A near sell-out crowd flocked into the Darebin International Sports Centre in Melbourne last night to watch an entertaining program of high class track cycling, highlighted by the 2013 Cycling Australia Madison National Championship.

The 50km (200 lap) Madison National Championship was taken out in convincing fashion by Victoria's Leigh Howard and Kenny De Ketele, the current Madison World Champion from Belgium.

Second place went to the South Australian duo of George Tansley and Miles Scotson, and third place to the German combination of Marcel Barth and Andreas Muller. The Australian Madison title was presented to the first full Australian team across the line - Tansley and Scotson.

The first half of the event was dominated by an early attack by Tansley and Scotson. The South Australians weren't considered one of the pre-race favourites for the event, and their early attack was largely ignored by many teams.

As a result they achieved a lap on the field within the first 35 laps of the 200 lap event. However, just prior to the half way point of the race Leigh Howard and Kenny De Ketele realised that they needed to get that lap back soon and launched a series of attacks which broke the field apart, and with 102 laps to go they drew level with Tansley and Scotson on laps, and held a small lead on points.

From this point of the race onwards, De Ketele and Howard continued to apply pressure and drew away on points from the South Australian duo. However, Tansley and Scotson rode exceptionally well to maintain their lap advantage on the rest of the field, and were rewarded with second place in the event, and their first Australian titles.

Howard and De Ketele are no strangers to international success but were still very pleased with the racing and their performances. As Leigh Howard put so succinctly, "It was nice to be back on the boards. It's good for the legs, and good for the road form". Kenny De Ketele was similarly pleased.

"I'm quite good at Melbourne tracks (a polite reference to his 2012 Madison World Championship title in Melbourne). It was good fun out there. Leigh rode very well, and we teamed well together". It was a particularly impressive effort from Howard and De Ketele, especially considering that they had never even practised together before.

The winners of the Australian title - George Tansley and Miles Scotson were nothing short of ecstatic with their performance. It was the first time either of them had been presented with the coveted Australian Champion's jersey, and as Scotson described so perfectly "This is a dream come true. It certainly hasn't sunk in yet, but I'm looking forward to when it does".

Other winners on the night included 16 year old Jack Edwards from NSW who took out the 77th Melbourne Cup on Wheels Final over Miles Scotson (SA) and Glenn O'Shea (SA). The Women's edition of the Melbourne Cup on Wheels saw Annette Edmondson from South Australia victorious over Isabella King (WA) and Fatehah Mustapha (Malaysia).

South Australia’s Glenn O’Shea and Annette Edmondson have continued their stellar 2012 campaigns by claiming the Omnium national titles at the 2013 Cycling Australia Omnium Track National Championships at Melbourne’s DISC Velodrome.

Reigning world champion O’Shea was almost perfect in the men’s omnium, claiming wins in four of the six events, the points, individual pursuit, scratch and kilometre time trial, and second in the elimination race and flying lap.

“It’s a little bit of relief, as there is always that added pressure coming into a championship like this being the world champion, “ said O’Shea, who also finished fifth in the omnium in his Olympic debut in London. “It’s been a pretty good two days for me.”

A true test of stamina, speed and endurance, the omnium has competitors racing in six events over two days - the flying 250m lap, points, elimination and scratch races, the individual pursuit and a time trial. Points are awarded to each rider based on placings in the events and the cyclist with the lowest tally at the end deemed the winner.

Recently crowned Oceania omnium champion, South Australia’s Luke Davison held a narrow one-point lead over defending champion O’Shea after the first three events held on Thursday.

Despite a personal best time of 13.028 seconds for O’Shea in the opening ‘flying lap’ event, Davison managed to pip his rival for the win being the only rider to break the 13-second barrier, recording 12.937 for the 500m distance.

The world champion showed his class however, with a solid victory in the points race ahead of Davison and Victoria’s Alex Morgan, before Davison then pipped O’Shea in the third event, the elimination race.

