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Great Britain’s Geraint Thomas has sent a warning to Australia’s team pursuit squad in a challenge that will come to a head at Melbourne’s world championships next April.

 

On the back of a decision to skip the Spring Classics for the world championships and Tour de France in favour of chasing his Olympic ambitions on the track, Thomas has conceded that Australia has the edge but has identified the world championships as the key opportunity to prove the Brits can’t be written off just yet.

 

Meanwhile, New Zealand have also put their hat in the ring with a fourth fastest time in history in the team pursuit overnight joining a host of results from the current Oceania Championships that put the Kiwi’s amongst the major challengers for rainbow jerseys in Melbourne.

 

On the road Thomas was a key lead out man for Mark Cavendish at the 2011 road world championships and on the track he joined teammates Bradley Wiggins, Ed Clancy and Paul Manning to win gold in the teams pursuit at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in world record time, but he admits any victory in 2012 will be hard fought.

 

“The Track Worlds in Melbourne is a big hit. I think we have to go there and do well,” Thomas told VeloUK.

 

“If I was riding the individual pursuit and only that, then yes, perhaps I could miss the Track Worlds and do the Classics but for the team pursuit, it’s important we have our best team there. To go down there and race the Aussies and showing them what we can do. For sure it will be a hell of a lot harder than the gold we won in Beijing.”

 

“To be honest I think the Australians are probably ahead of us in the team pursuit now," Thomas also conceded to Eurosport.

 

“They are the current world champions and are posting some impressive times.

 

“However, we haven’t had our best side out for a while so when we do, we know we have to go out, work hard and do whatever we have to do to get in front of them again.”

 

Hoy’s key Olympic preparation underway in Australia

 

A key summer training period in Australia and return to Melbourne for the world championships in April are top priorities for four-time Olympic champion Sir Chris Hoy in his preparation for the London Olympics next year.

 

Returning to winning form at the first UCI Track World Cup in Kazakhstan earlier this month, the ten-time world champion is currently in Perth for a training block before returning to Manchester with the British squad.

 

The 35-year-old will then join the world’s best riders in what will be their only chance to race on the Olympic velodrome at the London leg of the world cup in February.  With riders lining up to compete, the final world cup event will provide the best indication of challengers for the world championships and Olympic Games.

 

Whilst still recovering from illness, Hoy’s campaign is back on track.

 

"I'm still having lingering problems with my chest; and I didn't feel great after the keirin last weekend in Astana, but hopefully being out in the warm air in Australia will help to clear it up," Hoy wrote on his website.

 

"Overall I'm really pleased with how the last couple of months have gone in terms of performance, although it was obviously hindered a bit by getting ill just before the Europeans. I really enjoyed the Nationals and winning three golds was a great start to the season and a real boost.

 

“I had flu before the Europeans and then picked up a chest infection so I had to come home early which was really frustrating and disappointing, but the first round of the World Cup series in Astana gave me the opportunity to bounce back and I was delighted to win the sprint and to come away with a silver in the keirin.

 

In terms of Olympic qualification points the team's looking comfortable and we're in a good place leading into the next phase of competition, starting with the London World Cup in February."

 

Kiwi’s flying at Oceania Championships

 

New Zealand quartet of Marc Ryan, Sam Bewley, Aaron Gate and Jesse Sergent took two seconds off the national record to post the fourth fastest time in history at the Oceania Championships in Invercargill.

Their time of 3.55.295 makes them the second fastest nation, with Great Britain the only nation to go faster.  It tops Australia’s fastest time by just over one tenth of a second. 

 

Just as strong in the women’s event, Alison Shanks, Lauren Ellis and Jaime Nielsen posted the second fastest time in history (3:19.759) to smash the national record they set earlier that day by four seconds.

 

Alison Shanks (individual pursuit) and women’s sprint pair Natasha Hansen and Katie Schofield also set New Zealand records in some fast racing at Invercargill.

 

The championships wrap up today with the men’s and women’s sprint, omnium and men’s madison.

The next UCI Track World Cup is December 1-3 in Cali, Columbia.  The series then moves to China in January and London in February before the track season culminates at the 2012 UCI Track Cycling World Championships.

 

The UCI Track Cycling World Championships stand at the pinnacle of world track cycling, attracting up to 350 of the world’s best riders from more than 40 countries.  The final qualifying event in the lead up to the London Olympic Games, the 2012 UCI Track Cycling World Championships will be held at Hisense Arena in Melbourne from Wednesday 4 to Sunday 8 April.

