloé Dygert Owen (USA) and Elisa Longo Borghini (ITA). 

With little cohesion in the chasing group, the powerful Dutchwoman established a lead of two minutes as she entered Harrogate for three laps of the challenging 14-kilometre town circuit. 

"Suffer suffer suffer. It was about who could suffer the most. I predicted it would be before the race and it was," said Spratt. "The race really opened after only 45 kilometres, and it was full gas racing which doesn't really happen very often.  

"I tried to play it smart, I chose to not participate in all the attacks but conserve and save my energy for the circuits, which was the smarter move. You only had some many bullets you could fire on this circuit and be careful how to use them, so I chose to wait to use them until later."

With the chasing group exploding as it approached Harrogate, Dygert launched a solo attack on Van Vleuten's lead. Spratt and Van Der Breggen shook the rest of the peloton including Deignan and Borghini, before absorbing a fading Dygert on the penultimate lap.  
With Van Vleuten's spectacular victory nearly complete some two minutes ahead, Van der Breggen attacked Spratt inside the final six kilometres and rode to the silver just seconds ahead of Spratt. 

"Once we got to the final circuit, everyone was dropping like flies," Spratt explained. "It was attack, after attack, after attack. One rider was dropped, then the next rider, then the next. It was survival of the fittest. 

"When Chloe (Dygert) was away, we weren't sure we could get her back, but once we did, we knew we were racing for a medal. In the end, Anna (van der Breggen) was just a little too strong in those last five kilometres."

"I really feel like I have won this bronze medal. I have hit my stride last two to three years, and it shows that all the hard work is paying off.”@AmandaSpratt, Bronze #Yorkshire2019 pic.twitter.com/araSqNZLah

— AusCyclingTeam (@AusCyclingTeam) September 28, 2019
Following her second straight World Championship medal, Spratt was content with what she considered an exhaustive performance.  
​
"It was a brutal, brutal race and everyone finished with the tank completely empty," said Spratt. "There is not a lot I could have changed. Yes, you come here, and you want to win, but honestly, no one coming here today was going to beat her. 

"Sometimes you have to realise when someone is having an exceptional performance as Annemiek did today. Congratulations to her, she is a worthy world champion. She was on another level today." 

Moments after crossing the line, Spratt paid tribute to her teammates for delivering her to the crucial part of the race in position. 

"Anyone watching the race saw how amazing the team were. We knew that Lofthouse climb would be supercritical and they did a great job of looking after me and protecting to that climb where it all exploded, so I am really grateful to the team," said Spratt. 

"I am so proud of this medal, but also of the work the girls, also the staff, put in this week. It has been a really incredible feeling within the group and the whole team, all the staff and the riders, boosted all of us up this week." 

Following her second medal at the past two World Championships, Spratt reflected on her performances. 

"I have to pinch myself sometimes because I don't think of myself as of one of those riders," Spratt admitted. "But it has happened twice now.  

"I have hit my stride last two to three years, and it shows that all the hard work is really paying off. I did put a lot of pressure on myself, but I had excellent preparation. 

"I will take a lot of confidence out of this heading towards Tokyo 2020." ​
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ROAD WORLDS | sufferfest predicted for women's road race

27/9/2019

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2019 Australian Women's Team
The Australian women's team is preparing for a sufferfest in Yorkshire when they tackle the 150km women's road race at the 2019 UCI Road World Championships on Saturday 28 September.  

Beginning in Bradford, riders will take in the Yorkshire Dales for 108km of testing terrain before hitting the tricky, technical Harrogate finishing circuit for three laps. Race & Course details.

The third longest race on the women's calendar for the season with almost 2,500m of climbing including an uphill run to the finish line, the women's peloton believes there will be nowhere to hide in Saturday's race. 

“I think it still just as hard as I remember, we died a thousand deaths up the the Lofthouse Climb on Wednesday in training," Spratt joked. "But that climb will be really critical  I comes early so it will be interesting to see how that affects the race as a whole.

“I think it will be on, just be a sufferfest, it’s going to be how much can you suffer on Saturday."

