You can watch extended highlights from the UCI Track Nations Cup on SBS On Demand following the conclusion of the event on February 26.
14 Australians will race in Jakarta from February 23-26 in the same events as those at the Olympic Games in 2024: keirin, individual sprint, team sprint, Madison, omnium and team pursuit.
Headlining the Australian team in Jakarta is Matthew Richardson, who is looking to jump straight back to where he left off at the end of 2022 when he won the UCI Track Champions League sprint title.
“Pretty keen to rip into the season starting here at Jakarta Nations Cup,” Richardson said.
“My body is feeling good for this early in the season and I think people will definitely be more aware of me in races after the Champions League season I had.
"It (Jakarta) looks like a super nice track.
“I’ve heard it’s smooth and reasonably fast, so keen to get out there and ride it myself.”
Richardson is joined by fellow team sprint world champions Thomas Cornish and Leigh Hoffman as the three male sprinters in Jakarta.
It’s the first opportunity to race in the rainbow stripes for the trio, who became Australia’s first men’s team sprint world champions in a decade last October in France alongside Matthew Glaetzer.
“We can’t wait to get out there in rainbows,” Richardson said.
Commonwealth Games gold medallist Kristina Clonan rounds out the sprint side of the Australian Cycling Team in Jakarta.
10 endurance athletes join the sprinters in Jakarta, with a star-studded women’s quintet joined by a young men’s line-up.
UCI Women’s WorldTour riders Georgia Baker, Alexandra Manly, Amber Pate (all Team Jayco AlUla) and Maeve Plouffe (Team DSM) will be back in the team pursuit line with domestically based Sophie Edwards (ARA Skip Capital).
All five women have enjoyed a promising start to the year racing with their trade teams, with Manly winning a stage of the Santos Tour Down Under, Pate winning the elite women’s criterium national championship at the 2023 Federation University Road Nationals in Ballarat, and Baker and Plouffe coming in hot off the back of racing the UAE Tour.
Edwards joined the summer of cycling winner’s list earlier this month at the AusCycling National Road Series Lochard Energy Warrnambool Women's Classic in a sprint finish.
The 22-year-old Commonwealth Games gold medallist said she is looking forward to returning to racing on the boards.
“Getting the Warrny win was a nice reward after a tough summer block with a broken wrist and plenty of hours on the ergo! But it’s so early in the season, so I’m excited to really test the legs on the track then in Europe on the road from late April,” Edwards said.
“It’s definitely been a different track prep to what I’m used to, but I’m feeling really good from it.
“I think lots of volume plus plenty of time out in the Aussie sun has helped my body prepare for the conditions here in Jakarta.
“I’m excited because the track feels surprisingly familiar and fast – a few of us think it’s pretty similar in shape and style to Brisbane (Anna Meares Velodrome) so we’re looking forward to hopefully setting some quick times this week!”
The men’s endurance squad includes Commonwealth Games bronze medallists Conor Leahy, James Moriarty and Graeme Frislie, and fresh faces Oliver Bleddyn and Blake Agnoletto.
Bleddyn debuted for Australia at the elite level in the victorious men’s team pursuit squad at last year’s Oceania Track Championships, while Jakarta will be Agnoletto’s debut.
Indonesia’s wet season has come to play for the racing this week, with storms and high humidity potentially the perfect recipe for fast boards and fast times at Jakarta International Velodrome.
Australian Cycling Team squad in Jakarta:
Georgia Baker
Alexandra Manly
Sophie Edwards
Maeve Plouffe
Amber Pate
Kristina Clonan
Matthew Richardson
Thomas Cornish
Leigh Hoffman
Conor Leahy
Graeme Frislie
James Moriarty
Oliver Bleddyn
Blake Agnoletto
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