French national team starter Johan Le Bon finished second overall, 28 seconds behind Dennis with Dutch rider Marc Goos of Rabobank a further 28 seconds back in third place.

The reigning U23 time trial and road race national champion had moved into the lead with an impressive win in the uphill time trial stage five after being within striking distance since the prologue where Jayco-AIS finished second in the team time trial, three seconds off the pace of their Rabobank rivals.

The Jayco-AIS team in Germany also included Jay McCarthy, Patrick Lane, Michael Freiberg, Calvin Watson and Damien Howson and Dennis praised his team mates for their support.

“It was a great team effort,” said a jubilant Dennis after his win. “They backed me from the start and I am so happy I could deliver on the TT day (Stage 5) and then hold onto the lead on the final day.

“It has been a pleasure to work with all of these guys for the past couple of months and I can’t wait to work with these guys again later in the year at the world championships,” said the two time team pursuit world champion, who headed to Europe for a block of road racing after claiming silver in the team pursuit at the track worlds in Melbourne in April.

But his focus will now turn back to the track as he heads off to join the track endurance squad for the pre-Games training camp.

“I couldn’t have wished for a better lead in to my final preparation for the Olympics,” said Dennis of his Thüringen experience.

Howson was the next best placed Australian finishing 12th overall at 1:23.

Ninety four of the original 126 starters completed the prestigious tour that featured under-23 riders from 13 nations.

Photo: © cas_ks

Her victory and bronze medals to Ashlee Ankudinoff in the women’s 3000 metre individual pursuit and to Cameron Meyer and Leigh Howard in the Madison pushed the Cyclones team to the top of the medal table with a total of 15 medals from 19 events made up of six gold, six silver and three bronze medals.

Great Britain had three less medals to finish second on the table also with six gold but with four silver and three bronze. Germany was the only other country to score more than one gold claiming two as well as two silver and one bronze medal. Five nations shared the remaining five gold medals on offer.

Women’s 500 metre time trial

Anna Meares lined up in the 500 metre time trial as the seventh of 23 starters. She hurtled out of the starting gate urged on by a mighty roar from the home crowd to clock 18.716 seconds for the first lap.

As the noise level rose so did Meares pace as she homed in on her mission to rewrite her name in the record books. The first woman to ride a sub 34 second 500 metres stopped the clock tonight in 33.010, agonisingly close to cracking the sub-33 second barrier and almost three tenths of a second faster than the mark set by Lithuanian Simona Krupeckaite to win the title in Poland in 2009.

“Oh man! Where can I find one-hundredth of a second? Seriously,” laughed Meares. “I can’t be too disappointed with that. I saw a 33.0 and someone asked me earlier today if I was going to run 32 and I said, ‘Nah, no chance.’

“One one-hundredth of a second though… seriously!”

The win is her second of the week and comes after her success in Saturday’s keirin. She also claimed bronze in the sprint and teamed with Kaarle McCulloch to place second in the team sprint.

“This track has been so good to me in the past and I haven’t ridden a time trial in 18months,” Meares said after claiming her fourth medal from four events. “I knew tonight was going to be special, I did forget how much (it hurt)… the old legs were hurting afterwards.

“My goodness I couldn’t believe how loud this crowd was for me tonight.”

Her previous world time trial crowns were won in 2004, 2007 and 2010 and she equals the record of of ten world titles in women’s sprint events held by retired French track legend Felicia Ballanger who coincidentally was at this week’s event to witness Meares ride.

“Its something special [to win] my 10th world title in the event where it all began for me eight years ago,” said Meares who dedicated the win to her first coach, Ken ‘Reg’ Tucker.

“Reg Tucker was the first coach who ever saw a spark of talent in me. I wasn’t always good at this sport when I first started at 11 years of age. I was generally a competitor making up the numbers but he saw something in me; he called me the ‘Ugly Duckling’ but he’s never doubted me in any way.

“About ten months ago Reggie didn’t even realise the worlds were going to be here this year so I rang him up and said, ‘I’ve got a plane ticket and some seats for you. You’re coming.’,” said Meares. “I’m glad that he did come because it’s something special.”

Tucker said the performance had left him nearly speechless, a state he rarely felt.

“I always did have faith in her but she has exceeded all my expectations and the ride was just wonderful,” Tucker said after seeing his charge excel over five days of racing.

“My form has just been phenomenal this week and I’m really pleased with how I’ve carried it through the five days of competition,” Meares explained. “Tonight it was special for me to ride the 500 but it was also very strategic as well: it’s day five of competition, there are five days of racing in London. And I’ve got to back up every single day after the first day of racing; I did that tonight and I’m really pleased.

“I love this event. For me it’s just such enjoyment. There’s no one else to get in my way, for starters. And it’s pure speed. And it’s pure control,” she explained adding that she wanted a technically perfect race from the gate to the line but isn’t sure if she pulled it off. “I don’t know. It hurt. I remember that much. I felt like I was at walking speed coming home in the last quarter lap. But, no, I haven’t gritted my teeth that hard in a race for as long as I can remember and I was fighting for everything I could get out of my body today.”

Meares compatriot McCulloch knocked two tenths of a second off her previous best finish in 34.097 seconds and just outside the medals in fourth. Germany’s Miriam Welte was second in 33.626 and Briton Jessica Varnish finished third in a time of 33.999.

Women’s Individual Pursuit

Sydney’s Ashlee Ankudinoff and Tasmanian Amy Cure both achieved person best performances in the 3000 metre women’s individual pursuit where the pair qualified for an all Australian battle for the bronze medal.

Cure’s 3:28.474 was the third fastest qualifying ride and as seven seconds under her previous best time while Anodic knocked four second of her previous mark with the fourth best time of 3:28.869.

In their head to head race for third place Ankudinoff, 21, hit the lead early and held a gap of around one second over Cure, 19, until the final four laps when the teenager fought back with her trademark late charge but it proved to be too late with Ankudinoff hanging on to win the medal in a time of 3:33.593, five hundredths of a second quicker than Cure (3:33.642).

