Cyclesport Victoria

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2007 Australian Track Championships Sunday Results
Victorian Madison victory, Gallagher Ride of Series, Howard 'Champion of Champions'

JM19 MADISON

The U19 men's Madison was a hotly contested race which came down to the final sprint. Victorian's Leigh Howard and James Langedyk claimed the gold on 17 points with South Australian duo Jack Rhodes and Jack Bobridge second on 14 points. Third place went to NSW pair Angus Morton and Dale Scarfe who finished on 16 points but one lap down.

'AWD RIDE OF THE SERIES'

Victorian Michael Gallagher was awarded the 'AWD Ride of the Series' for his World Record win in the LC1 division 4km individual pursuit.

CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS 2007

For Howard it was a fourth gold medal to add to his three victories in individual events (kilometre time trial, individual pursuit and Omnium) which earned him the title of '2007 Champion of Champions'.

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2007 Australian Track Championships Saturday Results
Leonard, Howard & Friend win gold

MENS KEIRIN - Joel Leonard wins Keirin Gold, Perkins silver

Victorian Joel Leonard (Footscray CC) tonight caught his rivals napping and sprinted clear for victory in the men's Keirin at the Australian Track Cycling Championships at Sydney's Dunc Gray Velodrome. The 25 year old dental technician from Melbourne was the 2005 champion but last year missed the final after being disqualified in the second round.

"It's great to have it back," he said after the win that saw him jump clear two laps from home. "I saw the gap and the opportunity, took it and it paid off."

The silver medal went to Leonard's Victorian team mate Shane Perkins (Carnegie Caulfield CC) with Ellis third. Leonard's audacious attack caught the rest of the field by surprise and their delayed reaction left them out of contention for the win. The outcome didn't please reigning Olympic and Commonwealth Games Champion, Ryan Bayley, who had hoped to finally secure a Keirin gold medal at an Australian Championships.

"One minute I looked up and everyone was in line and the next minute I looked up and Joel was all the way round the corner and we're still just entering it," said Bayley. "I thought 'what happened?' - you can't come back from that.

"Danny (Ellis who was riding immediately behind Leonard when he attacked) just made a major error and put the whole field out the back so it's disappointing," said Bayley. "It ended up being a Tour de France stage with a breakaway and a bunch sprint.

"I'm not that worried though because I've never come into a Nationals with much form and this is the first time (I've had form)," said Bayley who won the sprint title on Tuesday. "I still want to win a national title in it (Keirin) someday."

M19 OMNIUM - Leigh Howard wins gold

The Omnium also made its debut as a Championship event tonight with the U19 men out to prove who is the most versatile track cyclist. The Omnium consists of five events held on the one day, the 1km time trial, flying 200m time trial, 5km scratch race, 3km individual pursuit and a points race over 15km.

Victorian Leigh Howard (Geelong CC) relished the variety of events picking up wins in the kilometre, pursuit and points race events, finishing fourth in the flying 200m and third in the pursuit for a tally of 10 points. That gave him a two point win over team mate Glenn O'Shea on 12 with Canberra's Thomas Palmer third on 20 points. (placings in each event are added together and the lowest total wins).

JW19 SCRATCH - Friend wins first National

Victoria added a third gold to their day six tally in the U19 women's 7.5km scratch race won by Lisa Friend (Carnegie Caulfield CC). Tomic, backing up from two rounds of the teams pursuit earlier, put in a super effort to claim silver and Canberra cyclist Chloe Hosking clinched the bronze medal.

A great effort by Lisa Friend who claims her first National Title after 5 Championships appearances.

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2007 Australian Track Championships Friday Results

MENS 40km POINTS

Zak Dempster won Bronze with 25 points, only 2 behind Cameron Meyer silver and Jackson Leigh-Rathbone Gold, who both finished with 27 but Jackson won on count back.