 

For more information on the 2012 UCI Track Cycling World Championships, visitwww.2012trackworlds.com.au

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Today the 56th edition of the Belgian one-day race "Ruddervoorde Koerse" took place. Team Katusha was the protagonist of a brilliant race, putting two of its rider between the top-5: the Belgian Stijn Vandenbergh reached the podium, in third position; while Denis Galimzyanov cut the finishing line at 5th place. With 25 kms to go there was the topic moment of the race: 4 riders, between whom Vandenbergh himself, try the breakaway, reaching a 45'' maximum gap. Team Katusha puts his riders to pull the followers group, in order to reach the escapers and allow Galimzyanov to try to win with a lock step final sprint. But, despite the great work by Vladimir Isaychev, Alexander Porsev and Maxime Vantomme, the breakaway group was able to resist and cut the finishing line with less than 30 metres ahead of the main group. The Dutch rider Dirk Bellemakers (Landbouwkrediet) wins the final sprint, defeating Rob Ruijgh (Vacansoleil) and Vandenbergh himself. Galimzyanov wins the followers group sprint, and he's fifth.

"It was a real pity - says the Sport Director Bart Leysen - we had the potential to win this race. Unfortunately we were not able for a mere nothing to reach the breakaway group and win at the final sprint with Galimzyanov, but our team was made by only 5 riders, and with Vandenbergh between the escapers, we had only three riders left to pull the followers group: despite the huge work, they were too few compared with the other team that, thanks to the special regulations of 'Ruddervoorde Koerse', took part to this competition with something like 15 riders. Our rivals knew our team had the forerunners, so they made the race against us. It's a pity, but tomorrow for 'Halle Ingooigem' we'll try to make up for the lost chance".

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Cycling Australia is pleased to announce the junior riders to contest the 2011 UCI Road World Championships in Denmark and the2011 Youth Commonwealth Games on the Isle of Man.

 

Since 2005 the Junior World Championships has featured both track and road events but from this year under-19, under-23 and elite road events will all be decided at the same Championships, this year being staged from 19 to 25 September in Copenhagen.

 

"I think the youngsters will really benefit from being in a team environment with experienced, elite professionals and I'm sure they'll be paying close attention to the way their heroes behave and prepare for the worlds," said Cycling Australia High Performance Manager, Paul Brosnan.

 

"But the energy and excitement of the juniors will also add something special to the team dynamic and I expect their youthful enthusiasm will be infectious."

 

Jessica Allen and Calvin Watson contested the 2010 World Championships and have been selected again in 2011 while Allen, Allison Rice and Jessica Mundy will contest both the worlds and the Youth Commonwealth Games being staged from 7 to 13 September.

 

Several other riders named today are also members of the team that heads to Moscow in August for the Junior Track World Championships.

 

The juniors selected in the Australian Cyclones team for the 2011 UCI Road World Championships are:

• Jessica Allen (Doubleview WA, 17.04.1993)
• Allison Rice (Ainslie ACT, 24.03.1994)
• Jessica Mundy (Ashton SA, 25.09.1994)

• Alexander Edmondson (Stirling, SA 22.12.1993)
• David Edwards (Cleveland QLD, 21.04.1993)
• Jackson Law (Balgownie, NSW 02.02.1993)
• Bradley Linfield (Dalyellup WA, 29.06.1994)
• Nicholas Schultz (Arana Hills QLD, 13.09.1994)
• Calvin Watson (Frankston VIC, 06.01.1993)

Eight riders have been nominated to the team for the Youth Commonwealth Games being held on the Isle of Man from 7 to 13 September.

• Jessica Allen (Doubleview WA, 17.04.1993)
• Allison Rice (Ainslie ACT, 24.03.1994)
• Jessica Mundy (Ashton SA, 25.09.1994)
• Emily Roper (Elanora, QLD 24.07.1994)

• Jack Beckinsale (Grays Point NSW, 27.05.1993)
• Caleb Ewan (Bowral, NSW 07.11.1994)
• Robert-Jon McCarthy (South Brighton SA, 30.03.1994)
• Alexander Morgan (Mitcham, VIC 18.07.1994)

The closing date for appeals against non-selection is 5pm (Sydney time) Friday 24 June, 2011.

 

The Australian under 19 team to contest the UCI Junior Track World Championships being staged in Moscow, Russia from 17 to 21 August was announced in February and is listed below for reference.

