Welsford Building on Impressive Debut Senior Season

WAIS cyclist Sam Welsford is relishing the opportunity to compete at senior level as he prepares for his third World Cup event and second appearance in Columbia.

Australia’s track squad are stepping up their Road to Rio preparations in Cali at the opening round of the 2015/16 UCI Track World Cup series.

Australia claimed 17 gold medals at the recent Oceania Track Championships and will compete in Cali with Olympic qualifying points and medals on offer across an exciting three days of competition from 30 October – 1 November.

For Welsford, selection at the Cali World Cup is due recognition for a highly productive debut campaign, in his first year as a senior track competitor for Australia, after he won gold as a member of the men’s team pursuit at the 2014 Junior Track World Championships in Korea.

Welsford was recently crowned Oceania Champion in the omnium and he returns to Cali, for his third world cup in the last 12 months.

“I think the year has gone pretty well for me coming out of the junior ranks,” he said.

“It has been a long year of racing but I have loved the challenge of stepping up to the senior ranks.”

Welsford has spent much of 2015 on the track, winning two silver medals at the Australian National Championships in January and a top five omnium finish at ITS Adelaide. He was also part of the team that set an unofficial team pursuit world record of 3mins 50.360secs in July in Aguascalientes. Before being crowned Oceania Champion in the omnium and claiming two silver medals earlier in October.

“It has given me a little confidence boost,” said Welsford on his Oceania omnium title. “A World Cup field is very tough, but I had some good times at Oceanias so that always helps.

“I’m super excited to be back at it in Colombia. Last time I was there in January, I was struggling with illness so will be good to give it another crack.”

“I’m obviously looking for more experience racing at the world level and to learn new things,” he said. “Hopefully grabbing some good results along the way.”

Welsford is joined in the Australian track team by fellow WAIS athletes Isabella King and Elissa Wundersitz.

-CyclingAus