WOMENS 10km SCRATCH

In the women's 10 kilometre Scratch Race 2005 junior World Champion, Skye-Lee Armstrong, 20, produced an unbeatable finishing burst of speed to win the gold medal ahead of Victorian Tess Downing (Carnegie Caulfield CC) with Armstrong's NSW team mate Rochelle Gilmore third.

AWD TEAMS SPRINT

Victorian trio Michael Eaddy, Michael Gallagher (Carnegie Caulfield CC) and Martin Vcelka (57.336sec) took home silver behind the world ranked Great Britain trio of Richard Waddon, Jody Cundy and Darren Kenny (52.270) in the AWD (Athletes with a Disability) LC and CP combined teams sprint event. 

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2007 Australian Track Championships Results
Victorian Pursuit Perfection: Men, M19 and Mactier claim titles

WOMEN'S 3000M IP

In the women's 3km individual pursuit Commonwealth Games champion, Olympic silver medallist and 2005 World Champion Katie Mactier (Carnegie Caulfield CC) entered as odds on favourite and didn't disappoint. The Victorian qualified in 3min34.500sec, well outside her own Australian record time of 3min27.65, but ten seconds clear of Amanda Spratt (NSW) who faced her in the gold medal ride. The disparity was clear in the final where Mactier overtook Spratt with three laps remaining of the scheduled 12 laps to end the race and claim her fourth Australian pursuit crown. The bronze medal was awarded to Monique Hanley of Victoria.

"It's always special when I win a pursuit; it's my passion and we're still six weeks away from Worlds (Championships in Spain at the end of March) so hopefully there's room for improvement because I haven't really done a very extensive track lead up into this but I'm very satisfied with where I'm at," said Mactier who will now step into a National Track Training Camp in Adelaide. "I love it! I would hate to be in another country because I feel we have such an intense program that's guaranteed to work.

"We all get results, we all get pb's (personal best times) and there's no mucking around it's hard arduous kilometres but it works so you feel confident going in," she said. "It's a month of just slogging our guts out."

MEN'S 4000M IP

In what has become a traditional grudge race between States it was the Victorian quartet of Zakkari Dempster (Bendigo CC), Michael Ford (Carnegie Caulfield CC), Sean Finning (Castlemaine CC) and Richard England (Carnegie Caulfield CC) who triumphed over NSW foursome Robert Lyte, Matthew Pettit, Jackson-Leigh Rathbone and Phillip Thuaux to secure the Southcott Cup Trophy. Victoria posted 4min09.870sec for victory with NSW claiming silver in 4min12.530sec. West Australian (Peter Dawson, Benjamin King, Cameron Meyer and Douglas Repacholi) took home the bronze medal.

"It was a great team effort," said Dempster. "We all did our jobs and that's what teams pursuiting is about, combining as a team because as much as we're all competing for selection for World Championships you're kidding yourself if you're going to ride as an individual - you just look stupid."

"It's good to back up what I said and be able to 'walk the walk' and not just 'talk the talk', said Dempster who after his win in last night's scratch race predicted a Victorian win tonight

"If you look through the records there are a few each way (NSW and Victoria wins) and it's good to stand up on top and stick it to 'em a bit every now and again," said Commonwealth Games points race champion, Finning of the win.

M19 4000M IP

In the Open men 4000m team pursuit qualifying in the afternoon session, the Victorian U19 team of 4 Jamie Crass (Bendigo CC), Leigh Howard (Geelong CC), James Langedyk (Geelong CC) and Glenn O'shea (Bendigo CC) posted the 4th fastest time, only just over half a second behind the WA team. 

Automatically giving them the M19 Gold, they then rode off for Bronze in the Men's, and finished a second and a half outside in 4th.

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MENS TEAM SPRINT

The Victorian trio of Mark French (St Kilda CC), Joel Leonard (Footscray CC) and Shane Perkins (Carnegie Caulfield CC) blasted to gold tonight in the teams sprint event at the Australian Track Cycling Championships at Sydney's Dunc Gray Velodrome.

