The results are from Graham Fowler who is at the track. The reports
and news are from several sources.
Saturday 14 March - Day 1 Session 1 9:30 amEvent 1 Under 19 Men 3000m Individual Pursuit Qualifying (Fastest 4 only to qualify for semi final) Heat 1. R Sherbourne WA 3:33.58 def Godridge WA 3:34.32 Heat 2. T Harvey Vic 3:36.78 def C Herron WA 3:47.39 Heat 3. A Davidson Vic 3:40.19 def D Betts Qld 3:47.22 Heat 4. D Pell Vic 3:29.55 def A Mason Vic 3:37.05 Heat 5. D Hunt NSW def S Stephenson NSW 3:43.17 Heat 6. C Manion Tas 3:40.22 def A Cox NSW 3:38.25 Heat 7. M Green SA 3:35.43 def D Lopez NSW 3:38.25 Heat 8. A Davis Qld 3:29.79 def G Bates SA 3:36.04 Heat 9. K Jenson Qld 3:27.36 def C Spears SA 3:40.49 Event 2 Under 17 Men 3000m Team Pursuit - Qualifying (Fastest 4 to Semi Final) 1. New South Wales 3:28.80 2. Western Australia 3:30.94 3. South Australia 3:31.26 4. Victoria 3:35.23 5. Queensland 3:40.39 6. Tasmania 3:40.39 Event 3 Under 19 Women 200m Flying Time Trial- Final (Fastest 6 to qualify to round 1) 1. R Demarte Vic 12.110 2. R Hubbard SA 12.322 3. P Coxon NSW 12.552 4. R Ellis ACT 12.571 5. R Gilmore 12.748 6. R Chrzanowski 12.883 7. H Rutherford 13.039 8. K Bean 13.169 9. K Johnson 13.233 10. S Brennan 13.872 11. L Yaxley 13.763 Event 4 Presentation Ceremony Under 19 Women 200m Flying Time Trial 1. R Demarte Vic 12.110 (Gold) 2. R Hubbard SA 12.322 (Silver) 3. P Coxon NSW 12.552 (Bronze) End of Session 1 Saturday 14 March - Day 1 Session 2 18:00 amThe second session was highlighted by excellent performances including two new records.Event 5 Under 17 Men 3000m Team Pursuit - Semi Final (Winners to final, Fastest loser bronze medal) Heat 1. Western Australia 3:27.23 def South Australia 3:30.22 Heat 2. New South Wales 3:26.0 def Victoria 3:34.52 Event 6 Under 19 Men 3000m Individual Pursuit - Semi Final (Winners to final, Fastest loser bronze medal) Heat 1. B Godbridge WA 3:31.52 def A Cox NSW 3:37.10 Heat 2. M Green SA 3:30.41 def R Sherbourne WA 3:32.19 Event 7 Under 19 Women Sprint - Round 1 (Winners to final, losers to repecharge) Heat 1 R Demarte def H Chrzanowski Heat 2 R Hubbard def R Gilmour Heat 3 R Ellis def P Coxon Event 8 Cerebal Palsy 1000m Time Trial - Final P Homan Vic 1:16.22 def Chris Scott Qld 1:16.23 Event 9 Mens 1000m Time Trial (arranged in order of merit) 1. J Kersten NSW 1.04.27 2. D Day Qld 1.04.72 3. J Colquhoun Tas 1:05.06 4. L Roberts SA 1.04.72 5. J Katakasi SA 1:06.76 6. A Hutchinson Qld 1:06.90 7. I Wlock WA 1:06.99 =8. S Collins Vic 1:07.11 =8. N Clarke Tas 1.07.11 9. T Clarke Vic 1:07.36 10. D Morrisson Qld 1:07.54 11. T Danahert ACT 1:08.81 12. S Amori Japan 1:12.81 13. T Suboi Japan 1:16.50 Event 10 Under 17 Women 500m Time Trial (fastest first) This is a New Australian Record and would be a new U/19 World Record if she was old enough. She is only 15 years old. 1. K Meares Qld 36.17 2. K Dillon WA 38.29 3. K Bates NSW 38.80 4. F Dwyer NSW 38.91 5. A Meares Qld 39.03 6. K Bayley WA 39.54 7. S Deverell Tas 39.91 8. N Grives NSW 40.13 9. B Saint SA 40.63 10. C MacDonald NSW 40.78 11. K Purcell Vic 40.13 12. M Sulzberger Tas 41.30 13. J Amy Vic 41.69 14. O Piscioneri Tas 42.21 15. S Muscat NT 42.92 16. S Robins 43.47 Event 11 Opening Ceremony Event 12 Visually Impaired 3000m Tandem Pursuit 1. K Modra & K Golding-Modra 3:50.87 2. Team 1 3:52.00 3. Lammond & Lep 3:55.33 Event 13 & 14 Medal Presentations Event 15 Under 