Spratt, the 2018 silver medallist, enters the race in stellar form and will be supported by a strong green and gold outfit of Brodie Chapman (Tibco–Silicon Valley Bank), Tiffany Cromwell (Canyon–SRAM), Lucy Kennedy (Mitchelton-Scott), Lauren Kitchen (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope), Chloe Hosking (Ale-Cipollini) and Jessica Allen (Mitchelton-Scott). 

“The preparation has gone really well, I am fit, I am strong, targeting this again," Spratt said. "I am excited, I think we have a great Australian team, a lot of depth and experience.

"I think everyone on the team will contribute to a great result and I am really looking forward to it."
Kennedy who was a standout while on her debut at the 2018 World Championships, is nervously excited for the unknown.

“I am preparing for the hardest race I have ever done basically, there are no easy sections on this course whatsoever," said Kennedy who has enjoyed multiple wins in 2019 including Kennedy at Durango-Durango Emakumeen Saria and the San Sabastian Classic. “Watching the junior boys on Thursday, they were all on their knees.

“I am less nervous because I have done it once before, but more nervous because the 2018 course suited me better.

"It is a tricky and technical course, and I like that aspect, but there is the unknown of this course."

"It is going to be brutal, super aggressive and hopefully great to watch," said Hosking, who heads into the Championships in hot form after claiming stage wins in Italy and Spain this month. 

Team captain Tiffany Cromwell is predicting the mental challenge will prove the decisive factor on Saturday.

"It is definitely tough, we all knew that, we all expected that," Cromwell said. "It is going to be a race of attrition, a real mental race.  The person who wins on Saturday will be the strongest mentally." 
RACE DETAILS

🏳️‍🌈 Elite Women's Road Race, 150km

🗓 11.40am (8.40pm AEST) Saturday 28 September
💻 LIVE 8.40pm AEST SBS OnDemand and Cycling Central
🇦🇺Brodie Chapman (Tibco–Silicon Valley Bank), Tiffany Cromwell (Canyon–SRAM), Lucy Kennedy (Mitchelton-Scott) ,Lauren Kitchen (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope), Amanda Spratt (Mitchelton-Scott), Chloe Hosking (Ale-Cipollini), Jessica Allen (Mitchelton-Scott)
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ROAD WORLDS | Kaden keen for brutal under 23 road race

26/9/2019

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Twenty-year-old Kaden Groves (Mitchelton-Scott) is looking forward to a 'brutal' under 23 road race at the 2019 UCI Road World Championships in Yorkshire.  

Groves arrived in Yorkshire on Tuesday ahead of Friday's 173km under 23 road race where he will team with Samuel Jenner (Team Wiggins Le Col), Liam Magennis (Drapac-Cannondale Holistic Development Team), Harry Sweeny (EvoPro Racing) and Nicholas White (Team BridgeLane)​​. 

"We have such a strong line up with a bunch of guys who can all play a role to achieve the best possible result," he explained. "We are all mates and have a great relationship having raced together either at the Tour de L’Avenir or as teammates on the past seasons.

"I think the course suits me really well, just the right amount of climbs for me and a somewhat technical finishing circuit. Obviously it's going to be a hectic race, under 23 racing is not controlled and as the biggest race of the year.

"I am expecting it to be brutal."

#Yorkshire2019 We had a quick chat with @kaden_groves at team #AusCyclingTeam camp. Kaden will team with @MagennisLiam @just_nickwhite @SJenner0 & @harry_sweeny in the 173km under 23 road race this Friday. pic.twitter.com/kI8nGWDRbP

— AusCyclingTeam (@AusCyclingTeam) September 26, 2019
A latecomer to cycling in 2014, the Sunshine Coast Cycling Club cyclist claimed an Australian junior road title in less than two years later, before putting himself on the radar of international teams with a stage win in China at the 2017 Tour of Fuzhou. 

Joining Mitchelton's development squad in 2018, Groves then switched to join SEG Racing for 2019. Riding under the Team Australia colours at the 2019 Tour de I'Avenir, Groves claimed a podium finish in one of the toughest stages.  

"This year's edition of the Tour de L’Avenir was always going to be a hard one, it consisted of many hilltop finishes and stages for the climbers but not so many for the sprinters,” said Groves, who admitted the second place has fuelled his hunger for the top step. 

