World junior champ Wilson-Haffenden primed for Tour Down Under
Hobart’s junior world champion Felicity Wilson-Haffenden will make her pro racing debut in the Tour Down Under. But before then, she’ll make an appearance on Tasmania’s Christmas Carnivals circuit.
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World junior time trial champion Felicity Wilson-Haffenden will use two TasCarnivals stops as a springboard for her professional racing debut at the Tour Down Under.
The 18-year-old Hobart talent is back home after initial camps with European-based American team Lidl-Trek, who she signed with after her heroics at the UCI Road World Championships at Scotland in August.
She has been released to compete at Launceston on December 28 and the Ulverstone Criterium on December 30, and may also ride at Burnie on New Year’s Eve.
Wilson-Haffenden won the Launceston Wheelrace in 2022 and is keen to help support the events which helped launch her onto the world stage.
After winning the road race and time trial at under-19 level last year, Wilson-Haffenden will step up to under-23 level at the Road Nationals in Ballarat early next month.
The Tour Down Under then awaits from January 16, where she will look to assist Lidl-Trek’s overall honours hope and fellow Australian Amanda Spratt in Adelaide.
“It (Tour Down Under) is a massive step up and going to be a big challenge, I can’t wait to get stuck in,” Wilson-Haffenden said.
“It’s almost the perfect scenario, getting to do your first race in Australia. It’s a baby step before a big step, I guess.
“We’ve got some really good riders in our team like Amanda Spratt, who has a very good chance of winning. I’m hoping to play my role in the team well enough to support them the best I can.
“I went to watch the race last year and it gave me goosebumps thinking about riding it. With the crowds and everyone you know are all there, it’s a cool one to race.”
Wilson-Haffenden will provide plenty of intrigue at the TasCarnivals alongside fellow Tasmanian gun Lauren Perry.
“It’s always great to race in front of a home crowd,” she said.
“Launnie is the first wheelrace I won too so, it’s great to go back there and see the all the people who put a lot into it and support them.”
Wilson-Haffenden is looking forward to challenging herself with Lidl-Trek, and will base herself in Spain.
“We’ve had a team building camp and it was so cool,” she said.
“It was like walking into another world, just the cyclists there you watch on TV and they’re treating you like a normal human. It’s really exciting.
“We’re all in their world tour team. They’ve brought in five juniors who race a few of the big races, but mainly the lower ones.
“I’m excited to be in an environment where everyone challenges you. It’s about performing and growing, and being the best you can be.”
Launceston’s Commonwealth Games representative Josh Duffy will also compete at the Christmas Carnivals, along with multiple national champion Graeme Frislie, stalwart Steven Hall and Queensland-based national kilo champion Byron Davies.
Malaysia’s defending Launceston wheelrace champion Azim Aliyas headlines a strong international contingent to race across the carnivals.
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