Endurance Depth has Decker Eyeing Success
Australian track cycling men’s endurance coach Tim Decker is revelling in the strength of depth in Australian track cycling at present, as he architects a successful campaign at the Track World Championships in London.
The men’s endurance squad for track titles, to be held at the London Olympic velodrome from March 2-6 will continue to keep the drive formed, from a perfect blend of experience and an influx of new young talent.
Veterans Michael Hepburn, Glenn O’Shea and Luke Davison, who boast six team pursuit world titles between them will provide tremendous leadership, to the likes of 2014 world champion Miles Scotson, who returns for his third tilt at just 22, whilst his younger brother Callum, plus Sam Welsford and Alex Porter, create a trio of World Championships debutants with an average age of just 19.
Rounding out the squad is six-time world champion Cameron Meyer who returns to the World Championships for the first time since 2012 and will ride the Madison.
With 13 riders wearing the green and gold for Australian across the three World Cup Series, Tim Decker has found himself in the luxurious position, of being in charge of a strong group of riders all performing on the international stage.
“It is one big thing I have been working on over this Olympic cycle since 2013 when I took over is making sure we have numbers,” Decker said. “One of things that has come out of having numbers is there is a higher grade of competition for positions within the group.
“There are 9-10 riders pushing for four to five spots, so every day you see riders lift at training, which is what we are looking for.”
With the World Championships a precursor to this year’s major event in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, Decker admitted it was a boost to welcome proven performers back into the national set-up, with the coach pointing to Hepburn’s return as evidence that the squad was finding a natural balance of experience and hunger to succeed.
“Over his time away out of the program and doing the road focus he has matured a lot and become a lot more of a leader,” Decker said of five-time world champion.
“His return was one of the key ingredients to throw into the mix, to set us up for possible gold in Rio. He spent a month with us in November, and then at the New Zealand World Cup, he was part of the team that broke the national record.
“That’s a great injection to have leading into worlds and to Rio,” Decker said.
In addition to the team pursuit, the omnium is the second of two endurance events to be held at both the World Championships and at the Olympic Games and one that has been a happy hunting ground for Australia in recent years.
“We have an athlete in Glenn O’Shea who has not finished outside of the medals in every international competition [World Championships and World Cups] he has started in the omnium,” Decker said.
“He has won one world title he has a second and third. Every World Cup he has done he has medalled so there is some real consistency.”
In addition to the team pursuit, omnium, and Madison, the individual pursuit, scratch race and points race titles will be decided in London.
WAIS athlete Cameron Meyer is identified to ride the Madison event, whilst fellow scholarship holder Sam Welsford is set to form a crucial part of Australia’s team pursuit squad, following on from his impressive win in the individual pursuit at the recent Australian Track Nationals in Adelaide.
-CyclingAus