The stars of the Revolution cycling series set to open in Melbourne next Saturday (24 November) have demonstrated hot form with some sensational performances on the opening two days of the Oceania Track Championships in Invercargill, New Zealand.
On the opening night on Wednesday, the New Zealand duo of Hayden Roulston and Greg Henderson captured the feature madison, despite a crash at the half way mark.
Henderson, the 2004 world 15km scratch race champion and dual Olympian, and Roulston, who with Henderson won a world championships silver medal in the madison in 2003, were too good for Australian brothers Travis and Cameron Meyer who finished with the silver medal.
Last night, world junior time trial world champion Scott Sunderland defended his Oceania 1000m time trial title. Sunderland will face Olympic champion Ryan Bayley and fellow Australian sprinters Ben Kersten and Mark French in the sprint and keirin events at Revolution 1.
In the all-Australian final of the women's elite sprint, Anna Meares won back some bragging rights from older sister Kerrie after losing to her in the same event at the Australian nationals earlier this year. Anna won the final two-nil.
''I brought all types of warm gear because I thought it was going to be like five degrees in here and not the best of venues, but when I got here it was really nice.
“The track is smooth, easy and nice to ride on - and you get a crowd, some places in Australia and around the world you don't get a crowd so it's nice to ride in a venue where there's a bit of noise,'' Meares told the Southland Times after the event.
New South Wales rider Kaarle McCulloch beat New Zealand's Natasha Hansen two-nil in the bronze medal ride off.
Henderson and Roulston will team up together in the madison at Revolution 1 to be held at Vodafone Arena in Melbourne next Saturday night.
The Meares sisters and McCulloch will also feature at Revolution 1 in Melbourne.
Talented young world junior champion Travis Meyer will team up with the equally talented Victorian Mitch Docker in a race that features Olympic champions Graeme Brown and Brett Aitken. Brown will ride with Cofidis road pro Chris Sutton and Aitken will team with Bendigo road star David Pell.
Two interesting pairings feature 2007 Jayco Herald Sun Tour winner Matt Wilson, who will team up with sprinter Hilton Clarke, and Astana teammates Aaron Kemps and Koen De Kort. Kemps won the opening criterium and two subsequent stages of the 2007 Jayco Herald Sun Tour and went on to claim the $50,000 first prize in the Noosa Dash for Cash criterium earlier this month.
For Wilson, Revolution 1 will be his first track foray since he was a teenager and he and Clarke have been back to the boards at every opportunity in recent weeks to prepare.
Madison Teams – Revolution 1
| 1 |
NAB |
Graeme Brown (AUS) |
Chris Sutton (AUS)
|
| 2 |
The Square Group |
Nick Sanderson (AUS) |
Miles Olman (AUS) |
| 3 |
Red Island |
Glen O’Shea (AUS) |
Leigh Howard (AUS) |
| 4 |
Investec |
Brett Aitken (AUS) |
David Pell (AUS) |
| 5 |
Team Brunetti’s |
Greg Henderson (NZL) |
Hayden Roulston (NZL) |
| 6 |
Bikestyle Tours |
Aaron Kemps (AUS) |
Koen De Kort (NED) |
| 7 |
San Benedetto |
Travis Meyer (AUS) |
Mitch Docker (AUS) |
| 8 |
2XU |
Sean Finning (AUS) |
Ryan Mackenzie (CAN) |
| 9 |
HLB Mann Judd |
James Langedyk (AUS) |
Evan Oliphant (SCO |
| 10 |
The Swanston Hotel |
Matthew Wilson (AUS) |
Hilton Clarke (AUS) |
| 11 |
Bicycle Superstore |
Zach Bell (CAN) |
Martin Gilbert (CAN) |
| 12 |
Impact Digital |
Peter Johnstone (AUS) |
Todd Wilksch (AUS) |
Direct from four sell-out seasons in the UK, the Revolution arrives in Melbourne for two big nights of racing featuring world and Olympic champions. The packed program of racing and entertainment is designed to breathe new life back into track cycling and create an exciting sporting spectacle.
Revolution 1
Saturday 24th November 2007 – Vodafone Arena from 7.00pm
Revolution 2
Includes Melbourne Cup on Wheels Final
Wednesday 19th December 2007 – Vodafone Arena
Tickets can be purchased from www.ticketek.com.au or by calling 132 849.
ENDS
For further information or to arrange interviews please contact:
David Culbert – 0417 272 641 or david@jumpmedia.com.au
www.cyclingrevolution.com.au