19 Womens Sprint - Repecharge (winner to semi final) 1. R Gilmore NSW 2. H Chrzanowski Qld 3. P Coxon NSW Event 16 Amputee 4000m Individual Pursuit (cancelled) Event 17 Under 17 3000m Teams Pursuit - Final 1. NSW 3:25.04 (New Australian Record) def 2. WA 3:33.45 Event 18 Under 19 Men 3000m Individual Pursuit - Final 1. A Davis 3:30.06 Qld def K Jensen 3:31.23 Qld Event 19 Under 19 Women Sprint - 5 & 6 place ride off 5. H Chrzanowski def 6 P Coxon Event 20 Women 24km Points Race Note corrrection: It was Karen Barrow from Victoria that was fined $100 for causing a fall rather than the originally reported Lucy Tyler. Sorry Lucy! 1. Lucy Tyler Sharman WA 39 points 2. Sandra Smith WA 35 points 3. Chelsey Zucker SA 21 points 4. K Bates (SA) 16 points 5. S Jochinke (SA) 5 points Sunday 15 March - Day 2 Session 3 9:30Event 24 Under 17 Women Individual Pursuit - Qualifying (fastest time first) 1. K Bates NSW 2:36.05 2. F Dwyer NSW 2:40.38 3. K Dillon WA 2:42.96 4. J Amy Vic 2:43.15 5. N Grives NSW 2:43.79 6. A Meares Qld 2:44.09 7. M Sulzberger Tas 2:44.35 8. C MacDonald 2:45.64 9. B Saint SA 2:46.00 10. O Piscioneri Tas 2:49.50 11. S Robins Vic 2:58.07 12. S Muscat NT. 2:59.05 Event 25 Men Individual Pursuit - Qualifying (Fastest 4 to semi final) (Fastest first) 1. B Lancaster Vic 4:32.87 2. G Brown NSW 4:33.28 3. M Rogers ACT 4:34.47 4. T Lyons SA 4:36.34 5. L Roberts SA 4:36.34 6. B Dawson NSW 4:36.82 7. C Sturgess NSW 4:37.31 8. S Woolridge NSW 4:37.50 9. N Grigg SA 4:39.35 10. N Clarke Tas 4:40.96 11. B Cooke Vic 4:41.34 12. K Felix SA 4:45.73 13. D Crumpler Qld 4:46.88 Event 26 Under 19 Men 200m Flying Time Trial - Final (Please note: Due to an electronic timing failure for 1 rider all times were recorded as hand timed. These times however are unavailable at the time of printing however they are usually 0.2 seconds faster than electronic times) Electronic times as recorded 1. B Kersten NSW 11.112 2. J Dajka SA 11.123 3. Justin Cowman 11.524 4. J Riley NSW 11.567 5. A Sansonetti 11.628 6. S Hosking NSW 11.652 7. J Clarke Tas 11.663 8. C Fisher Qld 11.665 9. S Moller SA 11.719 10. J Dowdell Vic 11.726 11. G Mueller Vic 11.831 12. A Peterson WA 11.897 13. M Anderson SA 12.034 14. A Loft Tas 12.038 15. M Coolican WA 12.266 J Rogash Qld ( not available) Event 27 Visually Impaired Sprint 200m Tandem Qualifying 1. Mixed Pair 12.7 2. WA 13.2 3. SA 13.5 Event 28 and 30. Under 17 Men 10km Scratch Heats 1 and 2 (5km 6 to final) Results not tabled Event 29 Under 19 Men Sprint - Round 1 (Winners to quarter finals, 2nd to repechage) Heat 1 G Mueller Vic def Ben Kersten NSW 12.573 Heat 2 J Dajka SA def J Dowdell Vic 11.926 Heat 3 J Cowan Qld def S Moller SA 11.828 Heat 4 J Rogash Qld def C Fisher Qld 12.089 Heat 5 J Riley NSW def J Clarke Tas 11.724 Heat 6 S Hosking NSW def A Sansonetti Vic 12.171 Event 31 Under 19 Men Sprint - Repechage (Winners to quarter final) Heat 1 B Kerston def A Sansonetti & C Fisher Heat 2 J Dowdell def J Clarke & S Moller Event 32 Presentation Ceremony Under 19 Men Sprint Flying 200m TT 1. B Kersten NSW 11.112 2. J Dajka SA 11.123 3. J Cowan Qld 11.524 Next Session 18.00 Sunday 15 Sunday 15 March - Day 2 Session 4 18:00Event 33 Under 19 Women Sprint - Semi Final (contest 1) Heat 1 R Demarte Vic 12.7 def R Gilmore NSW Heat 2 R Hubbard SA 13.012 def R Ellis ACT Event 34 - Under 17 Women 2000m Individual Pursuit - Semi Final (Winners to final, faster