AusCycling Endurance and Para-cycling Centre of Excellence to be launched in Adelaide

A new AusCycling Endurance and Para-cycling Centre of Excellence will be established in Adelaide in partnership with the South Australian Sports Institute (SASI) through to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, solidifying South Australia’s role in developing Australia’s top cycling talent.

This initiative will provide Australia’s best endurance and para-cyclists with access to SASI’s new world-class headquarters in Mile End, SASI's Australian Centre for Sports Aerodynamics (the only sport specific centre for aerodynamics in the Southern Hemisphere), and Adelaide Super-Drome in Gepps Cross.

The Centre of Excellence will act as a central gathering place for the endurance and para-cycling national track and road programs, supporting South Australia-based athletes and interstate program athletes who will utilise SASI’s facilities via training camps.

This project will foster collaboration and knowledge sharing, building on three decades of performance partnerships between AusCycling, SASI, and the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), which have significantly contributed to the success of Australian cycling on the world stage.

AusCycling Chief Executive Officer Marne Fechner said AusCycling was delighted to be continuing its strong partnership with SASI to establish a world-leading performance program for cycling in Adelaide.

“The recent performances of our endurance and para-cycling athletes and staff at the Paris Olympics and Paralympics highlights the position of great strength that we will be launching the Centre from,” Fechner said.

“On behalf of the entire cycling and riding community and those who will be following the progress of our athletes toward LA 2028 and Brisbane 2032, we thank the South Australian Government, SASI and the many people in the AusCycling team who have brought this concept to life.”

SASI Director Keren Faulkner said the newly established Centre of Excellence has huge potential for success, supported by the strong partnership between AusCycling and SASI, and access to some of the nation’s best sporting facilities.

“Historically in South Australia, we have made a significant contribution to the national team, developing track, road and para-cycling talent who have gone on to excel at the Olympics, Paralympics and World Championships,” Faulkner said.

“This includes identifying young and emerging talent and supporting them on their pathway to the international stage, where a number of these athletes have gone on to win gold!

“In partnership with AusCycling, I am excited to continue our pursuit of excellence in these disciplines, utilising our world-leading facilities and expert staff and coaches to support Australian cyclists.”

Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing Emily Bourke said the new SASI site and supporting infrastructure continued to attract national and international attention.

“Olympic and Paralympic officials recognise our state’s programs are world-class and the new Centre further fuels South Australia’s standing as a hub to develop elite local talent,” Minister Bourke said.

AusCycling Executive General Manager of Performance Jesse Korf said Adelaide has long been a cornerstone of Australian cycling – from the grit and glory of road racing through the Adelaide Hills to the world-class performances on the track, and a proud legacy in para-cycling.

“This new Centre of Excellence, built in partnership with SASI and the South Australian Government, honours that tradition while propelling us firmly into the future,” Korf said.

“With the 2028 and 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games on the horizon, we're laying the foundations now to elevate our endurance and para-cycling programs to new heights.

“The opportunity to embed within SASI’s cutting-edge performance team and leverage their state-of-the-art facilities – including the new HQ at Mile End and the wind tunnel – gives our athletes and coaches an environment to innovate, evolve, and thrive. It’s a game-changer for high performance cycling in Australia.”

Australia’s gold medal-winning men’s team pursuit program from Paris 2024 will continue to call Adelaide home base when on the track, both for domestically and internationally based athletes.

For gold medallist Oliver Bleddyn, who relocated to Adelaide from Perth in 2021 to join SASI, news of the Centre is welcome confirmation as the next Olympic cycle begins.

“SASI’s facilities are up there with the best I’ve seen and their support during our Paris 2024 preparation was invaluable. Continuing that is a factor we all want in the program,” Bleddyn added.

“It’s also such a great training environment in Adelaide with great roads to train, world-class facilities and now with the addition of the wind tunnel we really do have the perfect set-up.”

National para-cycling program athletes such as Emily Petricola and SASI’s own Darren Hicks, Meg Lemon and Amanda Reid will base themselves full-time at the Centre.

Reid relocated to Adelaide from Sydney 18 months ago and said she is loving life in the South Australian capital.

“It’s the perfect place to train and live for me and the SASI support is tremendous,” Reid said.

“I’m excited to see the national para-cycling program move from strength to strength via the AusCycling Endurance and Para-cycling Centre of Excellence. It’s an exciting time to be in Adelaide.”

Work has already begun in Adelaide, with Cameron Jennings appointed as the SASI para-cycling coach and Olympians Ash Ankudinoff and Glenn O’Shea appointed as lead coaches of the women’s and men’s track endurance programs, respectively.

Petricola recently began a new role in addition to her personal para-cycling pursuits as SASI’s Para Unit Lead.

Sheila Galloway was announced as the AusCycling Head Coach of Para-cycling in April, as was Conor Taylor for the AusCycling Head Coach of Endurance role.

The AusCycling Action and Acceleration Centre of Excellence was launched earlier this year in Brisbane in partnership with the Queensland Academy of Sport.

Feature picture: Sophie Edwards in the Australian Centre for Sports Aerodynamics. (SASI)