The high profile sprinters, Australian Leigh Hoffman and New Zealand’s Ellesse Andrews showed their star qualities on day three of the UCI Oceania Track Cycling Championships, supported by GJ Gardner Homes Waipa, at the Grassroots Trust Velodrome, Cambridge tonight.
Andrews, returning from a significant time off the bike, clocked a slick 10.632s to top qualifiers in the individual sprint.
The double Olympic gold medallist cruised through the elimination round of match sprinting before accounting for Australian Alessia McCaig in two straight rides in the best-of-three final.
“It’s been a long time since I have raced at home which has been a fun part of this week,” said Andrews. “I am looking forward to the keirin tomorrow which will be a long day of racing for me and then that builds to a really busy season this year.
“It is definitely good to get the body and the mind back into the groove of things again – get out there and do some good racing and hopefully keep progressing through the season.”
Australian champion Hoffman was back into the form that won him three world championship medals last year, as he took out the men’s sprint in impressive fashion.
Hoffman topped qualifiers yesterday in 9.439s before dominating the early rounds of match-racing and beating compatriot Ryan Elliott in two straight rides in the final.
“It’s been a big gym block as the last competition was back in October which was the world championships but we are straight back into the international calendar.
“It’s good to kick it off with some good times and good results this week. We are just four weeks away from the start of the Nations Cup in Perth so it has come round real quick.
“I picked up three medals at the Chile World Championships – one in every event I did which was phenomenal. Since then I had time out back at home in South Australia and a bit of time off in Cairns with my girlfriend’s family and in Bali.
“It was my first break in a couple of years but I am pleased I have some good legs this week which has given me some confidence. I want to hit these Nations Cups hard – the competition is hot and I have learned that every time you race could be your last.”
At the other end of the spectrum, the red-hot form continued for World Tour road professional, Ally Wollaston in her first time back on the track since the world championships.
She took out the women’s omnium – a four discipline event where she won the bronze medal at the Paris Olympics.
Wollaston won the scratch race and elimination and was fifth in the tempo event to hold a six point advantage going into the final and telling Points race.
But Wollaston controlled things well throughout a lively race to hold and build on her points lead, winning the final sprint to claim the overall honours on 135 points, which was 14 points ahead of teammate Samantha Donnelly with one further point to Bryony Botha.
“It has been a crazy few weeks to be honest,” said Wollaston. “Today I wasn’t too sure if I wanted to race. I struggled to get into the rhythm of track racing again. It is so demanding and it’s hot as hell in here. It was a really tough day and aggressive racing across the whole day.
“I am just so happy to pull off a win and it feels amazing to be back on the boards.
“I hadn’t raced an omnium since the Nations Cup last year. I have had a lot of time off the track bike so it is a really good confidence-boost to come back and get a win here. It was a very stacked field . It teams a lot and keeps me motivated because the goal for me would be to be in the medals again for the omnium in LA. This is a win along the way.”
The men’s omnium was a battle between kiwi teammates Tom Sexton, George Jackson and Marshall Erwood.
Sexton won the scratch race from Erwood and Jackson, before claiming maximum points in the tempo race. Australian Tom Cornish took out the maximum points in the elimination with Sexton holding a four point advantage going into the deciding points race.
It went down to the wire with Sexton claiming the win in the final sprint to finish on 151, just three points ahead of Jackson and a further two points to Erwood.
The championships continue until Saturday.