Ankudinoff said she was ‘pretty stoked’ to claim a medal after missing out on her goal of a start in the team pursuit.

“I was the 2010 world champion (team pursuit) and then I was out with injury in 2011, so I fought back so hard in the start of the season for 2012. I just came out here put no pressure on myself. I’m happy to come away with a 3.28 to be honest.”

The gold medal in the pursuit heads across the ditch to New Zealand after a solid ride by Alison Shanks (3:30.199) to defeat Briton Wendt Houvenhaghel in the final (3:32.340).

Madison

Australians Cameron Meyer and Leigh Howard claimed the bronze medal in the 50 kilometre, 200 lap Madison that wrapped up the Championships.

The pair knew going into the race that they would be marked riders after winning the event at the past two world championships and on the back of Meyer last night winning his third world points race crown.

“I had it yesterday,” said Meyer of being marked through out the points race. “I came away with a win, but I spent 150 laps frustrated and today I spent 200 laps frustrated.

“It’s disappointing that some countries go out there with a mindset that ‘oh, we’re going to follow one team’,” said Meyer. “I know that’s bike racing, but I’m on the bad end of it, unfortunately, and so is Leigh (Howard).”

The gold medal was won by Belgian pair Kenny De Ketele and Gijs Van Hoecke. The last time Belgium won the title was in 1998 in Bordeaux when Etienne De Wilde and Australian born Matthew Gilmore scored gold. Gilmore is now on the Cyclones’ team as a coach for the Madison event.

The Belgian pair amassed a total of 24 points to finish six ahead of Great Britain’s Ben Swift and Geraint Thomas on 18 with the Australian duo third on 11 points.

Meyer paid “full credit” to the Belgians and to the British pairs.

“They had more points then us on the day and we’re still very happy to be on the podium in front of a home crowd,” Meyer said.

Men’s Keirin

Australia’s world champion team sprint trio lined up in the men’s keirin where Scott Sunderland was the best placed winning the consolation final to finish seventh overall. He won his first round heat but in the second round finished fourth missing the medal final.

Teenager Matthew Glaetzer was nursing burns and will take home a large splinter as a souvenir of his keirin campaign that saw him crash and slide in spectacular style in the first round repechage heat. Defending champion Shane Perkins also missed out on qualifying into the second round.

Sir Chris Hoy won the crown, the fourth keirin title of his career, which moved him to the top of the most wins table ahead of Frederic Magne of France and Germany’s Michael Hubner who have three titles each.

Germany’s Maximilian Levy was third and Hoy’s team mate jason Kenny was awarded the bronze medal after New Zealand’s Simon van Velthooven was relegated for not holding his line in the final sprint.

Hoy’s win was his  eleventh world championship victory.

2012 UCI Track World Championships – Cyclones Australian team list and medal summary

Gold
Men’s Team Sprint* – Shane Perkins, Scott Sunderland, Matthew Glaetzer
Men’s Omnium* – Glenn O’Shea
Women’s Keirin* – Anna Meares
Men’s Individual Pursuit – Michael Hepburn
Men’s Points Race – Cameron Meyer
Women’s 500 metre time trial – Anna Meares

Silver
Women’s Team Sprint* – Anna Meares, Kaarle McCulloch
Men’s Team Pursuit* – Jack Bobridge, Michael Hepburn, Glenn O’Shea, Rohan Dennis
Women’s Team Pursuit* – Josephine Tomic, Melissa Hoskins, Annette Edmondson
Women’s Omnium* – Annette Edmondson
Women’s Scratch Race – Melissa Hoskins
Men’s Individual Pursuit – Jack Bobridge

Bronze
Women’s Sprint* – Anna Meares
Women’s 3000m individual pursuit – Ashlee Ankudinoff
Men’s Madison – Leigh Howard and Cameron Meyer
* Events on the Olympic Games program

Anna Meares backed up from yesterday’s disappointment of third place in the sprint to successfully defend her keirin crown bringing the capacity crowd to their feet as she launched a burst of speed in the final 200 metres to come from the back of the six rider field and claim the win.

The fans barely had time to draw breath before they were on their feet again cheering an all Australian individual pursuit final that saw Michael Hepburn overcome world record holder and 2011 champion Jack Bobridge to claim the rainbow jersey.

Capping off the night West Australian Cameron Meyer reclaimed the points race title with a successful last gasp attack in the dying minutes of the race.

Earlier world titles debutant Annette Edmondson collected her second silver medal of the week finishing three points off gold in the women’s omnium.

Women’s Keirin

Anna Meares, 28, looked in control of the keirin from the start as she worked her way through the first and second rounds to qualify through to the medal final. Once there she took advantage of her current blistering top end speed that saw her break the flying 200 metre world record on Friday. She sat back in the field watching and waiting until the bell lap when she pounced, flying around the outside of her rivals four deep to sail across the line ahead of Russian Evgenia Gnidenko and Germany’s Kristin a Vogel.

The victory comes almost a decade after she claimed her first senior world championships medal, a silver in the keirin at the 2003 titles in Germany.

“To win this world title here, in front of my home crowd, is just fantastic,” said Meares of claiming her ninth world title on the same velodrome where she claimed her first rainbow jersey in 2004 in the 500 metre time trial. “I was really just hoping for one (title) in front of my home crowd and perhaps that’s a little bit greedy given how difficult it is to win one world title.

“But I really fought hard for that one and I’m so proud that I was able able to cross the line first.”

The keirin is an unpredictable race that pits six sprinters against each other over eight laps with the riders, in the case of the women, brought up 45km/h by a motorised bike (derny) over the first 1375 metres before they are left to battle for the line in a helter-skelter two and a half lap final dash.

But whilst Meares appeared to have dominated she rejected suggestions it was an easy win for her admitting she struggled to come to terms with Friday’s sprint defeat.

