Wundersitz Wins Bronze on Debut

WAIS cyclist Elissa Wundersitz has won a bronze medal on her senior track world cup debut, at the UCI event in Manchester, England.

The inexperienced quartet of Annette Edmondson and World Cup team pursuit debutants Georgia Baker, Rebecca Wiasak and Wundersitz formed Australia’s first ever four-rider formation for the newly expanded 4000m event for women.

Qualifying third fastest, the team faced off against Russia in the bronze medal final and fought back from a deficit of nearly two seconds at the halfway point to win by nearly two seconds in a time of 4:30.831.

“I’m very pleased with both the team’s rides today, for a team that hasn’t spent much time together we rode well and read each other perfectly. They new when to do short and long turns and it definitely paid off,” said Edmondson.

“With this being Elissa, Georgia and Bec’s first team pursuit at a senior World Cup, we came here hoping for experience and a top four or five placing, so to come away with third is a brilliant result for us,” added Edmondson who will now contest the omnium and points races.

“I know my competition are in good form after the European champs, but I’m in for a challenge but I’m looking forward to giving it a crack and seeing just where my track fitness is at following my road season,” she said.

In the final, Great Britain’s Olympic champions Laura Trott, Dani King, Joanna Roswell teamed with world champion Elinor Barker to shatter their own world record set in the morning qualifying. The new mark now sits at 4:19.604.

-CyclingAustralia