NSWIS track cyclists depart for World Championships

Four NSWIS athletes have been named in the 17-member Australian Team which departed Adelaide on Wednesday evening bound for the 2020 UCI Track Cycling 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.

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. 

Reigning women’s world champions Ashlee Ankudinoff, Georgia Baker and Annette Edmondson will team with World Championship debutant Maeve Plouffe in the team pursuit.

Ankudinoff will be looking to defend her individual pursuit crown.

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.

Thomas Cornish will make his World Championship debut after being brought into the team to replace Glaetzer. Cornish will contest the team sprint on the opening day of competition with Nathan Hart and Matthew Richardson.

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.