Ashes battle crank’s up at Hisense Arena

 

Headline star, four-time Olympic and ten-time world champion Sir Chris Hoy spearheads a British lineup hoping to dethrone the hometown favourites, led by world championship silver medalist and Commonwealth Games champion Shane Perkins.

Perkins, who has been battling illness, has confirmed he is fit and raring to hit the boards with

Team Jayco AIS teammates Daniel Ellis and Jason Niblett.

“Yesterday we weren’t too sure as I wasn’t feeling that well, but today although I am not quite one hundred percent, I have come up really well and I will be definitely starting,” Perkins said after a final hit out at Hisense Arena yesterday.

Racing the team sprint for the first time since last year’s Melbourne Track World Cup, the 23-year-old has returned at an opportune time with Olympic qualification points for London up for grabs across the next three days of competition.

Perkins is confident he is up for the task despite his absence from the event and admits his biggest challenge is staying on the wheel of lead out man Ellis.

“I like to think I am a professional so I should be able to do it but obviously it is a little nerve wracking trying to get onto Dan as he blasts out of the gate pretty quick, and I might be off the wheel a little bit, but I am sure I will be able to drag him back.”

Britain’s Olympic and eight-time world champion Victorian Pendleton will headline the women’s sprint, also on the program tonight, when she teams up with young-gun Jessica Varnish.  The pair will create a tough ask for Australia’s sprinters Kaarle McCulloch and Emily Rosemond who will line up in the Team Jayco AIS colours.

A recent addition to the Olympic program, the women’s team pursuit will also be fought out on the first day of competition.

2007 points world champion Kate Bates, whose cycling resume is littered with medals on the world stage in individual pursuit, points and scratch events, continues her return from injury that has seen her sidelined for the past two years.

Moving away from the individual events, Bates will team up with reigning world champions Sarah Kent and Josephine Tomic for the Australian team.

“We sort of have a joke that there are two girls in the world champion stripes, and then there is me,” said Bates

“But I am extremely eager to get back into it and I make no qualms about it, I am here to win.”

The Track World Cup is ranked only behind the Olympics and World Championships in importance on the track cycling calendar and round one in Melbourne is the first round to offer points towards qualification for the 2012 Olympic Games in London. 

Tickets for the event start from $9.50 through to $189 for a premium all sessions package and can be purchased at the gate.