CYCLING - TRACK: A youthful 10-rider team which will be guided by two Olympians will contest the opening two rounds of the 2016-17 UCI Track World Cup, to be held in Glasgow, Scotland 4-6 November followed by Apeldoorn, Netherlands 11-13 November.
"It is great to see such a dynamic young line up named for the opening round of the 2016/17 season," said Cycling Australia CEO Nicholas Green OAM.
"At the start of a new Olympic cycle, and with Australia hosting the Commonwealth Games in 18 months, these events are critical in developing our new talent."
What Is The Track World Cup
A change in format for the 2016-17 World Cup season has seen the number of rounds expanded to four with two back-to-back World Cup weekends offering additional racing as we enter a new Olympic cycle.
With Australia looking to continue to develop the next generation of track cyclists with an eye on the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast and 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
Glasgow hosts the opening round November 4-6 with round two to be hosted in Apeldoorn from November 11-13.
Round three will sees the world head to Cali, Colombia February 17-19 before the finale in Los Angeles from February 25-26 2017.
The 2017 UCI Track Cycling World Championships will be held in Hong Kong, in April.
What Events Will Be Contested
The 14 event programme in Glasgow includes equal events for men and women, including nine of ten Olympic events; men's and women's team pursuit, team sprint, sprint, keirin plus the women's omnium.
The women's Madison makes its debut at the elite level following the announcement by the UCI last week of its addition to the World Championship programme. The women's field also has the chance to compete in the scratch race with the men's Madison, individual pursuit and points race completing the programme.
The Apeldoorn round features 14 events including the men's and women's team sprint, keirin, sprint, omnium and men's team pursuit.
Outside the Olympic events riders will tackle the men's and women's points races plus the 500m time trial for women and Madison and scratch race for men.
Who Is Riding For Australia
The Australian team for the opening two rounds of the 2016-17 track season features a mix of youth and experience with three riders making their World Cup debut, along side returning faces and two experienced hands.
Rio 2016 Olympian Nathan Hart leads a youthful sprint squad with rising stars Tom Clarke, Braeden Dean and Holly Takos making their World Cup debut.
Australian 500m time trial champion Caitlin Ward, who will represent Australia at her third World Cup, rounds out the sprinters.
On the endurance side reigning world champion and Olympic silver medallist Callum Scotson returns to the track following a brief road return for the UCI Road World Championships in Qatar.
Joining him is Rohan Wight who claimed World Cup gold in Hong Kong in January and six time world champion Cameron Meyer, who brings experience at the highest level to the young group.
Former World Cup winner and junior world champion Alex Manly joins three time 2016 national champion Danielle McKinnirey in the women's endurance line up.
TEAM AUSTRALIA
Sprint Men
Tom CLARKE (SA)
Nathan HART (ACT)
Braeden DEAN (VIC)
Sprint Women
Holly TAKOS (SA)
Caitlin WARD (VIC)
Endurance Men - Glasgow Round 1 only
Cameron MEYER (WA)
Callum SCOTSON (SA)
Rohan WIGHT (SA)
Endurance Women
Alex MANLY (SA)
Danielle MCKINNIREY (SA)
Cycling Australia
