Olympic spots on the line as best Australian track riders compete for national glory
Australia’s best cyclists will face off at the national titles this week as the race for Olympic spots heats up. Here are the key names to look out for.
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The Olympic hopes and dreams of Australia’s best track cyclists go on the line later this week at the national titles.
This year’s national track cycling titles in Brisbane not only provides riders with the chance to wear the green and gold for the upcoming season.
It also puts them one step closer to competing in Paris at the Olympic Games.
Australia is set to field at least 13 riders, in both women and men, for the Games based on current rankings for the team pursuit, team sprint and individual events.
There will be more than 70 elite cyclists competing in women and men at the nationals.
So who are the riders to look out for ahead of the event?
We list them below.
Blake Agnoletto, Victoria – Finished sixth in the points race last year and helped Victoria to bronze in the Southcott Cup. Agnoletto is in good form heading into the track season after winning the under-23 criterium at the Road Nationals in Ballarat.
Graeme Frislie, Victoria – Helped Victoria to bronze in the Southcott Cup while also competing in other events. Frislie is a bronze medallist in the team pursuit at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in 2022.
Sally Carter, Western Australia – Makes the transition to elite after competing in the under-19s at last year’s titles. She finished second in the keirin and fourth in the individual sprint and will be looking to impress in the top grade.
Kristina Clonan, Queensland – The best sprinter right now in Australia. Clonan is right in contention to get to Paris and enters the national championship looking to defend her individual sprint title and the team sprint title with Queensland. Wins in both and she’s likely to be at her first Olympics. Clonan in the past two years has won silver (World Championships) and gold (Commonwealth Game) in the 500m time trial.
Thomas Cornish, New South Wales – Was part of the team sprint team at last year’s World Championships but didn’t race in the final. At last year’s national titles he won silver in the individual sprint, time trial and kierin.
Josh Duffy, Tasmania – Could be another rider off to the Olympics later this year. Duffy was part of the Australian team pursuit team which competed at the World Championships. He also finished third in the time trial at last year’s nationals.
Sophie Edwards, South Australia – One of Australia’s leading pursuit riders. Edwards last year won the individual pursuit at the nationals before combining with her fellow SA teammates to secure the teams title. She will be looking to back it up this year.
Matthew Glaetzer, South Australia -Looking to compete in his third Olympic Games after competing in Tokyo and Rio. Glaetzer was part of the team sprint team which won gold at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. He didn’t compete at last year’s national titles but has won plenty of championships before.
Leigh Hoffman, South Australia – On track for his first Olympics but the nationals will be crucial for his selection. Hoffman was part of Australia’s team sprint which won gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and World Championships. Last year, he won silver in the World Championships. Hoffman and his SA teammates will be defending the team sprint national title.
Wil Holmes, South Australia – Makes the rise to elite after claiming two national titles in the under-19s last year. The Croweater won the individual pursuit before adding the points race to his collection of wins.
Conor Leahy, Western Australia – Right in contention to be in the Olympic teams. Leahy last year won the individual pursuit gold medal and is part of Australia’s team pursuit team, looking to qualify for the Olympics.
Claudia Marcks, ACT – Unlucky not to win last year in the individual pursuit. She set the fastest time last year in qualifying before being beaten by Sophie Edwards in the final. Marcks is looking to make the Olympic team and join her mother as an Olympian. Her mother, Megan, won gold in 1996 at the Atlanta games.
Alessia McCaig, Victoria – Will defend two titles at the national championships. McCaig won the keirin and the time trial last year but will have to beat Clonan (above) in the time trial who did beat her at the recent UCI track meet. Is one of Victoria’s best chances of making the Olympic team.
Molly McGill, Queensland – McGill enters this year’s nationals looking to help Queensland win the elite women team sprint in elite women for the second year in a row. She also finished third last year in the time trial.
Chloe Moran, South Australia – On track to compete at her first Olympics later this year. Moran won gold at the Commonwealth Games in 2022 in the team pursuit. At last year’s nationals she won gold in the points and scratch race and also combined with South Australian teammates to win the team pursuit.
James Moriarty, Queensland – Finished second at last year’s national titles in the individual pursuit as well as fourth in the points race and scratch. He’ll have to overcome a major deficit to Leahy to win the individual pursuit title but Moriarty is improving every year. He was part of the 2022 Commonwealth Games team who won bronze in the team pursuit.
Matthew Richardson, Western Australia – One of the riders right in contention to be at Paris later this year. Richardson was part of the 2022 Commonwealth Games team which won the team sprint while he also won the sprint as an individual. He also competed at the last Olympics three years ago. The 24-year-old heads into this year’s nationals as the reigning champion in the individual sprint and the keirin.
Liam Walsh, Queensland – Finished fourth and sixth in the individual pursuit and scratch races respectively last year at the national titles in elite men. Last year he claimed the Oceania road races in both the under-23 men and elite.
Keira Will, New South Wales – An under-19 rider who makes the move to elite this year. She was one of the best riders in the age group last year, winning the madison for New South Wales and the points race on her own. Will also finished second in the scratch and won bronze in the individual pursuit.
Felicity Wilson-Haffenden, Tasmania – A rising star in the sport. She will compete in elite for the first time after being in the under-19s last year. She won gold in the individual pursuit and added silver in the points race.
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