Perkins lead out the first lap in a blistering 17.6sec with French, fired up after his loss to Ryan Bayley in the yesterday's sprint final delivering a powerful second lap with Leonard bringing it home for a time of 45.220sec. The Victorians were more than two seconds faster than NSW trio Andrew Taylor, Michael Lewis and Ben Kersten (47.562sec) who finished with the silver medal.

"Waking up this morning I knew this was one we (Victoria) were likely to get so it was important," said French who is racing in his first Australian Championships since 2003. "If you look at the times Perko (Perkins) and I did and then put Ryan (Bayley) behind us we're probably in the top two in the world so things are looking good.

"It's the first time I've ridden behind Shane (Perkins) as we've been starting (lead rider in) different teams all year so good to actually ride with him and get a second lap time for Marv (Head Coach Martin Barras) so he can see what we can do," said French. "And with Ryan you know he's always going to go fast no matter what but it was important for me to show what I can do to try and secure a spot in the teams sprint (for the World Championships in Spain at the end of March)."

Far from feeling pressured by the promising performances of first year juniors Scott Sunderland (WA) and Daniel Ellis (ACT) in the sprint events French believes it's great news for Australia.

"It's because if you only have three you get comfortable and don't train as hard," he said. "If you've got five you know you can't stuff up and if you do you take a backwards step and go down the list so it keeps you honest and training hard.

"The best riders will go (to World Championships) and that's the way it will be," French continued. "Making the Australian team, the good thing is because we've got such quality sprinters if you get to worlds you'll be in the top ten. You won't just be a number you'll be a good chance for a medal."

MENS SCRATCH RACE: Zakkari Dempster wins gold

In a hotly contested men's 15 kilometre scratch race teenager Zakkari Dempster (Bendigo & District CC) out sprinted experienced American campaigner, Jamie Carney, and SouthAustralia.com-AIS team mate, Cameron Meyer (WA) to win the gold medal.

"It's always a hard fought race and I grew up watching these and really wanted to win one so dreams do come true," said the 19 year old from Bendigo in Victoria who is in his first year in the senior ranks but already has his future planned. "I have a few more in my mind that I want to achieve in the next ten to 15 years and (this is the) start of something bigger."

His win comes less than a month after his gold medal ride in the U23 men's time trial at the Australian Open Road Championships in Ballarat.

"I'm very satisfied to get a track one, I've had juniors (track titles) but to win a senior one is really special and I reckon I've got a few more in me yet," said Dempster who, joined by Michael Ford, Richard England and Sean Finning in the Victorian quartet for tomorrow's teams pursuit, believes his second senior track title might come as early as tomorrow. "We've got Ford and me, who finished in the top four in the (individual) pursuit, Richard is very capable and Finning, what can you say about him - he's a Commonwealth Games Champion.

"We're going out there to blow everyone else's doors off and win it."

U19 POINTS RACE: Glenn O'Shea wins gold; Langedyk silver

In the U19 Men's 25km points race final Victoria scored another win through Glenn O'Shea (Bendigo & District CC) who decimated the opposition. O'Shea lapped the field halfway through the 100 lap race to pick up a bonus 20 points and added a further 24 points to his tally through sprint bonuses. His final score of 44 points was more than double that of silver medallist James Langedyk (Geelong CC) on 19 points with West Australian Travis Meyer third on 10 points.

U19 WOMEN'S PURSUIT

Josephine Tomic and Sarah Kent made the gold medal ride in the U19 women's 2km individual pursuit an all West Australian affair with Tomic winning in a stunning time of 2min25.811sec. Kent's silver medal time was 2min30.124sec. Camille Pallett (2min29.035sec) defeated Lisa Friend (Carnegie Caulfield CC) (2min34.514sec) for bronze and a podium clean sweep for WA.