"With breakaways staying away every stage, I needed to go up the road for opportunities, I finished second on stage six which was honestly a huge disappointment and I wanted to win so I’m not satisfied.”

For the latter half of 2019, Groves has joined Mitchelton-Scott’s WorldTour outfit as a stagiaire, and as one of the youngest in the field, he tested himself in three classics in Belgium. 

"Both Brussel and Antwerp were great opportunities to race in a new environment with my future teammates. These one-day races will also play an important role in the lead up to the World Championships," Groves added. 

2019 UCI Road World Championships - M23 Road Race

  • Samuel Jenner (Team Wiggins Le Col), Liam Magennis (Drapac-Cannondale Holistic Development Team), Harry Sweeny (EvoPro Racing), Nicholas White (Team BridgeLane)​​, Kaden Groves (Mitchelton-Scott)
  • Starts 2pm (11pm AEST), Estimated Finish 6.30pm (3.30am AEST)
  • 173km, Doncaster to Harrogate 
  • worlds.yorkshire.com/the-races/men-u23-road-race​
  • Watch live in Australia - Streaming to SBS OnDemand and Cycling Central website 
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ROAD WORLDS |  Dennis dominates to defend world title in Yorkshire

26/9/2019

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Photos © Casey Gibson
South Australia's Rohan Dennis emphatically defended his time trial world title in a stunning performance at the 2019 UCI Road World Championships in Yorkshire on Wednesday. 

The 29-year-old dominated the 54-kilometre individual race against the clock from start to finish, taking the world champion’s rainbow jersey by more than one minute. 

"It might have looked easy out there today, but there has been a lot of work off the bike behind the scenes to get myself ready for today," said Dennis. "I am happy that I have been able to produce what I knew I could to get these rainbows back.. 

“It really shows that I am not going anywhere.  That I am here to win, and I am here to continue winning in the future."

Oliver Dennis cheering on Dad □□□ #Yorkshire2019 #auscyclingteam pic.twitter.com/xlVEmkhrit

— AusCyclingTeam (@AusCyclingTeam) September 25, 2019
The final rider of 57 to take to the 54-kilometre course from Northhallerton to Harrogate, Dennis powered to a 19 second advantage over teenage sensation Remco Evenepoel (Belgium) at the first time check at the 16.7 kilometre mark. 

Maintaining a steady rhythm and pace set by his coaches, Dennis extended his margin to more than a minute at the 37-kilometre checkpoint. 

Dennis continued his momentum through the technical, undulating sections outside of Harrogate before soaring to a second straight rainbow jersey in a time of 1hour 05:05secs, 68-seconds ahead of Evenepoel with Filippo Ganna (Italy) a further 45 seconds back. 

"I only saw the course for the first time last Saturday, and we loved it instantly. My coach Brad said I was made for it," remarked Dennis. "I was confident before the race as I knew we had hit all of the numbers in training. 

"So today there was nothing left but to let the legs do the talking. I knew I had done all the work and to execute what I could on the road.  

"And I was comfortable with my pace from the start. When I saw I was up by 20 seconds, I felt good. Then I was up by 60, so I knew just had to stay calm, keep a good rhythm and don't take risks down the hill. 

"It was a really nice course so whoever designed it, thanks for that - good job!"

“It was absolutely perfect today.”□

- Rohan Dennis □□ talks us through his preparation and World Championship title ride. #Yorkshire2019 pic.twitter.com/3Bdox1sMJZ

— UCI (@UCI_cycling) September 25, 2019
Dennis' preparation for his title defence in Yorkshire was remarkably different to that of twelve months ago with a steady diet of training blocks feeding his pursuit for a second rainbow title.

"It has been the toughest period of my career, it was almost breaking," revealed Dennis, who enjoyed an emotional celebration with wife Melissa and eight-month-old son Oliver at the finish. "To have my family here this year was so special. My wife is an angel. 

"While I have been home for the last ten weeks, it has been tough for both of us. There have been testing times, with ten weeks between races, there were a couple of times I'd throw in the towel. 

"But I have a lot of great people in my corner, pushing me to keep my head on. So thank you to my wife, my coach, my psychologist. 