• Georgia Baker (Perth, TAS 21.09.1994)
• Taylah Jennings (The Range, QLD 18.05.1994)
• Allee Proud (Mt Hawthorn, WA 26.02.1994)
• Emily Roper (Elanora, QLD 24.07.1994)
• Adele Sylvester (Hawthorn East, VIC 02.11.1993)

• Jack Cummings (Endeavour Hills, VIC 02.01.1994)
• Alexander Edmondson (Stirling, SA 22.12.1993)
• Caleb Ewan (Bowral, NSW 07.11.1994)
• Jaron Gardiner (Miners Rest, VIC 10.03.1993)
• Jackson Law (Balgownie, NSW 02.02.1993)
• Timothy McMillan (Woronora Heights, NSW 10.12.1993)
• Alexander Morgan (Mitcham, VIC 18.07.1994)
• Luke Parker (Ormond, VIC 21.10.1993)
• Rick Sanders (Heatherton, VIC 03.05.1993)

Nicholas earns call up to Para-cycling team

 

Cycling Australia has also confirmed the additional selection of Victorian David Nicholas (Proserpine QLD, 01.12.1991) to the team to contest the C3 events at the 2011 Para-cycling Road World Championships in Roskilde, Denmark from 5 to 12 September

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 Australia remains the top nation in the latest BMX World Rankings released this week by the International Cycling Union (UCI).

 

In the men's competition Australia, with a total of 2685 points, is 101 points ahead of France (2584) and the USA is sitting third on 2458 points. In the women's rankings Australia's tally of 2865 points is 247 more than the USA's total of 2618 with France almost 600 points back in third with 2045 points.

 

In the individual rider rankings there was more good news for the Australians as they prepare for the UCI BMX World Championships being staged in Copenhagen, Denmark from 27 to 31 July.

2009 Supercross series champion and two time junior world champion, Sam Willoughby, remains ranked second in the world on 938 points, just 20 points behind New Zealand's Marc Willers who took over the top spot after victory in the recent round of the Supercross World Cup Series in Papendal, Holland. South Australian Brian Kirkham (732 points) has moved up from seventh to fourth in the rankings due to making the final in Papendal whilst Khalen Young is the next best Australian with 495 points to be ranked thirteenth.

 

Australia has two other men in the elite top 25 with Luke Madill ranked 20th (402 points) and Josh Callan 25th (307 points).

 

2011 Australian champion Caroline Buchanan posted a third place finish in Papendal to maintain third place on the rankings with 876 points. Her team mate Lauren Reynolds is ranked fourth with 776 points. Rachel Bracken rounds out the top ten ranked women in the world with 561 points. Colombian Mariana Pajon leads the women's table on 968 points, 73 points ahead of Sarah Walker (NZL) who is sitting second.

 

West Australian Darryn Goodwin tops the junior rankings with 425 points, more than 100 points clear of his nearest rival. Queensland's Melinda McLeod is the second ranked junior woman with 435 points behind American Brooke Cain who has 610 points.

 

The Australians are motivated to maintain their nation ranking as this will determine the number Australian riders we qualify for the 2012 Olympic Games in London. The BMX High Performance program and the sport received a welcome boost on the weekend with the opening of a $4.8 million BMX track at the Sleeman Sports Complex in Brisbane.

 

The Australian team will use the track to prepare for the upcoming World Championships.

The track was officially opened by Sport Minister Phil Reeves, State Member for Chatsworth Steve Kilburn and BMX Australia President Barry Knight. Mr Reeves says the state of the art facilities offer riders of all levels a chance to experience a track of Olympic standard.

 

"This BMX track is an Australian first and is great for fans and riders alike," he said. "There are currently 32 BMX clubs across Queensland and the popularity of this sport continues to grow.

"The Bligh Government's investment of $4.8 million is a ripper for riders, and with London 2012 just around the corner it will be put to very good use as elite training squads prepare for the Games.

 

"Queensland will be the training ground for many Olympians and this is also great for grass-roots BMX and the local economy."

 

State Member for Chatsworth Steve Kilburn says Sleeman Sports Complex remains a cutting-edge training venue.

 

"The Bligh Government is currently investing $15.3 million to install a new pool, a water-based jumps facility for aerial skiers and this new BMX track, to ensure Sleeman remains a world-class sporting complex," said Mr Kilburn. "Along with Sleeman's other facilities (pool, gymnasium, catering and accommodation), this Complex is perfect for squad training and the feedback from the BMX community and elite training groups is they can't wait to give the track a good workout."