“My husband sat with me until late last night, just hugged me, made me feel better and made me realise it’s just a bike race in the end,” she explained. “I still felt disappointed when I woke up this morning, but I thought ‘today is a new day, the keirin’s a new chance, I know I’ve got good form, I know I’ve got good strength, I know I’ve got good speed, I’ve just got to back myself in’.

“I wasn’t going to be happy with coming in here and feeling sorry for myself and not performing today.

“It doesn’t make up for last night, it makes today special,” she said. “I’m really proud of the way I was able to pick myself up.”

She also managed to negotiate the slippery walk in bike cleats up the wooden track to clamber onto the fence to hug her husband, friends and first coach Ken “Reggie” Tucker who travelled from Rockhampton to Melbourne to cheer her on.

“Reg said he was as proud of me as if I was his own daughter and he has all boys so that meant a lot to me,” said Meares.

Team mate Kaarle McCulloch won through the keirin first round but in the second was outmaneuvered and missed a berth in the medal final. In the ride off for seventh to 12th place she was third across the line to finish ninth overall.

Men’s 4000 Metre Individual Pursuit

Australia’s next gold came in a race the Cyclones couldn’t lose as best mates, room mates and team mates, Michael ‘Heppy’ Hepburn and Jack Bobridge lined up in the gold medal ride to decide the 2012 individual pursuit world champion.

“I’m really lost for words at the moment,” said Hepburn after his win. “This moment, I’ve pictured a thousand times in my head but you never really understand what it is like to win in front of a home crowd.

“It was a great battle with Jack, it was unfortunate that I had to line up against one of my best mates and my room-mate (but) that was the way it was and fortunately I got across the line.”

Earlier in the day Hepburn, 20, had topped the qualifying round with the third fastest time ever ridden of 4:13.399 to set him up for a shot at the title against world record and title holder, Jack Bobridge, 22, who clocked 4:14.783 in the same heat.

The camaraderie between the pair was evident for most of the day until minutes before the race when they headed to separate sides of the track to wait. Bobridge launched out of the gate with his customary charge trying to establish a buffer against Hepburn’s renowned final kilometre fightback. At the first kilometre mark Bobridge was 1.2 seconds up on Hepburn and at each mark through to 3000 metres Bobridge maintained the margin. But once the riders hit the final four laps Hepburn ignited the after-burners and went after the gold. With every half lap the margin decreased until at two laps to go Hepburn edged his way into a tenth of a second lead.

Bobridge’s tank was empty and Hepburn crossed the finish line to win in a time of 4:15.839, half a second ahead of Bobridge (4:16.313).

But Hepburn said he wasn’t sure at the finish if he had done enough to win.

“I couldn’t quite believe when I went across the line,” he said. “About a kilometre to go, I honestly thought I was not going to make it as Jack was too far ahead. When I went to kick, I did not have as much as I wanted to, but in the end I did have enough.”

If Bobridge was disappointed to relinquish the rainbow stripes he wasn’t showing it rather he was brimming with pride over his friend’s achievement.

“Seeing such a great mate taking it off my back you know, being with ‘Heppy’, he’s like a brother to me so it’s as good as me winning it myself in front of a home crowd,” Bobridge explained. “I left everything out there today but I got beaten by the better guy on the day. It was well deserved.

Their friendship didn’t stop them from playing mental games leading into the event.

“The chitter chatter started before the qualifying and it continued right up until the final,” laughed Bobridge about their ‘trash talking’ duel. “But unfortunately he gets the bragging rights for the next year, so I’ll have to put up with him giving me stick for the next year.

“We go three-all now. We’re even with gold medals in senior titles, two team pursuits and one gold medal each so now it’s a drag race to see who can get the next one,” said Bobridge.

Australia’s third starter in the event, Rohan Dennis, had set the third best time in qualifying, clocking 4:16.051, to set up a bronze medal showdown with New Zealand’s Westley Gough (4:17.001) and a chance of a clean-sweep of the podium for the home team. Gough started stronger and led at the quarter distance mark before Dennis hit his straps and the lead after eight laps. With one kilometre to go Dennis seemed on track to win but as Gough fought back Dennis’ lost his grip on the bronze medal to finish 1.6 seconds after Gough for fourth place.

Men’s Points Race

Australia’s third win of the night had the entire stadium on their feet as the two time world champion Cameron Meyer fought to regain the title he relinquished last year.

It was Meyer against the rest of the world with his rivals marking his every move for almost the entire race. He managed to snaffle a few minor placings in six of the 16 sprints contested during the 40 kilometre, 160 lap event but Britain’s Ben Swift, Belgian Kenny De Ketele and Spain’s Unai Elorriaga Zubiaur sprinted their way to the top three placings and countered Meyer’s repeated attempts to break clear in a bid to grab the 20 points on offer for lapping the field.

“Oh, I definitely gave myself a heart attack out there, it was one of the most nervous bike races I’ve ever done I knew it was going to go something like that before the start,” he explained. “I knew I’d probably go in as one of the favourites and I’d get followed a lot and it was quite frustrating out there at times. But I never gave in.

“I had to do a lot of the work and whenever I went I’d always have a few followers with me, but I know in a points race the ‘lacky’ (elastic) band will always snap at some point and I just had to back myself that I had the strongest legs and that I could snap that ‘lacky’ band at the end.”

As it turned out ‘at the end’ was a spot-on prediction with Meyer’s eleventh hour attack launched with 20 laps to go. Kiwi cyclist Aaron Gate jumped aboard with a ‘Mexican wave’ of sound roaring around the track beside the pair as they worked together to gain the lap.

“He (Gate) helped me a lot out there and I used him just to recover enough and you could see that with five laps to go he’s just given me enough recovery to put in two big laps and put in that bridge to the peloton and take the lap,” said Meyer.

“I snapped it (the elastic) right towards the end with a few laps to go,” he said grinning. “I just like to make it good for the crowd.

But Meyer wasn’t sure whether his dramatic lap gain was enough to give him the win.

“I didn’t know where I’d finished when I came over the line I had to wait until it came up on the board,” he said of the wait to see his points total of 33 appear at the top of the leader board. ” It’s a one point win, but one is enough.