"It was a team effort, and that's really why I was so emotional. A lot of people helped me get here, so it's great to repay them."

Dennis' considerable winning margin allowed time for a victory salute as he crossed the line, with the Adelaide cyclist pointing to his head as a reminder about what lead him to the victory. 

"I was reminding myself today was all in my head," Dennis said. "It was the work I did off the bike on my mental state to make sure I am strong mentally, and that is what got me through today.  

"I've done a lot of work with my sports psychologist David Spindler. I mean physically I have always had it, but it was always the negativity in my head thinking not the positive things.

"And out there today I didn't waiver once which I had struggled with all year up until today. That work has been super important, and today, we nailed it."

That’s how you do it. #Yorkshire2019 □EPA pic.twitter.com/k68PFmDIWL

— Melissa Dennis (@MelissaMHoskins) September 25, 2019
In what was his thirteenth consecutive year representing the green and gold, a journey which began with ninth in the junior time trial at the 2007 World Championships, Dennis thanked his supporters in Australia. 

"Australia is always backing me through the tough times and the good times," he added. "It is good to have that support from the national body Cycling Australia. 
​

"I have been a part of this team at every World Championships since 2007. It has been a good, long-lasting relationship, so let's keep it going." 

Reigning Australian champion Luke Durbridge, the 2009 junior and 2011 under 23 world champion, finished thirteenth, three minutes behind Dennis. 

Dennis and Durbridge will now switch the focus to Sunday's 280km road race where they will team with 2015 world championship silver medallist Michael Matthews (Team Sunweb), Simon Clarke (EF Education First), Mitchell Docker (EF Education First), Nathan Haas (Team Katusha Alpecin), Jack Haig (Mitchelton-Scott) and Rory Sutherland (UAE-Team Emirates). ​
Photos © Casey Gibson
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ROAD WORLDS | Spratt eleventh in rain-soaked time trial; Magennis 29th

25/9/2019

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Picture
Photo Casey Gibson
Amanda Spratt finished just outside the top ten in eleventh in a rain-soaked elite women's time trial at the 2019 UCI Road World Championships in Yorkshire, England, on Tuesday. 

The torrential rain that had earlier caused havoc in the under 23 race, forced a forty-minute delay to the start of the women's 30.3-kilometre race from Ripon to Harrogate.

The twenty-second of 53 riders to set out on the course, Spratt powered across the longest time trial of her professional career in a time of 46mins 09.09secs.

“It was really hard, a challenging course, I think they threw everything at us with the rain, flooding, ups and downs, flats, it had everything to it,”@AmandaSpratt after finishing 11th in a rain-soaked time trial. #yorkshire2019 #AusCyclingTeam pic.twitter.com/O1tB01i0OB

— AusCyclingTeam (@AusCyclingTeam) September 24, 2019
With the second-fastest time of the day to that point, Spratt found herself in the hot seat and it was a nervous wait to see if she could hold on to the medal position. However, nine riders would better her time to the line pushing her to eleventh overall. 

"It was really hard, a challenging course, I think they threw everything at us with the rain, flooding, ups and downs, flats, it had everything to it," said Spratt. "I hadn't started my warm-up, so the delay wasn't too much of a stress for me. And it helped to watch the 23s to see how they took the corners and how the roads were. 

"Obviously the 23s had horrendous weather as we did. It was sketchy out there, you had to take a bit of caution, but at the same time, you still wanted to keep the pace as much as you could." 

The time trial continues the recent expansion of the thirty-two-year-old Spratt's repertoire ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, in addition to the looming home Road World Championships in Wollongong in 2022. 

"It was a challenge my coach Gene Bates set for me a year and a half ago to put more effort into the time trial, and I accepted that challenge," said Spratt, who last raced a time trial at a World Championships as a 17-year-old in 2004. "And I am happy with the way it has progressed. 

"I can't sit here and compare myself with everyone else too much. We had a plan, in terms of power and how I wanted to pace it so in terms of the plan, we have to be happy with that. 

"I gave everything I could out there." 

Spratt also revealed encouragement from her Mitchelton-Scott teammate Annemiek van Vleuten, a two-time time trial world champion, has inspired her in her return to the time trial. 