BMX Australia President Barry Knight says this is another step forward for BMX in Australia.

 

"The building of a Supercross BMX track in Australia is a wonderful facility to support the growing number of club and elite riders participating in the sport. We currently have more than 7,000 registered BMX riders and this number is growing all the time.

 

"Having access to a facility like this will improve riders skill levels, fitness and make them more competitive on the international stage," said Mr Knight. "Coming off the first ever BMX Olympic event at the 2008 Olympic Games, this track will be of exceptional benefit to our Olympic hopefuls for London 2012, giving our riders the chance to train on a world class track."

Quick facts

• $4.8 million Bligh Government investment for the BMX facility
• The track features two start ramps (5m and 8m with an 18/28° sloping angle) with major double-jumps, step ups and a technical 'rhythm section, and riders will hit speeds of up to 60km/h around the 400 metre tracks
• More than 330 registered riders aged from 8 years of age to 45+ from as a far afield as New Zealand, Tamworth, Victoria and regional Queensland competed over the weekend in the opening event
• The popularity of cycling in general continues to grow and the following for BMX (in terms of numbers) in Australia is second only to the United States
• More than 840,000 people use Sleeman every year, and the complex has onsite accommodation for training camps and a number of other facilities (gym, aquatic centre) which could be utilised when riders are not tackling the new track
  Sleeman currently undergoing $17.3 million upgrade– the largest since it was established for the 1982 Commonwealth Games – to install a new pool, BMX track and another Australian first, a water-based jumps facility for aerial skiers
• The new facilities have been developed in consultation with design experts
• from the UCI

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Australia added six more medals including two gold to the team tally on the final day of racing at the 2011 UCI Para-cycling Road World Cup at Sydney Olympic Park. The result put the team fourth on the medal table with a total of five gold, six silver and five bronze medals from the 37 medal events contested.

Competition today saw time trials contested across 22 classifications with 18 gold medals awarded.

Canberra's Sue Powell added time trial gold to her C4 road race victory of yesterday and is now the World Cup leader for her classification as well. Sydney's Alexandra Green claimed silver.

Victorian Carol Cooke also grabbed her second win of the week with gold in the T2 time trial out pacing South Africa's Maddre Carinus over the 11km course.

Victorian Michael Gallagher was 35 seconds off the pace of Italy's Andrea Tarlao to claim silver in the C5 time trial with Ireland's Cathal Miller in third place.

In the men's B tandem Queensland's Bryce Lindores and pilot Sean Finning didn't get on the podium for the time trial but their win in yesterday's road race and fourth place today was enough to put them on top of the World Cup standings. The gold medal went to Italian pair Ivano and Luca Pizzi. Canadians Daniel Chalifour and pilot Alexandre Cloutier were second. Americans Clark Rachfal and David Swanson clocked the third best time. The second Australian tandem of Kieran Modra and pilot Scott McPhee was eight seconds slower than their compatriots in fifth place.

The results of the women's C5 time trial was a repeat of the road race finish with Paralympic and world champion Sarah Storey of Great Britain the strongest ahead of American Greta Neimanas. West Australian Claire McLean claimed her second bronze medal of the week.

The women's tandem road race saw New Zealand duo Jayne Parsons and pilot Sonia Waddell claim the win ahead of Great Britain's Lora Turnham and Fiona Duncan. Road race winners Robbi Eldon and pilot Lyne Bessette of Canada were third. Australia's Brandie O'Connor and pilot Kerry Knowler finished in fifth place.

In the men's T2 event reigning world champion David Stone of Great Britain claimed his second gold ahead of Italian Giorgio Farroni with American Steven Peace was third.

The men's H1 event was taken out by Ireland's Mark Rohan who clocked 22:17.29 to defeat Wolfgang Schattauer of Austria at 26 seconds with Canada's Robert Labbe 13 seconds slower in third place.

West Australian Nigel Barley added a time trial silver medal to his H3 road race bronze when he came home 17 seconds slower than world champion Frenchman Joel Jeannot. Canada's Marc Ledo was third.

South Australia's Andrew Panazzolo added another bronze medal to the Ausralian tally with his performance in the C2 time trial. Irish cyclist Colin Lynch won the gold medal but only by three seconds over Italian Fabrizio Macchi.

