CYCLING: Some of Australia's biggest cycling names are battling it out at the five-day International Track Series (ITS) in Adelaide.

Day 2

Rainbows shone inside the Adelaide Super-drome with a host of reigning and former world champions lighting up the track on the second day of the International Track Series (ITS).
In the keirin finals, reigning world champion Anna Meares (SA) and 2011 world champion Shane Perkins (VIC) surged to powerful victories, while Annette Edmondson (SA) claimed her first win in the omnium wearing the rainbow stripes.
Meanwhile in the individual pursuit, Rebecca Wiasak (ACT) rode her world champion skinsuit to victory.
The night was also highlighted by victories to Scott Law (NSW) in the men’s omnium, plus wins to South Australia’s Derek Radziekiwicz and Dani McKinnirey in under 19 events.

Women's Keirin
Reigning world champion Anna Meares rose to the occasion in front of her home crowd with a rapacious win in women’s keirin final.
In a thrilling final push in the home straight, Meares reeled in Olympic medallist Wai Sze Lee (HKG) to take the win, with 2009 world champion Shuang Guo (CHN) in third.
“I haven’t worn one (rainbow jersey) in Australia for three years, took a while to earn one again so it was nice to be able to pull it out, to ride as well as I did and do it proud,” said Meares, who in February claimed her third keirin world crown and record-breaking eleventh career world title, moving her one clear of French legend Felicia Ballanger for most world titles in history by a female track cyclist.
On Wednesday’s opening day of competition, Meares finished fourth in the women’s sprint behind Lee, Stephanie Morton (SA) and Guo, however the consummate professional turned the tables on her rivals on Thursday.
“That is a world class field right there, but tonight I found myself in good positions, looking for the right wheels and moved when I needed to,” Meares added.
“It is early in the season, it is cold and its tough, but everyone is in the same boat but its nice to get out and race,” she remarked.

Men's Keirin
In the men’s keirin final, 2011 keirin world champion Shane Perkins fired in the home straight to take the win over the top of Mitchell Bullen (NSW), with Jacob Schmid (VIC) finishing third.
“Tonight, I gave myself every opportunity to win, raced a solid race in the final and am really happy with the result,” said Perkins, both a junior and senior world champion in the event.
Perkins returned to Adelaide earlier this week after contesting the Melbourne Cup on Wheels Carnival last Saturday night. This just one day after returning from his second stint of the season on the Japanese Keirin Circuit where he notched up his 99th career win.
“But I am a little surprised with my form tonight,” Perkins revealed. “Yes, I have been doing a lot of hard work and have been working on some special things, but I was not sure how all the recent travel and racing would affect me.”
“But I am feeling great, my form is coming together nicely.”
Perkins will be back in action on Saturday in the sprint competition.
Commonwealth champion Matthew Glaetzer, who claimed the sprint event on Wednesday night, crashed out of his second round heat, but was quick to his feet following the incident.

Omnium
South Australia’s Annette Edmondson (SA) proved just why she is the world champion with a resounding win in the women’s omnium event.
Edmondson took the early advantage on Wednesday after winning the scratch and elimination races plus finishing third behind reigning individual pursuit world champion Rebecca Wiasak (ACT) in the race against the clock.
On Thursday, Edmondson continued her run with wins in the time trial and flying lap, to move her 26 points clear heading into the points race where a comfortable and calculated race saw her take 14 more points to clinch the win.
“Being my first race with these colours, I wanted to do the rainbow jersey justice, so to come out on top is pretty special,” said Edmondson.
Reigning Oceania champion Scott Law (NSW) took the win in the men’s omnium.
Law, an omnium silver medallist during the 2014/15 Track World Cup season, sat four points behind Korea’s Jaeyeon Lim after clinching three top six placings in Wednesday’s opening three events – the scratch, elimination and pursuit.
On Thursday, Law posted the fastest times in the time trial and flying laps to move six points clear, before sealing the win after adding another 25 to his tally in the final event – the points race.

Women's Individual Pursuit
Reigning world champion Rebecca Wiasak (ACT) donned her rainbow skin-suit for the first time, taking out the women’s event in a time of 3mins 35.216secs.
“It was amazing to race out on the boards in the rainbows here at home, there are not many chances to do this so I am glad I made the most of it here tonight,” said Wiasak, who as a rookie clinched a memorable maiden world title at the World Championships in Paris in February.

Day 1

The sprint and omnium competitions warmed up the Adelaide Super-drome as the five-day International Track Series (ITS) event got underway on Wednesday afternoon.

It was a sizzling display by Matthew Glaetzer (SA) to win the men’s sprint with the reigning national champion leading an Aussie trifecta with Jacob Schmid (VIC) and Peter Lewis (NSW) rounding out the podium.

In the women’s sprint, 2014 Commonwealth Games sprint gold medallist Steph Morton (SA) knocked out Olympic champion Anna Meares (SA) in the semi final before her run came to an end in the final against Olympic medallist Wai Sze Lee (HKG).

Donning her rainbow jersey for the first time, reigning world champion Annette Edmondson (SA) owns a 10 point lead after the first three rounds of the women’s omnium, while Sydney’s Scott Law sit second in the men’s event.