loser bronze medal) Heat 1 A Meares Qld 2:43.05 def M Sulberger 2:42.86 Heat 2 N Grives NSW 2:42.30 def C MacDonald NSW 2:43.12 Heat 3 F Dwyer NSW 2:38.69 def K Dillon 2:40.96 Heat 4 K Bates NSW 2:38.48 def J Amy Vic 2:42.40 Event 35 Under 19 Woomen Sprint Semi Final (Contest 2) Heat 1. R Demarte Vic def R Gilmore NSW Time 13.066 Heat 2. R Hubbard SA def R Ellis 12.466 Event 36 Men 4000m Individual Pursuit - Semi Final (Winners to final, fastest loser bronze medal) Heat 1. M Rogers ACT 4:30.76 def G Brown NSW 4:37.04 Heat 2. T Lyons SA 4:33.47 def B Lancaster Vic 4:35.03 Event 37 Cerebral Palsy 4000m Individual Pursuit Heat 1 C Scott 5:05 def P Homan (time not recorded) Event 38 Under 19 Women Sprint (contest 3) Not Required Event 39 Women 500m Time Trial - Final (fastest first) 1. M Ferris Vic 36.41 2. L Tyler-Sharman WA 36.81 3. F Myers NSW 4. K Parker SA 37.39 5. L Higginson Vic 37.58 6. C Jack Qld 38.14 7. R Heinrichs SA 38.73 8. K Deloere 39.81 9. K Bates 39.41 10. L Millar Tas 40.29 11. K Broun Tas 40.05 Note: Sandra Smith WA pulled a wheel during her attempt and did not record a time. Sandra was allowed to record a time outside of the competition. It was 38.01. Event 40 - Visually Impaired Sprint - Final (Contest 1) Heat 1 SA def WA Event 41 Under 19 Sprint - Quarter final (Contest 1) Heat 1. J Dowdell Vic def G Mueller Vic Time 12.185 Heat 2. J Dajka SA def B Kersten NSW Time 11.474 Heat 3 S Hosking NSW def J Cowman Qld Time 12.019 Heat 4 J Riley NSW def J Rogash Qld Time 11.600 Event 42 Under 19 Sprint - Quarter final (Contest 2) Heat 1. J Dowdell Vic def G Mueller Vic Time 11.762 Heat 2 J Dajka SA def B Kersten NSW Time 11.329 Heat 3 J Cowman Qld def S Hosking NSW Time 11.757 (Note:placings reversed due to infringement) Heat 4 J Rogash Qld def J Riley NSW Time 12.062 Event 43 Visually Impaired Sprint - Final Heat 1 Madson/Decker def Lemond/Lepore Time 14.162 Event 44 Under 19 Men Sprint - Quarter Final (Contest 3) Heat 1 J Cowman Qld def S hosking NSW Time 11.903 Heat 2 J Rogash Qld def J Riley NSW 12.154 Event 45 Under 19 Women Sprint - Final (Contest 1) For 3rd and 4th Placing Heat 1 R Gilmore NSW def R Ellis ACT Time 12.928 For 1st and 2nd Heat 2 R Hubbard SA def R demarte Vic Time 12.747 Event 46 Men 4000m Individual Pursuit - Final Michael Rodger caught Tim Lyons after 3:39.44. Michael rode on to record a time of 4:29.39. Event 47 Visually Impaired Sprint - Final (Contest 3) Modra/Modra SA def Lemond/Lepore Event 48 Under 19 Women Sprint - Final (Contest 2) For 1st and 2nd R Hubbard def R Demarte Time 12.74 For 3rd and 4th R Ellis ACT def R Gilmore Event 49 Under 17 Men 10km Scratch Race Final Time 13.08.65 1. M Renshaw NSW 2. M Skeggs Tas 3. D Rutherford WA Event 50 Not Required Event 51 Under 19 Men Sprint - 5-8th place ride off 6. B Kersten 7. G Mueller 8. S Hosking J Riley dns Events 52,53,54 & 55 Medal Presentations Womens 500m Time Trial Championship of Australia 1. Michelle Ferris 2. Lucy Tyler-Sharman 3. Felicity Myers 4k Mens Individual Pursuit Championship of Australia 1. Michael Rodgers ACT 2. Tim Lyons SA 3. Brett Lancaster Vic Under 17 Men 10k Scratch Race Championship of Australia 1. M Renshaw NSW 2. M Skeggs Tas 3. D Rutherford WA Under 19 Women Sprint Championship of Australia 1. Rosalee Hubbard SA 2. R. Demarte Vic 3. R. Ellis ACT Next Session Monday Evening 6:30pm Monday 16 March - Day 3 Session 5 18:30Event 56 Under 19 