CYCLING: Anna Meares is returning to the London velodrome where she won Olympic gold two years ago as the sprint queen continues preparing for the Rio Games.
Meares, who plans to retire on a high after the 2016 Olympics, will race a full program at the Track Cycling World Cup in London this weekend.
The Australian team heads into the meet after topping the medal table at the first round in Mexico a month ago.
Meares in mid-2012 secured a historic sprint win over fierce British rival Victoria Pendleton at the London Olympics.
"It's a very special velodrome for Anna," Australian sprint coach Gary West said ahead of Meare's return to the London boards.
"When we first walked in here on Monday afternoon for our first training session there was a flood of memories both for Anna and myself.
"It was great to be back. There were some really exciting times for Anna in 2012 and she's very much aware and enjoying being back in this arena."
Meares will ride the team sprint on Friday with Stephanie Morton who beat her in the individual final at the Commonwealth Games in late July.
The 31-year-old will compete in the individual sprint on Saturday and the keirin on Sunday.
West says the plan ahead of Rio is for Meares to improve on each outing.
The Queensland-born cyclist was competitive in Mexico coming fifth in the sprint and claiming bronze in the keirin.
"Our goals and ambitions here are to be better than that," West told AAP.
Australia won three gold in topping the Mexico medal table but West insists repeating isn't the main aim in the English capital.
"Not exclusively," he said on Wednesday.
"That's a bonus of course (but) our real objective here is first and foremost to be competitive and ensure we collect sufficient points out of this competition as part of the Rio campaign."
The road to Rio commenced at the Guadalajara meet.
How many riders Australia takes to the Olympics depends on the points gained over the six World Cup meets and two World Championships before the Games.
The next 20 months also determines who lines up in the green and gold.
Matthew Glaetzer this weekend will feature in the sprint coming off a blistering win in Mexico where he qualified with one of the fastest-ever flying 200m.
The South Australian will be joined by Shane Perkins in the team event while Peter Lewis and Mitch Bullen will also be sprinting for Australia.
A teenage men's pursuit team won gold a month ago but such is the depth of talent Down Under none of those riders are in London.
Instead, three reigning team pursuit world champions return in Alex Edmondson, Mitchell Mulhern and Luke Davison.
Dual-reigning Commonwealth gold medallist Scott Sunderland and 2014 junior team pursuit world champion Callum Scotson are also in the squad.
The women's team pursuit should also be competitive in London, according to West, after coming fifth in Mexico.
Julian Drape
AAP
