Four Olympic champions attended the pre-race press conference on
Thursday 22nd February. The conference was attended by Britain’s Chris Hoy and Bradley Wiggins with
Australian sprinters Anna Meares and Ryan Bayley making up the quartet of
champions crowned in Athens.
Double Olympic medallist Ryan Bayley is aiming for a good ride in Manchester to secure
selection of an Austalian team spot in the world championships. “I am racing in
the sprint at Manchester
and hoping to qualify myself a sprint spot in the team. I am pretty sure that
we have got enough spots but I would rather do it on my own merits. I will be
riding the sprint and the team sprint and then the JKA Keirin on Sunday. All of
the best sprinters in the world are here for that and I am looking forward to
it. It’s always a hard race.”
A busy weekend for Chris Hoy
Chris Hoy has got a full weekend of races. “It’s quite a big
weekend for me in terms of the volume of racing with the kilo on Friday, the
sprint on Saturday and the team sprint and Japanese Keirin on Sunday. The
results are important but it is also a sort of dress rehearsal for the world
championships.”
Anna Meares has a change of partner in the women’s team sprint and
won’t be riding with her sister Kerrie. “Kerrie is at home in Adelaide,” said Anna: “I will be riding the
team sprint with Christine Bayley. Kerrie hasn’t done a qualifying time to ride
for the Australian team at the world championships yet and she has until Sunday
to do it and then it will be between Kerrie and Christine who rides at the
worlds in the team sprint.”
The current 500m time trial record holder had considered a new
record attempt on the super fast Manchester
track. “I am tempted,” she continued: “But I just feel that there is no need
for me to ride another 500 until the world champs. I am chasing the rainbow
jersey this year for that event particularly. I just don’t think it is
necessary to really push myself after some tough competitions and a thirty-hour
flight because I can write myself off after two laps. I don’t want to do that
with four weeks to go to the world championships.”
