Eddie Dawkins training at the Avantidrome in Cambridge. Photo / Greg Bowker
New Zealand has proven track pedalling power, but tomorrow the country's cycling fraternity will also showcase their event management skills at the second round of the international governing body's three annual World Cups in Cambridge.
Organisers expect 28 current world or Olympic champions to compete among 571 riders and staff
from 39 countries in the gladiatorial atmosphere of the Avantidrome. Such events are the means by which qualifying points are earned for March's world championships and August's Rio Olympics.
Confirmation came in April when Cycling New Zealand boss Andrew Matheson said New Zealand riders' dominance on the world stage had paid hosting dividends.
"We had a milestone with the men's team pursuit winning its first rainbow jersey or gold medal at the world champs [at Paris in February]. That came off the back of the men's programme winning the [team] sprint the year before."
Sprinter Eddie Dawkins also earned silver in the keirin, Aaron Gate was fifth in the omnium, Sam Webster was sixth in the individual sprint and the women's team pursuit and team sprint were fourth and ninth respectively.
"We're seeing on a daily basis how successful the Avantidrome is for our high performance riders," Matheson said of the velodrome which opened in April 2014. A corps of tuned Kiwi pedallers will venture from the venue to Rio, aiming to add to the country's six Olympic velodrome medals. Gary Anderson's bronze in the individual pursuit was the first in 1992.
Sarah Ulmer's world record gold supplemented that at Athens in 2004, also in the now Games defunct IP. The remaining four medals have come at the last two Olympics as part of the legacy high performance director Mark Elliott is building. Diligence, inspiration and a taxpayer investment of $17.4 million this Olympic cycle suggests more are on their way.
"We reflect every day that taxpayer money holds us accountable to perform," Elliott said of a programme coveted internationally. "The key thing is we've got a lot of riders who want to be the best in the world. It's more about excitement than pressure."