“There’s just no way to describe the feelings that I have right now.”

Meyer has contested six points races at world championship level and described tonight’s as ‘probably the most special’.

“I was never going to give in on my home turf. It’s one of the pinnacles of my bike career so far,” said the 24 year old who along with Leigh Howard will tomorrow ride in defence of the Madison title they have won for the past two years. “I’m going to be just as motivated to win tomorrow, it’s the third one and I’m sure Leigh’s (Howard) very excited about that race and I’d love to win another race in front of the home crowd.”

The silver medal went to Swift (32 points) while Belgium’s De Ketele hung on for third place (28 points)

Women’s Omnium

In the women’s omnium Annette Edmondson was pipped for gold by Britain’s Laura Trott.

20 year old Edmondson had started the day tied with Trott on eleven points after three of the six races that make up the medal event. Trott edged one point ahead after the pursuit round and finished one place ahead of Edmondson again in the scratch race. The pair went head to head in the 500 metre time trial decider where Trott again pipped Edmondson by one place to finish with a final points tally of 28, three better than the Australian. American Sarah Hammer was five points further back to claim the bronze medal.

“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want those rainbows,” said Edmondson after racing in only her second international class omnium event. “(But) to come away from my first World Championships with two silver medals (other was team pursuit) is really, really encouraging for me especially given it’s an Olympic year.”

She also placed second in her World Cup omnium debut in London in February and hopes the next time she races in London will be for Olympic gold.

“That’s definitely the target. I’ve done a lot of PB’s (personal bests) today and yesterday in my timed events so I know that I’m on the right track,” said Edmondson whose only slip came in the elimination race where she was four places lower than Trott. “I’ve got a bit of experience to gain in the bunch races. I made a bit of a mistake in the elimination but I think it’s all promising and with a bit more work I think a gold at the Olympics is realistic.”

Men’s Sprint

The final event of the night was the men’s sprint which was won by Frenchman Gregory Bauge. He was the fastest qualifier here and began today’s campaign for gold by defeating Australian team sprint gold medal winner Shane Perkins in their semi-final bout.

He beat Perkins in two straight heats while in the second semi final Britons Sir Chris Hoy and Jason Kenny went head to head in what many suggested was an Olympic selection trial to determine who would nab the sprint start for TeamGB in London in August.

Kenny won the first heat from the front holding off Hoy’s charge and in the second came around the Scotsman to pip him on the line.

That put Perkins, 25, in a bronze medal match up with 36 year old Hoy whose experience and pace proved too much for the hometown favourite who went down in two straight heats to finish the sprint in fourth place.

In the gold medal showdown Bauge took the first heat and the early lead before Kenny fought back in the second to level the score. However officials reviewed the race and ruled Kenny had breached the rules by riding out of the sprint lane in the final 200 metres. They relegated him to second which gave Bauge the heat and the gold medal.

It’s the third sprint crown for the French sprinter who also won in 2009 and 2010. He had also been crowned champion last year but was later stripped of the individual sprint and the team sprint crown he won with France due to a backdated suspension for failure to comply with whereabouts rules for doping controls and for missing a test.

Coming up

Four gold medals are up for grabs on Sunday’s final day of racing. Anna Meares and Kaarle McCulloch will contest the 500 metre time trial with Meares hoping to reclaim the crown she first wore in 2004 which was also the year she won Olympic gold in the same event. Ashlee Ankudinoff and Amy Cure will contest the women’s 3000m individual pursuit. Cameron Meyer and Leigh Howard are hoping to add a third straight Madison title to their collection and sprinters Shane Perkins, Matthew Glaetzer and Scott Sunderland will line up in the men’s keirin.

2012 UCI Track World Championships – Cyclones Australian team list and medal summary

Gold

Men’s Team Sprint* – Shane Perkins, Scott Sunderland, Matthew Glaetzer
Men’s Omnium* – Glenn O’Shea
Women’s Keirin* – Anna Meares
Men’s Individual Pursuit – Michael Hepburn
Men’s Points Race – Cameron Meyer
Silver

Women’s Team Sprint* – Anna Meares, Kaarle McCulloch
Men’s Team Pursuit* – Jack Bobridge, Michael Hepburn, Glenn O’Shea, Rohan Dennis
Women’s Team Pursuit* – Josephine Tomic, Melissa Hoskins, Annette Edmondson
Women’s Omnium* – Annette Edmondson
Women’s Scratch Race – Melissa Hoskins
Men’s Individual Pursuit – Jack Bobridge
Bronze

Women’s Sprint* – Anna Meares
* Events on the Olympic Games program

If the trio of Victorian Shane Perkins, 25, West Australian Scott Sunderland, 24, and South Australian Matthew Glaetzer, 19, had been outside on Olympic Boulevard their 62.4 kilometre per hour average pace would have earned them a speeding fine but on the track it produced a time of 43.266 seconds and earned a gold medal over Gregory Bauge, Kevin Sireau and Michael D’Almeida of France who were a miniscule thousandth of a second slower in 43.267.

“Absolutely unbelievable!” said Sunderland who rode second wheel in the three man, three lap race over 750 metres. “Words can’t really describe how good it feels. We came in here with three really strong riders and to do what we did tonight is what we dream of and what we train hard for…. and in front of a home crowd is the icing on the cake.”

The team had qualified third fastest behind top seeds France (43.247) and Germany (43.349) to set up a showdown with fourth fastest Great Britain (43.533) for bronze. However both the Brits and the Germans (along with the USA and Greece) were disqualified for a breach of the event rules and that moved the Australians into the gold medal final.

“We came here wanting to do a personal-best time, we did that in the qualifying (43.512),” said Perkins. “Then obviously we heard we were in the gold ride-off, our energy and excitement went up another level.

“We knew we had the ability, we knew we had to bring our times down and we did that.”

