2021 AUSCYCLING MADISON NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

With five months until they will wear the green and gold together at the Tokyo Olympic Games, the Australian Cycling Team battled each other for the national champion jerseys in the Madison at the weekend.

Ashlee Ankudinoff & Alexandra Manly, plus Leigh Howard & Sam Welsford claimed the 2021 AusCycling Madison crowns in thrilling races held at the Adelaide Super-Drome.
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The Madison is one of only six track cycling disciplines on the Tokyo Olympic Games program, with the women's event set for its Olympic debut.

The event features two-riders teams looking to secure points throughout the race, including exciting changeovers between the pairings completed by a hand-sling.

WOMEN’S MADISON

In a fierce tussle between Australia's Olympic team and rising Podium Potential Academy stars, it was Ashlee Ankudinoff and Alexandra Manly who claimed the honours in the 2021 AusCycling Madison National Championships held at the Adelaide Super-Drome on Saturday 27 February.

The Australian Cycling Team pairings set the tone from the gun in the 120-lap race, with Manly / Ankudinoff, Georgia Baker / Annette Edmondson, and Maeve Plouffe / Alexandra Martin-Wallace, dominating the early sprints.

Nothing separated Baker / Edmondson and Manly / Ankudinoff at the midway point of the race, with the two teams deadlocked on 20 points.

With 40 laps remaining, Manly and Ankudinoff made their intentions clear as they began a run of five straight sprint wins, as the Podium Potential Academy duo of Sophie Edwards and Lauren Perry added spice to the race late as they challenged their more experienced rivals.

However Ankudinoff and Manly showed their mettle, securing the title ahead of the final sprint won by Edwards. Manly / Ankudinoff (48) finished twelve points ahead of Baker / Edmondson (26) with Plouffe / Martin-Wallace (29) rounding out the podium.

PODIUM
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1. Ashlee Ankudinoff / Alexandra Manly
2. Georgia Baker / Annette Edmondson
3. Maeve Plouffe / Alexandra Martin-Wallace

QUOTES

Ash Ankudinoff: “We knew that coming into this race that we just had to be consistent and be present in all the sprints and that was how we were going to win it. We made sure in the last 50 laps we made sure to put each other in strong positions so we could make the most of the opportunities to get those 5 points.”

Alex Manly: “It was nice to pair up with Ash, because in the past she’s beat me for the title. It was really nice to be able to do it together. By the time we came to the final sprint we were pretty stoked to have done it!”

MEN’S MADISON

Three-time world champion Leigh Howard and defending champion Sam Welsford took the crown by the slimmest of margins in a hotly contested Men's 2021 AusCycling Madison National Championships held at the Adelaide Super-Drome on Saturday 27 February.

The Men’s 200-lap race was one for the ages, with lengthy post-race deliberations by Commissaires eventually announcing Howard- Welsford winners by a single point (121) over Cam Meyer-Kell O’Brien (120), with Luke Plapp-Jensen Plowright two points back in third place (118).

The Australian Cycling Team pairings immediately emerged as the podium favourites and traded points and standings positions at every intermediate sprint.

Only seven points separated the podium heading into the final three sprints, with Howard-Welsford securing maximum points, before finishing ahead of Meyer-O’Brien in the penultimate and final sprints to claim a remarkable come from behind one-point victory.

PODIUM
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1. Leigh Howard / Sam Welsford
2. Cam Meyer / Kell O’Brien
3. Luke Plapp / Jensen Plowright

QUOTES

Sam Welsford: “Gnarly race! I think everyone was still questioning the scoreboard at the end as you saw. We knew Plapp and Jensen were up the track and we knew we didn’t have to worry about the last sprint, just get around the pack and score a point to win on count-back. I just knew there was another lap, so I had to keep going again. I think the best thing about it is that it could have gone either way in the top three teams, so it just shows the depth we have in the Madison.”

Leigh Howard: “Sometimes it’s difficult when you’re competing against your own teammates but we all try and walk away happy with each other. It’s pretty easy to have arguments in races, and so far, we’ve always walked away mates at the end of it and that’s far more important than any results.”