Tokyo Olympics: Stay up to date with the latest cycling news from the track
Far from content with a bronze medal, Australia’s team pursuit cyclists are already planning their assault on gold in Paris.
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Australia’s bronze medal cyclists are already forming as gold medal contenders in Paris after a freak crash robbed the team of momentum to fight for first in Tokyo.
The men’s pursuit team were considered the top contenders entering the Olympics but Alex Porter’s freak crash from a mechanical failure put the squad on the back foot from day one.
In an Aussie fightback for the ages the team – Kelland O’Brien, Sam Welsford, Lucas Plapp and Leigh Howard, with support from Porter – was able to fight through a knockout round to race and win bronze.
It has left some in the Australian camp dwelling what could have been had the team, which won the world championship in 2019, started the Olympics well and had a shot at gold.
O’Brien, breaking the tradition of most athletes who decline to predict the future, said the Paris 2024 Olympics was now a “huge” focus.
“In coming to the end of an Olympic cycle you’re always thinking about the next one,” he said.
“That elusive gold medal, I don’t think you could ever have too many of them and even if we had of won I think we’d all be thinking about the next one.
“After this week we’ll reset and start thinking about Paris and beyond.”
While a crash cut the bronze medal battle between Australia and New Zealand short after 3km, analysis of the race reveals both teams were on pace with the world record-beating time set by Italy in the gold medal final.
The age of the Australians is considered a positive, with Porter and Welsford (25), O’Brien (23) and Plapp (20) thought to race in at least one more Olympics – while the experienced Howard is 31.
Of Australia’s tougher-than-expected Tokyo 2020 campaign, O’Brien said the team was proud.
“We wanted gold, it’s what we came for but in some respects I think we really held our heads high,” he said.
The Paris Olympics will be held between July 26 and August 11, 2024.
BRUTAL AFTERMATH OF JAW-DROPPING AUSSIE BRONZE
Australia has prevailed in a “dogfight” battle for bronze against New Zealand to complete a stunning fightback days after a horror crash almost sent the team packing.
The men’s team edged a win in the nailbiting team pursuit battle for bronze — giving Australia its first victory of the tough track campaign.
The countries traded fastest laps before a crash in the New Zealand pack halfway through the race shifted the momentum Australia’s way with Kelland O’Brien, Leigh Howard, Sam Welsford and Lucas Plapp winning bronze.
It is a staggering recovery from earlier in the week when the team was almost knocked out of medal contention after Alex Porter’s crash.
Welsford said bronze felt like a gold medal after the “rough start” in the campaign.
“It’s not the colour we wanted but for us to be on the podium today after everything we’ve been through … for us to bounce back from what happened on the first day is pretty special,” he said.
“We really wanted to go out there and show the world what we could do and fight back with that true Aussie Olympic spirit.”
Porter, who is recovering from Monday’s crash and did not ride in the bronze medal race, felt the team was racing for him.
“They’ve had my back the whole way through this process and I’m so pleased they were able to go out there and have the chance to show everyone what they’re capable of,” he said.
Australia and New Zealand were within three-tenths of a second for three-quarters of the race before Aaron Gate crashed with a handful of laps to go.
Despite the crash, Plapp said the Kiwis were tough competitors.
“We were here for the fight – we’ve fought for the last three days to be here through some pretty tough moments so to be on that podium is pretty deserving for what we’ve gone through,” he said.
In the final Italy set a new world record on its way to beating Denmark for a gold medal.
Separately, Australian Kaarle McCulloch has progressed to the next stage of Keirin.
The 33-year-old suffered nerves before her first race but overcame to book a spot in Thursday’s quarterfinals.
“I’ve put everything I can into the strategy for the Keirin now and we just have to see what happens,” she said.
McCulloch said the vibe in the Australian team was “still pretty positive” despite a tougher than expected start to the track cycling campaign.
“Any sort of chip in the road you just take it on the chin,” she said.
McCulloch said her strategy in Keirin – a race where tactics are as important as speed – will either “pay off really big or it won’t”.
Australia’s track sprinters have pledged to come back stronger after a tough day on the track with Matt Richardson and Nathan Hart unable to progress to the finals.
The sprint squad was dealt a major blow two hours before the event when former Commonwealth Games gold medallist Matthew Glaetzer was ruled out “unwell”.
Glaetzer, who was considered one of Australia’s best medal chances, was replaced by Richardson.
The Australian team said Glaetzer was unwell after riding on Tuesday but declared there were no concerns about Covid-19.
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Originally published as Tokyo Olympics: Stay up to date with the latest cycling news from the track
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