Perkins led the team out of the gate with French starter Bauge marginally quicker over the first lap before Sunderland nailed his lap outpacing Michael D’Almeida to move the home team into the lead. He then swung up to make way for the team’s teenage anchor-man Glaetzer who, up against 200 metre world record holder Kevin Sireau, clocked the fastest third lap of any rider this year to seal the win. The time eclipsed the Australian record set by the trio in November at the Kazakhstan round of the World Cup (43.589) and betters the all-comers record set by Britain’s Jason Kenny, Matthew Crampton and Chris Hoy (43.829) at the Melbournne Commonwealth Games.

“We knew we had some improvements to make from qualifying and (it is) handy to know that you can lift in the final,” said Sunderland. “We did that and made it as smooth as possible. Everyone doing their job in the team was what we needed to happen and in the end we set an Australian record and claimed a world title.

“That’s what you do the big training for, the thousandth of a second and everyone did their part and in the end we’re world champions,” said Sunderland of the slim winning margin.

Glaetzer, who was the 2010 junior world champion in the sprint and keirin, was thrilled to finish off the team effort.

“It’s all about the team, there’s no individual rides in there,” said Glaetzer. “For Shane to do a blinder of a lap and Scotty to pull me through as strong and as fast as he did, it’s just a perfect set up for me. I had the easy job to sit on and then just bury myself and hang on to the end and the crowd got behind us, I mean it’s a huge lift to hear that ambient roar in the background as you’re coming up to the finish line. It’s just an incredible feeling.”

Glaetzer says the home crowd roar certainly spurred him on.

“The Aussies go ballistic no matter what position you’re in (but) at the end the last half lap, they just erupted and I knew that we were in for a shot and just buried myself even harder. The crowd is amazing.

“This is what we dedicate our lives for and for it to pay off at the highest level and get the highest result is just phenomenal.”

Australia last won the men’s team sprint world title in 1996 and were retrospectively awarded bronze in last year’s event after France was relegated for a doping violation.

“We know we have to go faster leading up to the Olympics … to come away with a win after it being a work in progress is absolutely fantastic,” said Perkins.

Cycling Australia Sprint Head Coach, Gary West, was overjoyed with the result.

“I just can’t really put in in words at the moment what we’re experiencing,” said West who during the day moved from rider to rider dispensing motivation, advice and encouragement as they prepared for competition. “We spoke all day today about team, about being a team, about playing our part and playing our role. I threw a couple of challenges out, one to be the best they could be in their respective positions, and two to ride faster than any Australian team and on both occasions they did it and I’m just so pleased with the guys.

“In true Aussie fashion they got a sniff, got an opportunity and nailed it,” said West of their elevation to the gold medal ride. “Maybe it was meant to be, I don’t know, but I do know these kids work incredibly hard. We have an incredible support team around us from mechanics, to soigneurs, to managers, to other coaches and sports scientists, they do a wonderful job and it came together tonight.”

Earlier the women’s team sprint gold was won by Germany’s Miriam Welte and Kristina Vogel who defeated Australia’s three time and defending world champions Anna Meares and Kaarle McCulloch. Both teams set a blistering pace.

The German duo had qualified fastest over the two laps (500m) in 32.630, clipping a little over a tenth of a second off the world record set by Great Britain’s Victoria Pendleton and Jessica Varnish in London in February. The Australian pair also lowered that mark with the second fastest qualifying time of 32.752.

But the ink in the record books had no time to dry as both teams upped their pace in the final where the German duo shaved almost a tenth of a second off the record to win gold in 32.549. Meares and McCulloch came agonisingly close to a fourth straight title with their time of 32.597 but had to settle for silver. In the bronze medal ride China’s Jinjie Gong and Shuang Guo defeated Pendleton and Varnish.

“That’s just bike racing for you,” said McCulloch. “We lost probably by a tyre (width) tonight, but that’s racing. I’m so happy to come here and ride under the current world record, but to come second to the Germans in a world record, we can’t ask for anything more.

“It’s nice to come here after the London World Cup where we didn’t have anybody on our side,” said McCulloch of racing in front of a home crowd. “Tonight I got that extra, just from the crowd and all my families in the back straight, and down in the home straight. And what a fantastic opportunity for us, I’m just so grateful.”

“We rode outside of our skins tonight and we performed as a team and really got beaten by the better team tonight and we’re really proud of the Germans girls,” said Meares. “They have been working very hard and you can see their progression over the years as well, which is good to see.”

“We got beaten by a better team, by the Germans who surprised us a little tonight, but I’m just super proud of the girls,” said West. “The same challenge went out to them, to be the best they could be and ride faster than they ever had. On both occasions they rode faster and on both occasions they would have broken the previous world record but each time they were nailed by a better outfit on the night.”

Both McCulloch and Meares will line up tomorrow in the individual sprint in which Meares is the defending world champion while the men have a day off competition.

In the much anticipated men’s 4000 metre team pursuit battle it took a world record ride by Great Britain to dethrone the Australians who were trying for a hat trick of titles. The British quartet of Ed Clancy, Peter Kennaugh, Geraint Thomas and Steven Burke, who replaced qualifying round starter Andrew Tennant, stopped the clock in 3.53.295 to hold off a late charge by the Australian foursome of Jack Bobridge, Michael Hepburn, Rohan Dennis and world championship debutant Glenn O’Shea. The Australian time of 3.53.401 was just a tenth of a second slower.

The winning time lowered the mark of 3:53.314 set by the Brits to win the Olympic Games gold medal in Beijing and both teams predict it will take another world record ride to secure Olympic Games gold in August. New Zealand posted a time of 3:57.592secs to beat Russia (3:59.237secs) and claim the bronze medal.

“Obviously it’s pretty disappointing, we went over there (London World Cup), we got one up on their home soil, and they’ve come here and kicked us back in the guts and beat us here,” said Bobridge.

“We would of liked it the other way around maybe but we didn’t get beaten by a bad time at all, we rode our personal best and they rode the world record,” said Bobridge. “We got beaten by the better team on the day (and) that’s just the way it is. You can’t complain when you get beaten by someone who breaks a world record.

