CYCLING - TRACK: With his breakthrough Australian title, emerging cyclist Sam Welsford hopes he's made a compelling argument to live his dream.

The 20-year-old claimed the national 4000 metre individual pursuit crown on Thursday night at the Australian track titles in Adelaide.

Welsford eclipsed Michael Hepburn by almost four seconds in an emphatic victory, hoping to boost his case to break into Australia's team pursuit outfit at the Olympic Games.

"These nationals are very important for all the enduro squad that we have gunning for Rio," he said after collecting his first senior national title.

"Hopefully, this helps my argument. But there is still a long way to go with multiple team camps."

Welsford said cracking a berth in the team pursuit at the Rio Olympics would fulfil a dream.

"I think about it every day, every time I go to bed," he said.

"It's the dream. It has been my dream since I started cycling."

But the West Australian said he was also a realist.

"We have such a big squad and the depth of it is insane," he said.

"We have got about 10 to 12 guys that can all go."

Hepburn is among that batch, having returned to the velodrome after a heavy workload on the road in the Tour Down Under.

The endurance squad also boasts renowned performers Jack Bobridge, Alexander Edmondson, Mitchell Mulhern and Miles Scotson, who formed Australia's bronze medal-winning pursuit team at last year's world championships.

Add to that Glenn O'Shea and Luke Davis, who with Bobridge and Edmonson won the 2014 world title, and Welsford knows he's facing a selection battle despite his victory in the individual pursuit - a non-Olympic event.

"I still can't believe it. I got two seconds last year, so to get a win and finally get a jersey, I'm absolutely stoked," he said.

In the women's 3000m individual pursuit, Ashlee Ankudinoff denied Amy Cure a third consecutive Australian title.

Ankudinoff powered past her opponent in the last half of the race to win by about 1.21 seconds.

Cycling Australia