Australian Cycling high performance director Simon Jones tells critics where to go after no gold medal at world champs
Australian Cycling’s high performance director Simon Jones has told critics where to go and one of its star riders Amy Cure admits she is confused after the nation failed to win a gold medal at the track world championships in Berlin.
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Cycling Australia’s high performance director Simon Jones has responded to critics of its underwhelming track world championship campaign with a stunning two-word rant on Twitter.
The usually reserved and measured Jones took to social media late on Thursday night by posting:
“To all those key board experts out there – F*** you. We got a great team of riders, coaches, support and sponsors. Bring on Tokyo Team.”
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Jones’ Tweet came after Australia failed to win a gold medal for the first time in 12 years at the track world titles which last week were held in Berlin.
But Jones’ mantra since he replaced Kevin Tabotta following the 2016 Rio Olympics has been about ensuring the team peaks at the Olympics – which this year are set for Tokyo in July – and not at the world championships.
Australia has typically dominated at track world championships but has only won one gold medal at the past two Olympics which was Anna Meares in London, 2012.
Jones’ response on Twitter followed rider Amy Cure revealing she was at a loss to explain her performance in the madison – in which she and Annette Edmondson failed to finish – at the world championships.
“I’m honestly a bit lost for words. My team and I came into worlds feeling ready and in my opinion we had done everything right,” Cure wrote on Instagram.
“I was incredibly excited and motivated to show my country and supporters how good we (and I) can be.
“Disappointed is the only word that really sums up how I’m feeling. I was asked to sit out for the qualifying and 1st round of the teams pursuit, due to my back flaring after the long travel, it wasn’t easy to take. Although the girls ran a competitive time, they finished 5th.
“@nettieedmo and I gave our best effort in the madison, however we also couldn’t pull together the winning formula.
“Maybe how we performed is a current reflection of our abilities, or maybe we just didn’t show up on the day. All I know is we have some work to do.
“It’s been good to debrief these Champs over the last few days with my teammates and staff.
“Watch this space, you’re going to see what it takes to put us back up in the contest for that top step in Tokyo!”
Both of Australia’s men’s and women’s team pursuit squads went into the world titles as defending champions and missed the medals. The men also saw Denmark take four seconds off their world record with a stunning 4min 14sec rider over 4km.
Australia finished the world championships with two silver and once bronze medals – all to the sprinters. It was however without its best male sprinter in Matthew Glaetzer and team pursuit captain Kelland O’Brien who were both injured.
“Australia has had a pretty glittering history of winning world titles – in 2017 we won more world titles than you could poke a stick at and that is not what we are trying to achieve this year,” Jones said in a Cycling Australia statement.
“We want to win in Tokyo. Yes, we were aiming for podium performances here, or very close to, and you can’t hide the fact we have come up short in some areas.
“But we have to learn from it. We tried several different things here, and we have to settle on a plan and then train to it.
“Now we have finished this period. We gave everyone opportunities, and now we have to gather the facts and make some decisions now.
“There are five months to the Games which is a long time.”
In other Australian cycling news, the family of seriously injured BMX rider Kai Sakakibara has revealed he remains in a medically induced coma and breathing with the help of a respirator in a Canberra hospital after his racing crash on February 8.
The 23-year-old was flown to hospital and had surgery to relieve pressure on his brain after he crashed during the Bathurst World Cup.
“A few weeks ago, doctors were not confident he would survive,” his family said.
“But he has been fighting hard and doctors are now more optimistic he will make it.
“Kai has not woken up yet so doctors don’t have any real idea of the extent of the injury. However they do know he had a severe knock to the head, and they tell us rehabilitation will take many months.”
Kai’s sister Saya continues to train in Canberra as she targets a spot at the Tokyo Games also in BMX.
Originally published as Australian Cycling high performance director Simon Jones tells critics where to go after no gold medal at world champs