“They looked awesome in qualifying, they rode an awesome final and we just couldn’t beat them today,” said Bobridge when asked if there was something the Australians could have done better. “We’ve been able to beat them the last two years and they’ve come out today and kicked us in the guts and we have to take that and use it as energy and really strive to come back and give them a kick in the guts in London.

“It will be best of three, like I said we got one on them and they got one here, the next win will be Olympic champions so hopefully we can turn the cards around come the Olympics.”

Hepburn agrees with his team mates assessment of the night.

“There wasn’t a whole lot we could have done and hat’s off to the British team, they’ve picked up a lot in the past month and they deserve the victory,” Hepburn said. “They’ve got a lot quicker but at the same time there are some positives we can take out of this. Our number one goal is for the Olympics and irrespective of the time that’s still the fastest time we’ve done together, so there are some positives.

“It’s always hard losing and this crowd’s been great to us but the British boys were better than us tonight,” he said. “What we’re going to do now is lift again. We’ve really got to step up now, we knew it was going to be fast, we knew it was going to take a world record to win and we just got beaten in those last few laps.”

In the other final contested on day one South Australian Alex Edmondson was 16th in the 15 kilometre (60 lap) men’s scratch race won by Britain’s Ben Swift ahead of South African Nolan Hoffman with Dutch rider Wim Stroetinga third.

“Preparations have been going well and everyone has been working hard to be in top form for the championships,” said Cycling Australia National Performance Director, Kevin Tabotta. “This is a rare opportunity for the team to race at the very highest level in front of a home crowd with family and friends in the stands to support them.

“To claim the rainbow jersey of world champion is a very special honour but the most important thing is for each and every member of the team to deliver their very best and I’m confident that will be the case in Melbourne.”

Melbourne is also the major track event on the calendar between now and June when nominations for Olympic Games selection are lodged with the Australian Olympic Committee.

Reigning sprint and keirin world champion Anna Meares will be lining up in her tenth elite world titles on the same track where she won the 500 metre time trial in 2004 to claim her first rainbow jersey in senior competition. Kaarle McCulloch, with whom Meares has won the past three team sprint world titles, will join her to race the women’s sprint events.

In the men’s ranks 2011 keirin world champion, Shane Perkins will line up with Scott Sunderland and Matthew Glaetzer, in the team sprint. The trio set an Australian record in Kazakhstan in November at the opening round of the World Cup and at last month’s London round, 19 year old Glaetzer rode the fastest last lap of the competition. The trio will also cover the keirin and sprint while Australian champion James Glasspool will race the kilometre time trial in his first senior world championships team.

Ashlee Ankudinoff is back in the team after injury derailed her bid for selection in 2011. She joins fellow 2010 pursuit world champion Josephine Tomic who along with Amy Cure and Annette Edmondson posted an Australian record on their way to the team pursuit bronze medal last month in London. Melissa Hoskins, who won the scratch race in London, completes the women’s endurance line up.

Cameron Meyer and Leigh Howard are set to defend their Madison crown and Meyer is also hoping to reclaim the points race title he relinquished last year. The remaining six named today, Jack Bobridge, Rohan Dennis, Michael Hepburn, Alexander Edmondson, Glenn O’Shea and Mitchell Mulhern, are vying for one of the remaining five places in the team.

Bobridge won gold in the individual pursuit at last year’s world championships in the Netherlands and, along with Dennis, Hepburn and Luke Durbridge, won the team pursuit crown. Last month in London, Bobridge, Dennis, Hepburn and Edmondson combined to set the third fastest time in history to defeat Great Britain in the team pursuit but O’Shea and Mulhern have also performed strongly this season at other world cup events and remain in contention for a team pursuit berth. A final decision will be made by the end of the month.

2012 UCI Track World Championships – Cyclones Australian Team

Sprint Group
The eight sprint events are team sprint, sprint, keirin and time trial for both men and women.

Kaarle MCCULLOCH (Gymea Bay, NSW 20.01.1988) 2011 team sprint world champion
Anna MEARES (West Richmond, SA [formerly QLD] 21.09.1983) 2011 team sprint, sprint and keirin world champion
Matthew GLAETZER (Paradise, SA, 24.08.1992)
James GLASSPOOL (Fairview Park, SA 08.06.1991)
Shane PERKINS (Clayton South, VIC 30.12.1986) 2011 keirin world champion
Scott SUNDERLAND (Waneroo, WA 16.03.1988)

Endurance Group
The eleven endurance events are men’s and women’s team pursuit, individual pursuit, scratch race, points race and omnium plus the Madison for men.

Ashlee ANKUDINOFF (Menai, NSW, 20.08.1990)
Amy CURE (Penguin, TAS 31.12.1992)
Annette EDMONDSON (Stirling, SA, 12.12.1991)
Melissa HOSKINS (Lesmurdie, WA, 24.02.1991)
Josephine TOMIC (Perth, WA, 09.06.1989)
Jack BOBRIDGE (Evanston Park, SA, 13.07.1989) * 2011 individual and team pursuit world champion
Rohan DENNIS (Vale Park, SA 28.05.1990) * 2011 team pursuit world champion
Alexander EDMONDSON (Stirling, SA 22.12.1993) *
Michael HEPBURN (Brookfield, QLD 17.08.1991) * 2011 team pursuit world champion
Leigh HOWARD (Waurn Ponds, VIC, 18.10.1989) 2011 Madison world champion
Cameron MEYER (Helena Valley, WA 11.01.1988) 2011 Madison world champion
Mitchell MULHERN (Carseldine, QLD 22.01.1991) *
Glenn O’SHEA (Ridleyton, SA [formerly VIC] 14.06.1989)

The finalists in each category are:

Scody 2011 People’s Choice Cyclist of the Year
Cadel Evans
Matthew Goss
Anna Meares OAM (triple 2011 world champion)
Stuart O’Grady
Mark Renshaw
Steele Von Hoff

Mavic Track Cyclist of the Year – Male
Jack Bobridge (dual 2011 world champion)
Michael Freiberg (2011 world champion)
Shane  Perkins (2011 world champion)