O’Shea then took the win in the 4000m individual pursuit with a time of 4mins 26.838secs, with a fifth place to Davison giving O’Shea a valuable three point lead heading into the final two events.

O’Shea quickly extended his lead to five points following a strong victory in the elimination race which saw him take a lap on the field.  And despite a puncture which forced him to ride the final two laps of the 1km time trial with a flat tyre, he posted his fourth win to secure the crown.

“I got pushed the whole way by Luke, but I managed to get away from him today with a couple of good rides in the pursuit and scratch,” said O’Shea. “I was pretty happy with the time trial time considering the puncture.

Fresh from his silver medal at the Glasgow Track World Cup in early November, O'Shea also claimed a stunning win in the Ghent six-day event.

“I went to Glasgow a few weeks ago and I was in pretty good form as I trained really hard for that," said O'Shea who claimed his third national omnium titles after victories in 2008 and 2012.

“But I rode quicker here in everything except the time trial but I got the puncture, and I was pleased with my form in the bunch racing, so with two months to go until worlds, it is going alright,” added O’Shea.

O’Shea will contest the Tasmanian Christmas Carnival Series in late December, before turning the 2013 Subaru Track National Championships to be held in Sydney from January 30 to February 2.

Davison (14 points) took the silver medal, with the junior world champion Morgan (26 points) claiming bronze.

In the women’s omnium, the 2012 world silver and Olympic bronze medalist Edmondson was simply unstoppable as she claimed her second national omnium crown in two years.

It was pure cycling perfection from the South Australia as she claimed victories in all six events to finish on the lowest score possible - six points – twelve clear of fellow Olympian Amy Cure of Tasmania who finished level on 18 points with West Australia’s Isabella King.

Cure was awarded the silver medal due to a faster time when the pursuit, flying lap and 500 metre time trial times were tallied.

“I came in here hoping to win it and had a lot of confidence after the Oceanias,” said Edmondson, who claimed the omnium title at the Oceania Championships in Adelaide last month in similar fashion, claiming victories in all six events.

“I was pretty surprised with my Oceania performance to be honest, as I wasn’t sure where my form would be at post London.

“And I know that even now I am not in peak form, so it is really positive going into the rest of the season,” she added.

In the first three events held on Thursday, Edmondson recorded a personal best time in the opening event, the flying lap, posting the only sub 14-second ride.

The South Australian then claimed a convincing win in the points race before withstanding a strong challenge in the elimination race from Canberra’s Rebecca Wiasak to take the win.

In the final three events held on Friday, Edmondson posted the fastest individual pursuit time (3:35.302) by four seconds, before a comfortable victory in the second last event, the scratch race.

Edmondson then bumped it up a gear in the final event, the 500m time trial, posting the fastest time of 35.812secs to seal the complete set of victories.

“Anything can happen in an omnium so I just had to focus on each individual race as it came and I managed to pull off the race plan in most occasions, so I am very pleased,” who reclaimed the title she won in 2011 after finishing third in 2012 to Sydney’s Ashlee Ankudinoff.

“And to top it off with six wins, it’s great,” she exclaimed.

Like O’Shea, Edmondson will contest the Christmas Carnivals in Tasmania before turning her attentions to the Track National Championships in Sydney.

“It sounds a bit greedy, but I will be focusing on all three events in Sydney,” said Edmondson, who celebrated her twenty-first birthday last Wednesday.

“The individual pursuit is number one for me, as I am aiming for the pursuit team for worlds so am looking for a good time.

“But obviously I would like to cement my place in the other two events, the scratch and points, as they will be a decision maker as to who rider the omnium.  Even though I have had a good performance here and at Oceanias, I need to keep on my toes at all times,” added Edmondson.

Jack Edwards of New South Wales was far too good for his opponents in the under 19 men’s omnium. with the 16-year-old rocketing his way to a resounding 18 point victory.