Men Sprint - Semi Final (contest 1) Heat 1 J Dowdell Vic def J Rogash Qld Time 11.479 Heat 2 J Dajka SA def J Cowman Qld Time 11.862 Event 58 Under 17 Women 2000m Individual Pursuit - Final K Bates NSW 2:35.74 def F Dwyer NSW 2:38.09 Event 58 Under 19 Men Sprint - Semi Final (contest 2) Heat 1 J Dowdell Vic def J Rogash Qld Time 12.03 Heat 2 J Dajka SA def J Cowman Qld Time 11.94 Event 59 Men 200m Flying Time Trial - Final (Fastest 12 to qualify for round 1) Fastest 1st 1. D Hill WA 10.323 2. S Eadie 10.457 3. G Sharman WA 10.687 4. D Day Qld 10.807 5. J Katakasi SA 10.901 6. I Wloch WA 10.947 7. G McFarlane SA 10.981 8. S Collins 11.082 9. A Hutchinson Qld 11.153 10. K Selin SA 11.154 12. G White Vic 11.260 13. G Stoker NSW 11.292 14. T Danaher ACT 11.590 Event 60 Junior Under 19 Sprint Semi Final (contest 3) Not required Event 61 Under 17 Men 500m Time Trial - Final (sorted-fastest first) 1. R Renshaw NSW 34.76 2. R Bayley WA 35.12 3. G White ACT 35.39 4. D Harris Qld 35.59 5. J Niblett Vic 35.99 6. P Fitzpatrick NSW 36.14 7. J Madden Vic 36.26 8. N Skeggs Tas 36.29 9. A Carter Vic 36.35 10. K Cameron NSW 36.60 11. E Walters Qld 36.66 12. B Sedivy NSW 36.72 13. D James Tas 36.78 14. P Dawson WA 36.85 15. T Dajka SA 36.87 16. W Link Qld 36.88 17. G Adkins Vic 37.03 18. A Brown Tas 37.05 19. N Graham SA 37.19 20. I Lockley SA 37.26 21. J Atkinson ACT 37.35 22. C Blake Qld 37.66 23. D House Tas 38.21 24. C Higgins NT 39.93 Event 62 Under 19 Men Sprint Final (Contest 1) Heat 1 (for 3rd and 4th) J Rogash Qld def J Cowman Qld Time n/a Heat 2 (for 1st and 2nd) J Dajka SA def J Dowdall Time 11.691 Event 63 Men Sprint Round 1 (Winners to quarter final. 2nd to repechage) Heat 1 D Hill WA def G White Vic 12.079 Heat 2 S Eadie def D Morrison Qld 11.578 Heat 3 G Sharman def K Selin SA 11.377 Heat 4 A Hutchinson Qld def D Day Qld 11.391 Heat 4 J Katakasi SA def S Collins Vic 11.570 Heat 6 I Wloch def G McFarlane SA 11.984 (Places reversed) Event 64 Under 19 Men Sprint - Final (Contest 2) Heat 1 (for 3rd and 4th) J Rogash Qld def J Cowman Qld Time 11.681 Heat 2 (for 1st and 2nd) J Dajka SA def J Dowdall Time 11.548 Event 65 Presentation Ceremony Under 17 Men Time Trial Championship of Australia Gold R Renshaw NSW Silver R Bayley WA Bronze G White ACT Event 66 Presentation Ceremony Men Flying 200 Time Trial Championship of Australia Gold D Hill WA Silver S Eadie NSW Bronze G Sharman WA Event 67 Presentation Ceremony Under 17 Women Individual Pusuit Championship of Australia Gold K Bates NSW Silver F Dwyer NSW Bronze K Dillon WA Event 68 Under 19 Men Sprint - Final (contest 3) not required Event 69 Men Sprint - Repechage (Winners to quarter finals) Heat D Day def G White & G MacFarlane Time 11.180 Heat 2 K Selin SA def S Collins Vic & D Morrison Qld Event 70 Under 19 Women 10km Scratch Race - Final Time 12:59.89 1. A Burns SA 2. R Demarte Vic 3. R Gilmore NSW Event 71 Under 19 Men 24km Points Race - Final 1. A Davis Qld 33 points 2. D Pell Vic 24 points 3. S Hosking NSW 19 points 4. G Bates SA 15 points Event 72 Presentation Ceremony Under 19 Men Sprint Championship of Australia Gold J Dajka SA Silver J Dowdall Vic Bronze J Rogash Qld Event 73 Presentation Ceremony Under 19 Women 10km Scratch Race Championship of Australia Gold A Burns SA Silver R Demarte Vic Bronze R Gilmore NSW Event 74 Presentation Ceremony Under 19 Men 30km Points Race Championship of Australia (postponed