ARA Australian Cycling team sprint gold leads a four-medal haul at the Tissot UCI Track Nations Cup

The ARA Australian Cycling Team has taken no time to assert itself on its home boards, winning gold in the men’s team sprint on the opening day of the 2024 Tissot UCI Track Nations Cup at the Adelaide Super-Drome.

The home team were hunting a larger haul of gold from the evening session, but were forced to settle for two silver medals and a bronze across the earlier events, but the night was capped off with gold team sprint to Matthew Richardson, Matthew Glaetzer, Leigh Hoffman crossing the line more than half a second ahead of Japan.

The fourth member of the squad Thomas Cornish rode in qualifying and joined his teammates on the top step of the podium.

“I don’t think we really could have asked for more today. We executed basically to the plan that we set before we came in and I think the win is just the cherry on top,” Richardson said.

Executing the game plan was a sentiment shared by both Glaetzer and Hoffman.

“It was a credit to how well we work as a team, how consistent we can be, and that we can just back each other in to rip another super-fast time every time we step out on the track, so got an awesome team here and good things to come,” Glaetzer said.

“We all have a team job to play and that’s my job and we all just stuck to the plan. We had ambitious gears today for all three of us, and I think we can take away the confidence of pulling out that time at the end,” added Hoffman.

Earlier, Australia’s night started brightly when Blake Agnoletto also rode a well-executed race in the men’s elimination, only bested by Canadian star Dylan Bibic on the final lap.

“I just kept pressing to the front, maybe one or two times I got caught out a little bit, but it wasn’t anything detrimental, and the one person Glenn (O’Shea - coach) told me to watch out for was Bibic,” Agnoletto said.

“Me and him were always near the front, so there was not really that much I could do. You look at it now when you’re not at 200 beats per minute, and maybe I could’ve done the last lap a little bit differently, but I was pretty happy with how it went.”

After also taking second place in the Track Nations Cup elimination race in Milton, Canada last year, Agnoletto is quickly mastering the race format.

“I really like it. It’s just like really fast paced. It’s not a super long race but if you know how to ride it and you like super close racing, then it’s one you’re going to like,” Agnoletto said.

“Hopefully this year, at the end of the year, I might be able to have a crack at it if I’m in the World’s squad, but each time I do it, I’m getting more comfortable with it, learning how to race it, and it’s definitely becoming my forte.”

Bronze followed in the women’s team pursuit, with Georgia Baker and Sophie Edwards pleased with the result given the team is still putting the pieces together on the track.

“I think we’re happy. It’s nice racing in front of home crowds in Adelaide but I think we learnt lots as well and that was really important because it’s our first big event in our preparation before Paris so I think the key for us was just to learn as much as we can and to bring it home strong,” Baker said.

“We just had to empty the tank, so we left it all out there on the track so really happy to be on the podium tonight.”

“It was really special at this Track Nations Cup that we could run two teams to really showcase the depth of talent that we’ve got here in Australia at the moment,” added Edwards.

“It meant that we could also chop and change and try some different strategies, go on a couple different wheels and see what might work in the future.

“Look, big smile for a bronze medal but for where we are at the moment as a team I think it was really special to put together a ride like that and get on the podium.”

Australia battled hard in the gold medal face-off against Great Britain in the men’s team pursuit, but ultimately fell short by 0.4 seconds, with the team hoping to draw on the result as a learning experience.

“We wanted the win and we put ourselves in the fight and were pretty close but some days you learn the most and we came away with silver today, but I think the boys learnt so much that it’s probably almost worth gold,” Sam Welsford said.

“To qualify first and then also go fastest time in the first round puts that pressure on your shoulders, that you’re in good shape, let’s give ourselves the best chance to win. So, easy to be a little disappointed, but plenty of good things to take away on the road to Paris.”

Highlights on Day 2 at the velodrome include finals for the women’s Madison and individual sprint, and the men’s keirin and omnium.

2024 Tissot UCI Track Nations Cup - Adelaide

Tickets are on sale via the website and Humanitix.

All evening sessions in Adelaide will be broadcast live on SBS On Demand:

• Saturday: 6:30pm - 9:55pm (AEDT)
• Sunday: 4:30pm - 8:11pm (AEDT)

The Adelaide Tissot UCI Track Nations Cup website is your information hub for the event

Results and start lists can be found at Tissot Timing.

Each round of the UCI Track Nations Cup spans three days, with the same programme of events for men and women: keirin, individual sprint, team sprint, Madison, omnium, team pursuit and elimination, i.e. the events of the Olympic programme, with the addition of the elimination race.

The 2024 Tissot UCI Track Nations Cup in Adelaide is proudly supported by the South Australian Tourism Commission

Photos: Con Chronis