In the opening event, Victoria’s junior world time trial champion Zac Shaw (13.164) posted the fastest time for the flying lap, just ahead of Edwards (13.504).

However Edwards put the pedal down in the next three events and claimed consecutive victories in the points and elimination races, plus the individual pursuit, to bolt to a stunning 15point lead after four events.

Edwards was pipped into second place by South Australia’s Joshua Harrison in the penultimate event, the scratch race, before finishing second in the 1km time trial (1:05.245) behind Shaw (1:04.348).

Edwards finished on 9 points, with Victoria’s Mathew Ross claiming the silver with 27 points, just one ahead of South Australia’s Joshua Harrison (28pts) who took the bronze.

“I got a bit worried dafter Zac (Shaw) go the first event as I knew he’d be tough competition,” said Sydney’s Edwards, who will now turn his attentions to the Australian Youth Olympic Festival which will be held from 16 – 20 January 2013 in Sydney.

“But I went hard in the next three events and then all the boys kept me down to earth heading into the final two events so it all worked out really well.”

In the under 19 women’s event. Josie Talbot (NSW) claimed her first national omnium crown following a consistent performance which saw her finish in the top three in all six events.

Talbot, 16, posted a convincing victory in the points race for her lone win, however it was four second place finishes in the flying lap, individual pursuit, scratch and 500m time trial which secured her win. Talbot also finished third in the elimination race.

“I am pretty ecstatic about it, it’s my first under 19 national title, so I am really happy,” said Talbot, who hails from Camden in Greater Western Sydney.

“I am really focused on making the team for the junior worlds later next year, but I was just picked in the Australian Youth Olympic Festival team so I am pretty excited about getting to ride for Australia in January,” Talbot added.

Talbot finished on 12 points, five ahead of Tasmania’s Lauren Perry (17pts) who took the silver medal following wins in the individual pursuit and scratch race and a third in the points race.

The podium mirrored that of the 2013 Oceania Championships held in Adelaide in November with West Australia’s Elissa Wundersitz (20pts) taking the bronze medal following victories in the elimination race and time trial in addition to third in the flying lap.

West Australia’s Emily McRedmond was the other rider to post a victory after she recorded the fastest time in the flying lap.

The 2013 Cycling Australia Madison National will be decided on Saturday night and is the final event of the Melbourne Cup on Wheels Carnival beginning at 6.30pm.

Key Details

2013 Cycling Australia Omnium, Para-cycling and Madison Track National Championships
Thursday 13, Friday 14 and Saturday 15 December 2012
Darebin International Sports Centre (DISC), Melbourne.  Map.

Official website http://tracknationals.subaru.com.au/

Twitter https://twitter.com/CyclingAusTrack

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CyclingAusTrack

Australia’s track Para-cyclists wrapped up their 2013 Cycling Australia Para-cycling National Championships campaign with a host of reigning Paralympic and world champions hitting the track for the pursuit finals at Melbourne's DISC Velodrome yesterday afternoon.

In the men’s C5 pursuit final, reigning world and Paralympic champion Michael Gallagher of Victoria claimed yet another title in a dominant display, catching his South Australian opponent Loz Shaw inside the final few laps.

“After London it was hard to come up again, but it is nice to come here and come out and have a ride with no pressure really, just get back into it, said Gallagher who added to the time trial gold medal he claimed on Thursday.

“I put the track bike tougher just last week and road the (Victorian) state titles and was very happy with my times there, so I am happy with my times for where I am training wise and for the future,” he added.

Reigning world champion Simone Kennedy (NSW) collected her second gold of the championships, this time in the WC3 pursuit final.

The reigning pursuit world champion and London Paralympic silver medalist covered the 3000m distance in a time of 4mins 36.367secs.

“I am very happy with my performances here at these championships,” said the 18-year-old, who claimed gold in the time trial on Thursday.