until Wednesday due to physical exhaustion of Alan Davis (winner) Next Session 9:30am Wednesday Wednesday March 18th - Day 4 Session 6 9:30 amEvent 75 Under 17 Men 200m Flying Time Trial - Final (Fastest 12 to Round 1 Sprint) 1. R Bayley WA 11.591 2. M Renshaw NSW 11.607 3. B Cullan WA 11.768 4. D Harris Qld 11.951 5 . E Walters Qld 11.957 6. M Skeggs Tas 11.97 7. J Niblett Vic 11.994 8. A Carter Vic 12.079 9. J Madden Vic 12.109 10. C Blake Qld 12.112 11. D James Tas 12.149 12. G White ACT 12.172 13. M Wilcox WA 12.196 14. P Fitzpatrick NSW 12.201 15. P Wilson NSW 12.204 16. J Atkinson ACT 12.226 17. I Lockley SA 12.353 18. D House Tas 12.588 19. T Dajka SA 12.607 20. M Dowling SA 13.39 21. C Higgins NT 13.698 Event 76 Under 15 Women 2000m Individual Pursuit - Qualifying (fastest 4 to semi final) Heat 1: C O'Neil 2:57.24 Vic def C Smith SA 3:06.67 Heat 2: N Hansen Qld 2:56.20 def K Robinson 3:00.13 Heat 3: K Young NSW 2:53.88 def R Braithwaite SA 2:55.22 Heat 5: m Fearne NSW 2:47.70 def K Bryant SA 2:54.89 arranged in order 1. M Fearne NSW 2:47.70 2. K Young NSW 2:53.88 3. K Bryant SA 2:54.89 4. R Braithwaite SA 2:55.22 5. N Hansen Qld 2:56.20 6. C O'Neil Vic 2:57.24 7. K Robinson Qld 3:00.13 8. C Smith SA 3:06.67 Event 77 Living Health Men 4000m Team Pursuit - Qualifying (sorted & including 1 kilo splits) 1. NSW 1:07.90, 2:10.89, 3:13.95, 4:16.67 2. SA 1:07.50, 2:10.03, 3:13.01, 4:17.84 3. Vic 1:07.99, 2:10.66, 3:14.46, 4:19.18 4. ACT 1:08.42, 2:13.64, 3:18.53, 4:24.50 5. Qld 1:09.06, 2:13.87, 3:19.61, 4:25.29 Event 78 Women 3000m Individual Pursuit Qualifying (Sorted) 1. L Tyler-Sharman WA 3:37.63 2. K Barrow Vic 3:39.94 3. S Smith WA 3:46.35 4. S Johinke SA 3:49.13 5. N Peterson Vic 3:50.49 6. K Delore Qld 3:56.75 7. K Bates SA 3:56.97 8. R Chadwick SA 4:00.15 9. L Miller Tass 4:03.94 Event 79 Men Sprint Quarter Final (contest 1) Heat 1. D Hill WA def S Kelin 11.387 Heat 2. S Eadie NSW def D Day 11.279 (good race) Heat 3. G Sharman WA def I Wloch 11.175 A Hutchinson def J Katakasi (reversal) Event 80 Men Sprint Quarter Final (contest 2) Heat 1. D Hill WA def K Selin SA 11.389 (Selin went at 2 to go opening up a 30m gap but was caught with 100m to go) Heat 2. S Eadie NSW def D Day Qld 11.916 (Day appeared not well after the first round) Heat 3. G Sharman WA def I Wloch WA 11.605 Heat 4. J Katakasi SA def A Hutchinson Qld 11.298 Event 82 Men Sprint Quarter Final (contest 3) J Katakasi SA def A hutchinson Qld 11.387 Event 83 Men Sprint Ride off for 5-8 places K Selin SA def A Hutchinson Qld 11.361 (only 2 riders fronted) Event 84 not reqd Event 85 Under 15 Women 2000m Individual Pursuit - Semi Final (Winners to final, fastest loser bronze medal) Heat 1. E Lock Vic 2:48.79 def K Young NSW 2:55.09 Heat 2. M Fearne NSW 2:50.00 def K Bryant SA 2:54.05 (bronze medal) Event 86 Men 4000m Team Pursuit - Semi Final (Winners to final, fastest loser bronze medal) Heat 1. SA 4:15.12 def Vic 4:16.93 (Bronze medal) Heat 2.NSW 4:15.31 def ACT 4:19.24 Event 87 Under 17 Men Sprint Repechage Heat 1 R Bayley WA def J Madden Vic & J Nibblett Vic Heat 2 A Carter Vic def D James Tas & C Blake Qld Event 88 Presentation Ceremony Under 17 Men 200m Flying Time Trial Cahampionship of Australia Gold R Bayley WA Silver M Renshaw NSW Bronze B Cullen WA News from and around the Track