World champion American Oscar Sanchez grabbed his second win of the meet defeating former F1 Grand Prix driver Alessandro Zanadri of Italy by 30 seconds with Dutchman Jetze Plat taking home the bronze medal in the men'a H4 event.

American Marianna Davis took out the gold medal in the women's H2 class by a clear margin of almost two minutes over Britain's Karen Darke. Italian Francesca Fenocchio claimed the bronze medal.

The men's C1 time trial gold went to Anthony Zahn of the USA. Austrian Andreas Zirkl was second and Canada's Jaye Milley clocked the third best time for bronze.

The Czech Republic anthem rang out for the men's C4 time trial won by Jiri Bouska ahead of Austrian Manfred Gattringer and Italian Michele Pittacolo. The C3 medals were awarded to Frenchman Jacky Galletaud who outpaced Italy's Roberto Bargna. New Zealand's Nathan Smith claimed the bronze medal.

The women's H3 gold medal was won by Briton Rachel Morris who clocked the best time ahead of Dane Connie Hansen and New Zealand's Susan Reid.

Swiss handcyclist Lukas Weber collected gold in the men's H3 time trial. Italian team mates Vittorio Poedsta and Paolo Cechetto claimed silver and bronze respectively.

Sydney's Jayme Paris was the only starter in the C1 classification in both today's time trial and yesterday's road race so was not awarded a medal on either day.

The USA with eight gold, two silver and five bronze topped the medal table followed by Great Britain with six gold, tree silver and one bronze medal. Italy topped medal tally with 21 podium placings made up of five gold, ten silver and five bronze for a total of 21 medals

The next round of the UCI Para-cycling Road World Cup will be contested in Segovia, Spain from 10 to 12 June.

The Australian National Team for the 2011 UCI Para-cycling Road World Cup is listed below.

• Carol Cooke (AUS19610806 Northcote VIC) T2

• Kerry Knowler (AUS19670826 Phillip ACT) Pilot O'Connor

• Melissa Leckie (AUS19840207 Collinswood SA) H2

• Claire Mclean (AUS19730704 Carlisle WA) C5

• Brandie O'Connor (AUS19731224 Phillip ACT) B

• Jayme Paris (AUS19890427 Quakers Hill NSW) C1

• Susan Powell (AUS19670530 Melba ACT) C4

• Nigel Barley (AUS19740927 Parkerville WA) H3

• Sean Finning (AUS19850122 Castlemaine VIC) Pilot Lindores

• Michael Gallagher (AUS19781214 Sydenham VIC) C5

• Ryan Hughes (AUS19860604 East Launceston TAS) C4

• Bryce Lindores (AUS19860912 Nobby Beach QLD) B

• Scott McPhee (AUS19920102 Wayville SA) Pilot Modra

• Kieran Modra (AUS19720327 Hallett Cove SA) B

• Jarrod Moncur (AUS19830511 Morningside QLD) H2

• Andrew Panazzolo (AUS19790123 Kidman Park SA) C2

• Craig Parsons (AUS19650618 Attadale WA) H1

• Michael Taylor (AUS19681001 Bendigo VIC) H2

• Stuart Tripp (AUS19700613 Elwood VIC) H4

Australian Para-cyclists entered as indviduals are listed below:

• Alexandra Green (AUS19870702 Balgowlah Heights NSW) C4

• Jing Huang (AUS19740423 Wanniassa ACT) C2

• Simone Kennedy (AUS19940104 Ryde NSW) C3

• Stephen Bastick (AUS19630528 Galston NSW) T2

• Glenn Bennett (AUS19790915 North Sydney NSW) H1

• Rowan Bowles (AUS19780925 Launceston TAS) H1

• Matthew Formston (AUS19780721 Dee Why NSW) B

• Ron Gibson (AUS19700309 Wentworthville NSW) H2

• Mitchell Gourley (AUS19910602 Barwon Heads VIC) C5

• George Kambouris (AUS19631107 Carindale QLD) H3

• Jarrad Langmead (AUS19870410 Yarrawarrah NSW) C1

• David Nicholas (AUS19911201 Proserpine QLD) C4

• Richard Nicholson (AUS19700630 Melba ACT) H4

• Noel Sens (AUS19580618 Bendigo VIC) C2

• Alex Simmons (AUS19640726 Annandale NSW) C4

• Phillip Thuaux (AUS19790709 Erina NSW) Pilot Formston