“I didn’t really know what to expect as I only got my track bike back from London a couple of weeks ago, so didn’t come here with too many expectations.

“So to come away with two gold medals is great, but I will now focus on the road worlds and then look towards the 2014 track worlds,” Kennedy added.

Queensland’s Davis Nicholas was also sporting his rainbow jersey in the men's C3 pursuit final.

Nicholas, who claimed gold in Friday’s time trial final, stopped the clock in 3mins 50.895secs, just outside the time required to claim the gold medal.

In the women’s C4 3000m pursuit final, world champion Alex Green lined up against Paralympic champion Sue Powell in an exciting final.

The pair last met in the 2012 UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships pursuit final in Los Angeles, where Green got the better of Powell.

However she couldn’t repeat the performance in today’s final with Powell recording a time of 4mins 12.469secs to take the gold medal, seven seconds ahead of Green’s 4mins 19.554secs.

It was Powell’s second gold medal performance of the Championships after claiming the time trial on Thursday and as a result, she was named the 2013 Para-cycling Champion of Champions.

“I didn’t really come with any expectations, as I have been pretty busy and training has taken a backward step.  But I have obviously carried some form through which is really pleasing,” said Powell.

In other events, Bryce Lindores (QLD) and pilot Mark Jamieson (TAS) took gold following a sensational ride in the men’s Tandem 4000m pursuit.

The pair caught their New South Wales rivals of Matt Formston and pilot Michael Curran just inside five laps to go to take their second godl medal of the Championships after winning Thursday’s time trial.

Canberra’s Paul Kennedy and pilot Graeme Allbon claimed the bronze medal, also catching their opponents Queensland’s Zachariah Clarkson and pilot Simon McLennan inside the final kilometre.

Jayme Richardson (NSW) took the bronze medal in the women’s C1 3000m final after posting a time of 5:03.018.

The 2013 Cycling Australia Omnium and Para-cycling National Championships concluded yesterday, with the Madison National title to be decided tonight.

Key Details

2013 Cycling Australia Omnium & Para-cycling Track National Championships
Thursday 13 and Friday 14 December 2012
Darebin International Sports Centre (DISC), Melbourne, VICTORIA.  Map.

Official website http://tracknationals.subaru.com.au/

Twitter https://twitter.com/CyclingAusTrack

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CyclingAusTrack

Tickets: Evening Sessions: Adult - $10.00, Concession/Child U13 -$5.00.  Tickets at the door.

South Australia’s Luke Davison narrowly leads the men’s omnium over SASI teammate and world champion Glen O’Shea while Annette Edmondson (SA) leads the women’s standings after three rounds of the 2013 Cycling Australia Omnium National Championships at Melbourne's DISC Velodrome.

Davison (4pts) leads O’Shea (5pts) by one point after the 21-year-old claimed the opening round’s flying lap and round three’s elimination. West Australian Stephen Hall currently sits in third position on 14 points.

Despite a personal best time of 13.028 seconds for O’Shea, Davison managed to pip his rival for the win being the only rider to break the 13-second barrier in the flying lap, recording 12.937 for the 500m distance.

However the champion showed his class in round two’s points race finishing on 49 points over Davison (39 points) and Alex Morgan (VIC) on 34 points.

A mid race break of four established including Stephen Hall (WA), Peter Loft (TAS) and Alex Morgan (VIC) with O’Shea seeing the benefit of being involved.

The South Australian put in a huge effort to close the gap while Hall claimed the sprint lap.

Davison wouldn’t be left behind and once the National Road Series champion joined the group, it wasn’t long before the break lapped the main field and earned 20 bonus points each, ensuring O’Shea was well out of reach from the main field.

“In the points race Glen showed he is very capable and a very classy rider - he is the best omnium rider in the world and is showing some very good form so I will need to recover well and come out firing for tomorrow’s races,” Davison explained.

O’Shea wasn’t deterred by being behind after three rounds saying he was enjoying the inter-team rivalry.