31-year old Gary Neiwand the best Australian sprinter in recent years told a press conference today just before the start of the Australian National Track Championships in Adelaide that he was taking an 8 month break from cycling and will miss the major events later this year. The reports earlier in the day prior to the conference indicated that there was considerable mystery and lots of questions being asked about what Neiwand is up to. Neither coaches involved with Neiwand - the National Track Coach Charlie Walsh or his own personal coach Gary West would say anything about it when asked. His form has not been good and he failed to perform at the Olympics in 1996. He has withdrawn from the Victorian Track Team which means he cannot ride the Nationals and this will prevent him from being selected for the Worlds and the Commonwealth Games in September. It was reported on local radio that the President of Cycling Australia Ray Godkin has indicated that the torrid conditions likely to be experienced in Malaysia in September may pose health hazards for our riders and they will have to prepare for the heat. This follows a story I received yesterday concerning one of our best track cyclists Brett Aitken who had to abandon during the Tour of Langkawi because of extreme dehydration. I followed the story up this morning and the following details emerged. Brett, one of Australia's most respected track cyclists ended up in hospital on a drip 3 days before the end of the Tour de Langkawi. Aitken, from South Australia, had performed brilliantly over the summer season and won the Bay Classic Criterium Series in Victoria from an international field. He gained a place in the Australian team to race the Tour of Malaysia. No-one expected him to perform in the mountains but he can be formidable in a criterium. It was revealed this morning that he punctured early on during a 200km stage. He was given a wheel and left to get to the finish on his own without regular food or water replenishment. A doctor I spoke to who was familiar with the incident said that with the high humidity and temperatures that Brett was left alone to ride to the finish in, he was risking heat stroke and muscle meltdown. Earlier this week Brett withdrew his name from the SA track team after poor performances (he still managed to win a miss and out event) during a recent race carnival and subsequent training. So the questions have to be asked: 1. Is it a normal practice of the new ACF Road Coach Shayne Bannan to leave riders on their own when they are dropped/punctured, especially in conditions bordering on the extreme without food or drink maintenance? 2. What medical precautions were taken by the team manager during the stage to ensure that Brett was not endangering his health? 3. What has Cycling Australia done about this incident? Readers will recall that Shayne Bannan replaced the previous National Coach Heiko Salzwedel in rather controversial circumstances late last year. Brad McGee - our top pursuiter will not get a jersey Another big topic around the track this morning in Adelaide is the news that our top individual pursuit rider, Bradley McGee who is currently suffering in Paris-Nice in his first major outing with the French professional team, La Francaise des Jeux is likely to be excluded from the National Track Squad for the major events coming up later in the year. It has been reported that both the President of Cycling Australia, Ray Godkin and the National Track Coach Charlie Walsh are