Mavic Elite Track Cyclist of the Year – Female
Katherine Bates
Kaarle McCulloch (2011 world champion)
Anna Meares OAM (triple 2011 world champion)

Cycling Central Elite Road Cyclist of the Year – Male
Luke  Durbridge (dual 2011 world champion)
Cadel Evans
Matthew Goss
Christopher Sutton

Cycling Central Elite Road Cyclist of the Year – Female
Shara Gillow
Rochelle Gilmore
Chloe  Hosking

SBS Television Elite Mountain Bike Cyclist of the Year – Male
Jared Graves
Michael Hannah
Chris Jongewaard

SBS Television Elite Mountain Bike Cyclist of the Year – Female
Rebecca Henderson
Katherine O’Shea
Leonie Picton

Singapore Airlines Elite BMX Cyclist of the Year – Male
Brian Kirkham
Sam Willoughby
Khalen Young

Singapore Airlines Elite BMX Cyclist of the Year – Female
Caroline Buchanan
Melinda McLeod  (dual 2011 world champion)
Lauren Reynolds

Jetset Glynde Elite Para-cyclist of the Year – Male
Michael Gallagher OAM (2011 world champion)
Kieran Modra OAM & pilot Scott McPhee (2011 world champion)
David Nicholas (2011 world champion)

Jetset Glynde Elite Para-cyclist of the Year – Female
Carole Cooke (2011 world champion)
Felicity Johnson & pilot Stephanie Morton (2011 world champion)
Susan Powell (triple 2011 world champion)

Jetset Glynde Masters Cyclist of the Year – Male
David Stevens (dual 2011 world champion)
Geoff Stoker (triple 2011 world champion)
Gavin White (triple 2011 world champion)

Jetset Glynde Masters Cyclist of the Year – Female
Lise Benjamin (2011 world champion)
Sandra Bletchly
Linda White

Junior Track Cyclist of the Year – Male
Alexander Edmondson (dual 2011 world champion)
Caleb Ewan (2011 world champion)
Jackson Law (dual 2011 world champion)

Junior Track Cyclist of the Year – Female
Georgia Baker (2011 world champion)
Taylah Jennings (dual 2011 world champion)
Emily Roper (2011 world champion)

Junior Road Cyclist of the Year – Male
David Edwards
Bradley Linfield
Calvin Watson

Junior Road Cyclist of the Year – Female
Jessica Allen (2011 world champion)
Jessica Mundy
Emily Roper (2011 world champion)

Junior Mountain Bike Cyclist of the Year – Male
Troy Brosnan (2011 world champion)
Connor Fearon
Billy Sewell

Junior BMX Cyclist of the Year – Male
Corey Frieswyk
Darryn Goodwin (2011 world champion)
Bodi Turner

Junior BMX Cyclist of the Year – Female
Madison Janssen
Melinda McLeod (dual 2011 world champion)
Molly Nichols – Pavy

Cycling Australia Coaching Award
Hilton Clarke
Andrew Jackson
Si?n  Mulholland

Coaching Program of the Year
Cycling Australia / Australian Institute of Sport High Performance – Men’s Track Endurance
Cycling Australia / Australian Institute of Sport High Performance – Para-cycling
Cycling Australia / Australian Institute of Sport High Performance – Sprint
The following awards & trophies will also be presented on the night.

Other Awards
Cycling Australia Media Award
Keith Esson Award
Cycling Australia National Road Series Champions (individuals and teams)
Australian Club Premiership
Norm Gailey Trophy – Champion State
Australian Sports Commission Volunteers of the Year Awards

In the Junior Womens Time Trial on Monday Jessica Allen took gold over 13.9 km and in the U23 Mens, Luke Durbridge gold and Michael Hepburn bronze over 35.2 km.

In the Junior Mens Time Trial on Tuesday over 27.8 km, Australian cyclist David Edwards got bronze, “I am really happy about my bronze medal – I was a very good nice circuit, there were parts with wind and other parts with no wind and there were many technical turns. I liked racing inside the city – the crowds were amazing”.

The Wednesday Elite Mens Time Trial was taken by German Tony Martin ahead of Bradley Wiggins and Fabian Cancellara with Aussies Jack Bobridge and Richie Porte finishing a very respectable 5th and 6th.

“It was definitely a real power course into a headwind. I look at those guys (the medallists) and how many seasons they have under them, how old they are and their experience and I’m just really happy to be amongst all those guys,” said Bobridge. “(My result) It surprised me and I surprised some others as well.”

26-year-old Porte was slower in the early kilometres but finished strongly and agrees the course was tailor made for strong, power riders.

“I would have loved a couple more climbs in there but it is what it is,” said Porte. “To be honest I was expecting a little more but I can’t really complain. Tony (Martin) was in a world of his own.”

On Friday the U23 Mens Road Race and Junior Womens Road Race take place with Saturday for the Elite Womens and Junior Mens Road Race and the Elite Mens Road Race on Sunday.

Cycling Australia National Performance Director, Kevin Tabotta, says selectors have taken a lot of factors into consideration to decide the final line up from the long teams named last month.

“I believe we’ve put together teams best suited for the course taking into account recent form and results,” said Tabotta. “We’ve considered the possible scenarios that might arise during the race and selected the riders to suit.”

Australia has topped the medal table at the past two road world championships.

“We go into the event with the goal of winning medals,” said Tabotta. “Our women are certainly capable of a place on the podium and our men’s team is one of the strongest we’ve ever named. We will be competitive.

“It was certainly one of the hardest teams to pick because the depth and quality in the men’s elite ranks is very healthy right now,” said Tabotta. “The team has proven finishers and strong experienced team players who can guide our team of nine riders towards a result. We also have quality options for a large group finish.”