“I have been working really hard for the points race and I was really determined to come out and have a red hot crack at it,” O’Shea said following his round two win.

“I think I showed a bit of dominance after that round which I was really happy with.

“Luke and I are going head to head which is goof fun actually. It’s good to have someone to really push you to your limits,” O’Shea remarked.

Similarly Davison said despite the pair preparing to contest the Madison together on Saturday night, the SASI teammates did not train together.

“We respect each other and I think that rivalry makes things interesting,” Davison said.

In the women’s omnium it was South Australia’s Annette Edmondson who continued her recent sizzling form, claiming all three events on day one of the championships.

Edmondson leads the standing after three rounds on 3 points to Isabella King (WA) on 7 and Amy Cure (TAS) 10 points.

Edmondson recorded a personal best time for round ones flying lap posting the only sub 14-second ride of the day in the women’s event with 13.965. The 2012 omnium world silver and Olympic bronze medalist finish half a second ahead of West Australia’s Isabella King (14.458) with fellow London Olympian Amy Cure (14.623), in third.

Edmondson also claimed the second and third rounds, finishing the points race with 35 points, 10 ahead of ACT’s Rebecca Wiasak (25 points) and 15 over West Australia’s Isabella King (20 points).

Wiasak challenged the reigning Oceania champion, lapping the field after winning the third sprint, allowing the 28-year-old to claim a bonus 20 points.

However it was not enough to hold off 21-year-old Edmondson, the South Australian dominating all other sprints to seal the win.

Edmondson clinched the elimination win over Isabella King, second and Amy Cure third.

“I was lucky I didn’t get pipped with about five riders to go and I really switched on for the rest of the race,” Edmondson said following her round three win.

“I have got some great competition here with Bella King who is hot on my heels and Amy Cure and a few juniors performing well so I really want to cement another win here like I did at the Oceania champs.

“The challenge going into tomorrow will be to keep switched on heading into the final three races,” Edmondson concluded.

In the under 19 omniums, Victoria’s Zac Shaw was on equal points to 16 year-old Jack Edwards (NSW) in the men’s event, both riders on three points heading into round three’s elimination.

Earlier in the day, Shaw had won round one’s flying lap in 13.164 seconds over Edwards on 13.504 and Josh Harrison (SA) on 13.720.

Edwards took it to the junior world time trial champion winning the points race after securing three sprints, finishing with 19 points over Shaw on 10 and Sam Welsford (WA) on 7.

However the Victorian failed to fire when it came to the crunch, being eliminated first in round three’s elimination, allowing Edwards to claim victory over Theodore Yates (WA) and Josh Harrison (SA).

Josie Talbot (NSW) leads the under 19 women’s omnium after round three following her win in round two’s points race.

Talbot convincingly took out the points race with 13 points over South Australia’s Alex Manly (7 points) and Tasmania’s Lauren Perry (7 points).

West Australia’s Emily McRedmond (14.888) took out round one’s flying lap with Talbot finishing second (14.960) and West Australia’s Elissa Wundersitz (15.050) while Wundersitz clinched round three’s elimination over Alex Manly (SA) and Talbot.

The final three events of the omnium – pursuit, scratch and time trial - will be held on Friday.

The 2013 Cycling Australia Omnium, Para-cycling and Madison National Championships conclude on Friday, with the Madison National title decided on Saturday night.

Key Details

2013 Cycling Australia Omnium & Para-cycling Track National Championships
Thursday 13 and Friday 14 December 2012
Darebin International Sports Centre (DISC), Melbourne, VICTORIA.  Map.

Official website http://tracknationals.subaru.com.au/

Twitter https://twitter.com/CyclingAusTrack

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CyclingAusTrack

Tickets: Day Sessions: Free of charge, Evening Sessions: Adult - $10.00, Concession/Child U13 -$5.00.  Tickets can be purchased at the gate upon entry into the velodrome