"She really started focusing on that only three or four years ago, and look where she is now, and I really draw inspiration on that," Spratt said adding. "For me, it is a long term project. I was excited to get here and have my first time trial race and I hope to improve on that."

"I think this is something that you have to put the time and effort into. It doesn't happen overnight and I am willing to put that effort into it."
In one of the most stunning performances ever seen at a Road World Championships, Chloé Dygert Owen (USA) became the youngest person to win a road time trial world title after obliterating the course and her rivals to win by 1 minute and 32 seconds over two-time defending champion Annemiek van Vleuten (NED) and Anna van der Breggen (NED). 

Liam magennis gives it everything in u23 tt

Earlier in utterly treacherous conditions, Liam Magennis (Drapac-Cannondale Holistic Development Team) finished 29th in the under 23 men's time trial at the 2019 UCI Road World Championships in Yorkshire. 

Persistent rain throughout the night and early morning meant the race became a battle not just to the Harrogate finish line, but to stay upright. Riders were forced to negotiate a number of puddles, including one which stretched the width of the road, with many crashing when navigating through the ankle-deep water. 

Reigning Oceania and National champion Magennis delivered a superb effort and remain unscathed across the 30.3km course, clocking a time of 43mins 11.03seconds. 

In what he described as the toughest, and wettest time trial of his career, Magennis later admitted the tricky conditions almost got the better of him. 

"I started off pretty well until I got to the puddles across the road in the first ten kilometres," said Magennis. "They slowed me down and put me on edge a little. 

​

#Yorkshire2019 “I tried my best out there, kept it upright, so I’m happy.” @MagennisLiam battled hard to finish in 29th place, 2:50 off Danish winner Bjerg. #AusCyclingTeam pic.twitter.com/0Gfwf0kfGG

— AusCyclingTeam (@AusCyclingTeam) September 24, 2019
"But I tried my best out there. Kept it upright so I'm happy. 

"I'm happy to be in one piece and look forward to Friday now."  

Magennis will now have a few days to dry out and recover ahead of Friday's Under 23 road race where he will team with Kaden Groves (SEG Racing Academy), Samuel Jenner (Team Wiggins Le Col), Harry Sweeny (EvoPro Racing), Nicholas White (Team BridgeLane)​​.

The event was won by Dane Mikkel Bjerg who powered to an extraordinary third straight rainbow jersey. 

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ROAD WORLDS | Debutant Eddy grabs top twenty in TT

24/9/2019

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Picture
Photo © Casey Gibson

A superb effort from sixteen-year-old debutant Patrick Eddy has seen him place inside the top twenty in the junior (under 19) men’s time trial at the 2019 UCI Road World Championships in Harrogate. 

The 47th of 63 riders to set off down the ramp on Monday, reigning Australian champion Eddy powered over two laps of a 13.7km circuit around the town of Harrogate to sit eighth after completing his ride.

Eddy’s time of 40mins 30.40secs ultimately placed him nineteenth in the world after the remaining sixteen riders had completed their runs over the course. 

“Tough, really tough, pretty long and I was happy to get it done,” said Bendigo’s Eddy. “It was awesome, had a lot of people cheering, it was so cool to be out there wearing the Aussie colours.

“Those last two kilometres I tried switching on the jets as much as I could, you have to give it all.  
“I was happy to be that cooked at the end.”

In stunning scenes, Italian Antonio Tiberi won the event despite suffering a mechanical just moments after leaving the start ramp which forced him to change his bike. The Netherlands’ Enzo Leijnse and German Marco Brenner completed the podium. 

Eddy will now turn his attention to Thursday’s 144.5km junior road race from Richmond in the Yorkshire Dales to Harrogate.

“A couple of easy days and reassess for the road race, it will be a good opportunity. I am really keen.”

#Yorkshire2019 “Those last two kilometres I tried switching on the jets as much as I could, you have to give it all. I was happy to be that cooked at the end.” Patrick Eddy, 19th Junior TT. #AusCyclingTeam pic.twitter.com/f8NIZXamYG

— AusCyclingTeam (@AusCyclingTeam) September 23, 2019
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