New-look Australian men's team sprint win silver at Track Worlds in Ballerup

The newest chapter of Australian men's team sprinting has started in a hurry and draped in silver at the 2024 UCI Track World Championships in Ballerup, Denmark.

Thomas Cornish, Ryan Elliott and Leigh Hoffman have delivered a stamped message to the track cycling world that the rejuvenation of the ARA Australian Cycling Team men's team sprint squad won't be a long rebuild.

The trio wasted little time in their first event together, clicking off three solid rides to finish behind an unchanged Netherlands team crowned Olympic champions in Paris two months ago.

Australia briefly led in the gold medal final after Track Worlds debutant Elliott laid down his fastest start lap of the day, before drifting to 0.627 of a second behind the Dutch at the finish.

The result provides plenty of optimism for the ARA Australian Cycling Team and the AusCycling Performance program, who have been championing the depth of men's sprinting in Australia for several years, but were forced to call upon that earlier than expected following the surprise defection of Matthew Richardson to Great Britain after the Paris Olympics.

It was all smiles for both ARA Australian Cycling Team team sprint squads after winning world championship medals. Picture: Jonathan Nackstrand / AFP / Getty Images

Hoffman, the sole member of the Paris 2024 bronze medal team in Ballerup, said he was "stoked" to win silver.

"I'm always wanting more though and it's always hard when those rainbow bands are within reach," Hoffman said.

"But for us it's a pretty fresh team, there were lots of moving parts and different gear strategies and the biggest takeaway is the learnings we will have from this.

"I was really impressed with Ryan. There was sort of no pressure coming into this but he's definitely stepped up which is good for us as a team.

"He did the times that we wanted and in the final it was just a bit of fatigue (for Tom and I), but he went quicker for that first lap which is great for him."

Cornish, who was racing in his first major event medal final since the 2020 Track Worlds, added that Elliott was "quite a bit quicker than what we expected in the final".

"It was great to be back in the team again. I've had a few years of being the fourth rider or reserve so it's good to break back into the team and actually be able to bring it home in the final," Cornish said.

"It feels a lot better than standing on the sidelines, that's for sure."

On the sidelines, but from home in Brisbane, is where 20-year-old Elliott had only ever seen the Australian and Dutch rivalry until today.

The 2022 junior team sprint world champion and sprint silver medallist said it was a special day being out there in the green and gold making his Track Worlds debut.

"It (the Australian kit) definitely gives you a boost. I was really uplifted by the fact that I was accompanied by two experienced heads in Leigh and Tom," Elliott said.

"Being able to mirror their approach and see how they adjusted from one round to the next definitely helped get the job done.

"The rivalry was definitely in my mind going into the final and we couldn’t quite pull it off but I think this is a great start as a new team."

2024 UCI Track World Championships - Results

Men's Team Sprint Gold Medal Final

1. Netherlands 42.046
2. Australia 42.673 (+0.627)

Men's Team Sprint Bronze Medal Final

3. Japan 42.877
4. Great Britain 43.322 (+0.445)

Feature picture: Jonathan Nackstrand / AFP / Getty Images