Elite Men

Jack BOBRIDGE (Evaston Park SA, 13.07.1989 / Garmin Cervelo) TT
Simon CLARKE (Selby, VIC  18.07.1986 / Astana) RR
Baden COOKE (Benalla, VIC 10.12.1978 / Saxo Bank) RR
Simon GERRANS (Jamieson, VIC 16.05.1980 / Team Sky) RR
Matthew GOSS (Cressy, TAS 05.11.1986 / HTC Highroad) RR
Heinrich HAUSSLER (Inverell, NSW 25.02.1984 / Garmin Cervelo) RR
Mathew HAYMAN (Araluen, NSW 20.04.1978 / Team Sky) RR
Stuart O’GRADY OAM (Unley Park, SA 06.08.1973 / Leopard Trek) RR
Richie PORTE (Hadspen, TAS 30.01.1985 / Saxo Bank) TT
Michael ROGERS (Garren, ACT 20.12.1979 / Team Sky) RR
Chris SUTTON (Sylvania, NSW 10.09.1984 / Team Sky) RR

reserves
Adam HANSEN (Edmonton, QLD 11.05.1981 / Omega Pharma Lotto) RR
Mark RENSHAW (Bathurst, NSW 22.10.1982 / HTC Highroad) RR

Elite Women

Shara GILLOW – (Belli Park, QLD 23.12.1987 / Team Jayco AIS) (Oceania RR & TT Champion) RR & TT
Rochelle GILMORE (Stanwell Tops, NSW 14.12.1981 / Lotto Honda)  RR
Taryn HEATHER (Mildura, VIC 31.08.1982) TT
Chloe HOSKING (Campbell, ACT 01.10.1990 / HTC Columbia) RR
Jessie MACLEAN (Campbell, ACT 17.10.1985 / Verducci Breakaway) RR
Carla RYAN (Teneriffe, QLD 21.09.1985 / Garmin Cervelo) RR
Amanda SPRATT (Springwood, NSW 17.09.1987 / Team Jayco AIS) RR
Vicki WHITELAW (Dunlop, ACT 02.01.1977 / Lotto Honda) RR

Reserve
Belinda GOSS (Devenport, TAS 06.01.1984) RR

Juniors
This year junior U19 events rejoin elite and U23 events at the World Championships. The junior team was selected in June.

Jessica ALLEN (Doubleview WA, 17.04.1993)
Jessica MUNDY (Ashton SA, 25.09.1994)
Allison RICE (Ainslie ACT, 24.03.1994)
Alexander EDMONDSON (Stirling, SA 22.12.1993)
David EDWARDS (Cleveland QLD, 21.04.1993)
Jackson LAW (Balgownie, NSW 02.02.1993)
Bradley LINFIELD (Dalyellup WA, 29.06.1994)
Nicholas SCHULTZ (Arana Hills QLD, 13.09.1994)
Calvin WATSON (Frankston VIC, 06.01.1993)

Carly was a former runner who came into cycling through a talent identification scheme. She was a scholarship holder at the Queensland Academy of Sport for two years and raced domestically with the MBCycles team from 2006 to 2008.

Carly won the women’s Cycling Australia National Road Series in 2008 after earning points in all six rounds. She moved to Italy in 2009 to pursue a cycling career racing with the Michela Fanini-Record-Rox team up until this season when she joined Cassina Rizzardi A Style Fionucci.

Former team mate Liz Young rode with Carly for two years in the MBCycles team.

“Carly was a bright, friendly, energetic young person,” said Ms Young. “She had a great passion for her sport and for life in general.

“When she was around 19 she decided she wanted to become a professional cyclist and she pursued that dream with a great deal of passion,” she said. “She dedicated her life to her sport and to her friends and family and was a very positive person to be around.”

“Our thoughts are also with the members of the Ipswich Cycling Club where Carly was a member,” said Mr Fredericks.

Her family and fianc? Cameron Rogers have asked Cycling Australia to release the following message:

We appreciate everyone’s kind thoughts on the very sad news we received overnight, regarding Carly’s sudden passing in Italy.

Carly has been racing in Italy for the past three years and loving every minute of it. She was living her dream. It was her passion, along with her love for Cameron, to whom she was to be married in October this year.

They spoke to each other constantly, not a day went by without numerous calls.

Her love of cycling was fostered from a very early age by her parents, her father Mark and brother Luke, riding along with her and her mother Ros, was a constant support and gave her great encouragement.

Carly’s many friends throughout the world have been coming forward with messages of love for Carly, Cameron and their families.

We very much appreciate these messages but do ask that everyone respects our privacy at this time to allows us time to come to terms with what has happened

Special thanks go to the cycling community for their support and many, many messages.

Yesterday 19 year old Luke Durbridge claimed a bronze medal in the road time trial to give the Aussie cyclists a total of 21 medals made up of 14 gold, three silver and four bronze medals. On the track Australia claimed twelve of the 14 gold medals presented and on the road won two of the four events on the schedule.

‘Turbo Durbo’ was a last minute addition to the Cyclones team for Delhi and arrived in great form having claimed the silver medal in the U23 time trial at the recent World Championships. He also raced on the track in support of gold medalist Cameron Meyer in the points race and played a role in Allan Davis‘ road race victory. But the final day of cycling competition gave the West Australian teenager a chance to ride for himself and he rose to the challenge. His time was a minute slower than the winning pace of Scotland’s David Millar, who covered the 40km race against the clock in 47:18.66. England’s Alex Dowsett was only six seconds quicker than Durbridge to secure the silver medal. Millar was second in the elite men’s time trial at the World Championships while both Dowsett and Durbridge stepped up from U23 ranks to ride ten kilometres further than they usually race over.

Aussie young-gun Rohan Dennis also put in an excellent performance to finish sixth.

Earlier in the day South Australia’s Alexis Rhodes just missed the medals with her fourth place in the women’s 29km event. Canada’s Tara Whitten won in 38:59.30 with New Zealand’s Linda Villumsen second and England’s Julia Shaw in the bronze medal position. Despite suffering heat stress as the temperature soared past 40 degrees, Vicki Whitelaw, hung on to finish in seventh position whilst team mate Ruth Corset was 12th.

Source: Cycling Australia