U19 MEN TEAMS SPRINT: Victoria wins silver

In the U19 men's teams sprint NSW (Luke Davison, Paul Fellows and Peter Lewis) won the gold medal in a time of 48.024sec ahead of Victorians Trevor Griffiths (Shepparton CC), Anthony Rix  (Bendigo & District CC) and Ben Sanders (Carnegie Caulfield CC) (48.160sec). Queensland's Joel Callaghan, Byron Davis and Malcolm Rudolph won the bronze medal ride in 47.951sec.

- Reports: Gennie Sheer, Sheer Rhetoric, Cycling Australia

7/2

In the AWD (Athletes with a Disability) competition Melbourne's Michael Gallagher, 28, shattered his own world record in the LC1 men's 4km individual pursuit winning gold in a time of 4min40.378sec catching his rival, Great Britain's Gary Rosbotham-Williams with five laps remaining of the 12 lap race.

"I didn't expect it but I hoped for it and thought if I get everything right it could happen but it might have been a bit of a dream actually," said Gallagher who had been tipped to break his own kilometre time trial World Record yesterday but admits the pressure got to him. "It made it harder to break and if no-one was paying any interest it would have been easier.

"But after yesterday they got off my back and thought 'oh he's not in form' and no one was asking me how much I was going to break it by today," said Gallagher. "I smashed it last time by two seconds (World Championships in Switzerland last year) so four seconds is huge."

Mark French claims silver; Perkins Bronze

In a repeat of the 2003 final, Ryan Bayley (WA) lined up against Mark French, (St Kilda CC), who despite posting the fastest 200m qualifying time was no match for the experience of the West Australian champion who claimed the gold in two straight in the best of three heats.

French on Bayley - "He took me for a ride and I can't explain how frustrating it is," said French. "It's a bit of a confidence thing you have to get over when you're racing Ryan and I think he's already one up when you go to the line.

"Hard to get the right tactics against him and definitely after the first one the thought of having to race him three times - it doesn't appeal too much," said French. "I was trying to get to the front but there was no door to open and it's one of the frustrating things with racing him and in that last one he took me for a ride."

In the ride off for bronze it was another West Australia vs Victoria battle but this time Shane Perkins (Carnegie Caulfield CC) gave the southerners a win defeating 2006 junior kilometre World Champion, Scott Sunderland in two straight rides.

Tess Downing wins silver in Women's Points

In the women's 25km points race Tasmanian Belinda Goss won her first senior Australian title claiming the gold with 30 points, five clear of silver medallist and first year senior, Tess Downing (Carnegie Caulfield CC) with Amanda Spratt (NSW) third on 18 points.

Trevor Griffiths wins silver in U19 sprint

In the men's U19 sprint competition Byron Davis (QLD) proved too strong for Trevor Griffiths (Shepparton CC) taking the gold in two straight races. Jason Holloway of West Australia took the bronze.

LC3 men 3000m individual pursuit qualifying

Glen Jarvis (Albury Wodonga) won silver behind Michael Milton (ACT) who set a new National record. 

- Reports: Gennie Sheer, Sheer Rhetoric, Cycling Australia

5/2

17 year old Geelong cyclist Leigh Howard claimed another National title with a win over Travis Meyer in the JM19 Individual Pursuit.  Leigh rode the fastest time in qualifying and continued his form taking gold in 3.20.162 ahead of Meyer's 3.24.610.   Fellow Geelong rider James Langedyk finished 4th behind Jack Bobridge (QLD).   

Bendigo's Zakkari Dempster claimed silver in the Men's Individual Pursuit, clocking 4min30.145 to finish behind Phil Thuaux 4min24.955. Cameron Meyer (WA) defeated Michael Ford (Carnegie Caulfield CC) for bronze.

5/2

2007 Australian Track Cycling Championships begin today
 

Mon 5 to Sun 11 February
Dunc Gray Velodrome, Sydney
VICTORIAN TEAM RELEASE  |  RIDER PROFILES  |  EVENT SCHEDULE