Day 1 recap:
Sprints
It was a relatively fresh start in the Super-drome for the riders, with reigning national champion Matthew Glaetzer (9.936) warming things up with the only sub ten second time in the flying 200m. Jacob Schmid (10.081) was second fastest ahead of Peter Lewis (10.174).

Glaetzer, 22, progressed through to the semi finals where he defeated dual Japanese Olympian Kazunari Watanabe 2-0, while 21-year-old Schmid defeated Lewis also both in straight heats.

In the final, Glaetzer – a 2012 world champion and London Olympian – held his nerve as he was pushed to the limits his younger opponent in both heats.
“It was a big day of racing today and I am happy to come away with a big result,” said Glaetzer, who owns two of the three fastest 'Flying 200m' times in history. “I was aiming for a ten-0 (zero), so to crack a nine (seconds) again I am happy with that.

“In the final, Jacob pushed me all the way, I only just won the first one. He certainly has a really bright future, he is a quality competitor.”

Glaetzer is back in action on Thursday in the keirin competition from 1pm.

In the women’s sprint, Stephanie Morton (10.937) recorded the fastest flying 200 time ahead of Olympic medallists Wai Sze Lee (HKG/11.092) and Shuang Guo (CHN/11/172), with reigning Olympic champion Anna Meares (11.232) fourth fastest.

Meares knocked out three-time world champion team-mate Kaarle McCulloch in the quarterfinal, setting up a Commonwealth Games final rematch in the semi final which Morton won in straight heats.

In the final, Wai Sze Lee proved too strong for Morton in two close, hard fought races, while Shuang Guo edged Meares also in two heats to finish third.
“I am really happy, I knew it was going to be really tough racing, the girls are really close,” said Morton, who faced a field which included four Olympic medallists in Lee, Shuang, Meares and McCulloch.

“It was a huge field, you can’t underestimate anyone in there as they are all great competitors, when there is a field like that you know it’s going the tough racing.
“But I went into today with a plan and to execute that. This is the time of the year to focus on myself, and get my weaknesses stronger. This is the time to get better so that was my main focus today,” added Morton, who will line up in Thursday’s keirin.

Omnium
The omnium competition got underway for both men and women, with the first three events - Scratch Race, individual pursuit and Elimination race.
In the women's omnium, reigning world champion Annette Edmondson took the early advantage after winning the scratch race, before reigning individual pursuit world champion Rebecca Wiasak showed her class with the best time in the race against the clock (3:37.758).

In the men’s event, Sam Welsford (WA) claimed the win in the scratch race before Sanghoon Park clocked the quickest pursuit time, just ahead of Tirian McManus (NSW).
Welsford backed up with a win in the elimination to sit third in the competition after three events, 14 points in arrears of Korea’s Jaeyeon Im. Sydney’s Scott Law (NSW) lies just four points behind in second after clinching three top six placings on the day.

2012 omnium world champion Glenn O’Shea sits sixth.

Under 19 events
South Australia’s Derek Radziekiwicz won a thrilling under 19 men’s keirin final and Cameron Scott (NSW) took third, while China’s Shanju Bao won the women’s event.
New Zealand’s Olivia Podmore took the win in the U19 women's 5km scratch race, coming over the top of Dani McKinnirey (SA) and Nicola MacDonald (NSW) in the home straight.

In the U19 men's 7.5km scratch race, New Zealand’s Campbell Stewart raced away to take the win over Godfrey Slattery (VIC) and Alex Rendell (WA).
Michaela Drummond (NZ) took the third New Zealand U19 win of the night in the elimination over Jade Haines (WA) & Tori Saunders (NSW).
Coming up on Thursday

The final three events wil be held - men’s and women’s omnium, plus the men’s and women’s keirin finals and women’s individual pursuit. The under 19s will feature six finals including sprint, scratch and points race.

Four Australians will don rainbow jerseys - Annette Edmondson (women’s omnium), Anna Meares (women’s keirin), Rebecca Wiasak (individual pursuit) and Courtney Field (under 19 women’s sprint).

Thursday’s Schedule – Racing begins at 1pm, finishes approx. 830pm
• Women Omnium - Time Trial, Flying Lap & Points Race – incl reigning world champion Annette Edmondson
• Men's Omnium - Time Trial, Flying Lap & Points Race incl 2012 world champion Glenn O'Shea
• U19 Men's Sprint 200mTT
• U19 Women's Sprint 200TT
• Men's Keirin incl Glaetzer, Perkins, Lewis, Awang, Schmid, Bullen, Hart
• Women's Keirin incl reigning world champion Anna Meares and Morton, McCulloch, Guo, Lee, Ward
• U19 Women's 5km scratch race
• U19 Men's 7.5km scratch race
• U19 Women's 7.5km Points race
• U19 Men's 10km points race
• Women's Individual Pursuit - feat reigning world champion Rebecca Wiasak (ACT)
About ITS

The International Track Series (ITS) Adelaide is a five-day UCI Category 1 track cycling event being held in Adelaide providing cycling fans a rare opportunity to catch Australia’s stars in action on home soil.

ITS features 170 cyclists from 12 countries battling for valuable qualification points for the 2016 UCI Track World Championships and Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

CYCLING AUSTRALIA