South Australian cycling champ Maeve Plouffe set for Track Down Under, world championships

One of SA’s best young cyclists is making her mark on the big stage, winning a place on the Australian team at the coming world titles in Berlin and tonight’s Track Down Under.

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There appears to be no stopping outstanding young athlete Maeve Plouffe as she keeps ticking off achievements in cycling.

Fresh off a top 2019 Plouffe, 20, has just won selection for the first time in an Australian team for the UCI Track World Championships in Berlin, Germany, between February 26 and March 1, 2020.

Before then it is a busy schedule with a call up to the Track Down Under (Friday, January 17) and then full steam ahead for the world titles.

Her meteoric rise in the sport has not surprised many in the sport, especially SASI cycling head coach Brett Aitken.

“The rise of Maeve in the past 12 months has been a standout,” Aitken said.

“She has really come on and jumped a few girls on the way.”

Another budding SA star Sophie Edwards also is taking all before her, winning a place in the Uni SA women’s team for the Tour Down Under between January 16 and 26.

SA cyclist Maeve Plouffe. Picture: AAP/Morgan Sette

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Plouffe’s selection for the world championships in Berlin comes hot on the heels of her success at the UCI Track World Cup in Brisbane in mid December where she teamed with Georgia Baker, Ashlee Ankudinoff, Annette Edmondson and Alex Manly to win gold in the women’s pursuit final against New Zealand.

The men also won gold in their pursuit final with SASI graduate Alex Porter part of the team. For Plouffe her world titles selection keeps her very much in the frame for the Tokyo Olympics.

South Australian cyclist Maeve Plouffe is a member of Cycling Australia's Podium Potential Academy. Picture: Cycling Australia

In Berlin she will team with the four riders who won gold in Brisbane plus Amy Cure will come into the line up.

Plouffe said she was over the moon with her debut selection to the world championships. “This feel like a dream,’’ Plouffe said.

“To my teammates, staff and to all the people who genuinely believed in me and helped me get here … thank you. Let the hard work continue – Berlin here we come.’’

Alex Porter, Annette Edmondson, Alexandra Manly, Matthew Glaetzer and Stephanie Morton are the other South Australians heading to Berlin.

Originally published as South Australian cycling champ Maeve Plouffe set for Track Down Under, world championships