Leonard Claims Melbourne Cup on Wheels

Joel Leonard, Melbourne Cup on Wheels, Copyright - Joel Leonard

1st March 2010: In a consolation for his shock omission from the Australian squad for next month’s world titles, Victorian Joel Leonard has sent a message to Australian selectors by taking out the 73rd Urban Melbourne Cup on Wheels at Darebin International Sports Centre.

Leonard took the one kilometre time trial title at the Australian championships in Adelaide earlier this month but was overlooked by national selectors for a spot in the Australian squad for the world titles.

In the most international final in the 73-history of the event six nations were represented in the 8-lap, 2000m handicap final, however it was the 28-year-old Victorian, Leonard, who wrote his name into the history books with a barnstorming ride.

Warragul’s Brett Rollinson (200m) and Blackburn’s Mark Slyvester (185m) took the minor placings.

Racing off 20m, Leonard worked hard with a large group to drag in the six outmarkers who at one stage looked like they might pinch the win.

However at the bell, Leonard made his move, bursting clear down the back straight on the final lap to take a convincing win.

“That was hard, the hardest race I’ve done for some time,” Leonard said after the race.

“The last three years I’ve been close to national selection, but to win an Australian title and not get selected is ridiculous,” a clearly frustrated Leonard said after the win.

Meanwhile one rider who will be representing Australia at the world titles in Copenhagen next month, three-time world champion Anna Meares, showed she is on in good form, with a series of strong performances.

After missing the recent Australian championships due to fatigue from a heavy training load, Meares used the Revolution 6 event as a prelude to yet another world title tilt.

Meares took out the Degani Revolution sprint, holding off New South Wales Kaarle McCulloch and Queenslander Emily Rosemond in her first hit out of the evening.

To assist with her preparations Meares then raced alongside the men.

Firstly against the talented Nathan Corrigan-Martella who won the under-19 team sprint at the Australian championships earlier this month. The under-19 rider took the win, retaining his pride and helping Meares’ preparations for Denmark in the process.

Then Meares raced in a mixed keirin, which was won by Aaron Cooper but Meares flashed home to finish second after being blocked for a run for much of the final lap.

“I felt really good and I’m really pleased where I’m at at the moment,” Meares said.

“I really enjoyed that, it was hard and intense and they weren’t given me anything. That’s what we need.

“11.3 (seconds) for the (200m) sprint and 11.5 (seconds) for the keirin is the sort of level we need to get at regularly.

“Australia is too far from the other countries so we need to think outside the box to find ways to challenge ourselves. So by the time we get to international competition we’ve got it sorted.

“I’m confident, excited and a little nervous”, Meares said thinking ahead to the world titles. “I know the form is going to be good but you just want it to go perfectly. All that hard work – the money’s in the bank and I just hope the bank is open on the right day so I can make a withdrawal.”

In other events:

• In a warm up for the Australian Junior Team Pursuit Championships at DISC in March, the Victorian team of Evan Hull, Thomas Hamilton, Jack Cummings and Alex Morgan had a crack at the Australian under-17 record. They clocked 3:21.589 to beat the National record of 3:22.859 set by NSW last year.

• Invited grade riders battled it out for the inaugural $1000 first prize in the Norm Manskie Medal scratch race over 15 laps. Brent Nelson rode a strong race and held off all challenges to take the win, ahead of Darren Rogers and Rick Sanders.

• New Zealander Shane Archbold captured a winning treble, taking out the SRAM Revolution Elimination race, backing up to win the Urban elite men’s scratch race, holding off Victorian Sean Finning. He then returned to turn back teammate Tom Skully to win the Urban points race.

• Victorian Jason Niblett reversed the result from Revolution 5 last December, taking out the Degani Sprint final, pinching a big break with a lap to go and outlasting 2009 Melbourne Cup on Wheels winner Josiah Ng of Malaysia. Daniel Ellis (SA) finished third.