not in favour of selecting McGee because he was unable to travel to Adelaide in January for a qualifying meeting. A report by Peter Krupka in the national daily, The Australian today said: "McGee has pleaded with Godkin to be selected in the teams, to be named after this week's national track titles in Adelaide, but national coach Charlie Walsh made it clear he was not impressed with McGee's failure to turn up for a special trial in Adelaide in January." Godkin is reported by Krupka as saying: "It's very difficult for Bradley at this present stage but what we're going to do with it we are not quite sure. Because of the amount of riders that have qualified it has made it difficult for Brad. He was supposed to come here and ride a trial like everyone else but he chose not to." The problem is that at the trial Stuart O'Grady, Luke Roberts, Brett Lancaster and Nigel Griggs took a second off the Australian 4000m team's pursuit record. However, before McGee went to Europe to race with La Francaise des Jeux, he took 13 seconds off the NSW State individual pursuit record at Campy velodrome. Once again this will raise issues about how riders are selected for national teams - do we select our best riders or those that do what they are told when they are told. Charlie Walsh explains high altitude training Readers will recall that we have been running a mini-forum about the benefits of high altitude training. The Australian track squad had recently been training in Mexico and a lot of riders have asked how this is different to injecting EPO, given that both have the benefit of raising RBC levels, at least that is what the scientific literature indicates. It was stated that one of the differences is that to get the benefits from high altitude training you have to work very hard whereas injecting EPO involves no work. That cannot be what the argument hinges on however because it is known that National Australian squads have injected vitamin supplements in the past. If it was an argument against injections, then the riders would have been set down in front of some very large plates of cereal and made to "work hard" on building up the B in their system. Anyway, to help our understanding I can now publish a brief response from the national AIS and ACF coaches David (Charlie) Walsh and Shane Bannon who took the opportunity this weekend to clarify the reasons for the high altitude training undertaken in February this year. They provided our track-side reporter at the National Track Championships with a folder of records going back several years indicating many blood factors that can be influenced by training. On analysis it is clear that no significant improvements in blood heamatocrit or plasma volume were achieved. Charlie did however state that some transient response was recorded due to dehydration. When quizzed then as to why the camp was initiated, Charlie indicated that the venue (Tolusa Mexico) offers a unique opportunity to develop character in riders. It has many long climbs and offers an environment which is demanding. This prepares the riders mentally for the rigourous season ahead. This contribution is invaluable as it clearly explains the motivation of our cycling coaches. It doesn't explain why the normal scientific outcomes of high altitude training do not occur in our cyclists. We will follow that one up. Hopefully we can get regular input from the coaches. |