• Jaron Gardiner held off Emily Rosemond, Aaron Cooper shaded Kaarle McCulloch and Nathan Corigan-Martella accounted for Anna Meares in the Clipsal women versus M19 Match Sprint. In the men v women keirin, Cooper took the victory, but Meares impressed in second place after being blocked in for much of the final lap.

• In the 2XU women’s keirin final the Melbourne-based Malaysian Fatehah Mustapha held off Victorian Apryl Eppinger. World championships silver medallist Azizal Awang made it a Malaysian double for coach John Beasley, taking the men’s keirin ahead of Jason Niblett and Daniel Ellis.

• In the Teschner Future Stars events, Imogen Jelbart won the W17 Double Kilo dash, with Jack Cummins taking out the men’s equivalent. Evan Hull of Ararat won the elimination race to take the series and a $5000 Teschner frame. Jelbart did the same, taking out the women’s elimination to make it a winning double.

Source: Event Press Release

Kaarle McCulloch Revolution 6 Blog

On Saturday the AIS sprinters and myself headed over to Melbourne to race in the 6th Revolution. Its always a quick in and out trip for us and we're pretty lucky that the flight is only 60min! It was to prove to be a long day for us with the boys riding in the afternoon session in the heats of the Melbourne Cup on Wheels, whilst us girls got to kick back in our hotel in the city!

I was lucky enough to have a 8strong cheer squad on hand with my family and good family friends, the Duttons, there to watch me race. The racing consisting for us girls with a womens sprint in which I defeated the young Malysian rider Fatehah in the heat to go through to a 3up final against fellow team mates Anna Meares and Emily Rosemond. A 3up is a race in which I dont ride many of so it was a bit of a suck it and see type race with me taking teh lead with 2laps to go. Coming into bell lap I let Anna slide infront of me and lined her wheel up down the back straight to try and come around. It was one of the first times I have ridden from behind against Anna and was pretty happy with my attempt, just failing to pip her on the line. I take a lot of confidence out of the race as I normally struggle to get around the top riders in the world like Anna.

Next up was a bit of an unusual scenario for us with a Keirin and a sprint match against the junior under 19 men. They are at about the same level in terms of speed as the Victoria Pendletons (GBR) of the world so it was a good test of form as we enter the last prep phase leading into the World Championships. I drew a race against young up and coming sprinter Aaron Cooper from Victoria who rode 11.08 at the recent Australian Titles. With their pride on the line the boys definitley stuck it to us, with them winning all three heats. In my race against Aaron, my tactic was to come around him and wind him up. I did both things successfully, and again just missed out on pipping him on the line. It was a great race ran in an impressive 11.5, so I again took great confidence out of it as I know I am well on my way to some good form for the Worlds.

The last race of the night was the Keirin against the men. My tactic tonight was to do something I rarely do and that was to sit in and make a move as late as possible. As it turned out when the bike swung off I was sitting in second last wheel and had to re think my tactics. A flyer was taken by one of the junior men and when he hit the front and started to fast stall I reacted on instinct and made a big move around the outside. I surprised myself a little with how quickly I managed to get over the top of everyone - and know that my jump is in good condition at the moment! I wasnt quite strong enough however to get in front of eventual winner Cooper, and sat two wide for half a lap before going backwards! Ha-ha! Had it been just women I am fully confident I would have been able to get around the field and put myself in a good position to win.

The night was tough with 5 quality races completed in just over 2and a bit hours. I undergeared myself a little in the racing which was a little unintentional and could have contributed to why I couldnt quite get over my opponents, so I will have to be a little smarter with my gear choices at the Worlds.

All in all it was a fantastic time and I enjoyed being able to see my family. FINALLY we enter our taper now and I am looking forward to the legs starting to feel good for the first time in a year! Its hard to believe that only a year ago I was crowned World Champion and hadthe best meet of my career to date. I go into Copenhagen with a quiet confidence and hope that I can bring home a rainbow (or two ) again!

I shall update again just before we leave for Copenhagen and then its time to take some money out of the bank and spend it all over the 5days of racing! Bring it!

Karls
Kaarle McCulloch's Website

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