Vibrant Melbourne Takes Track Cycling to Fever Pitch

Experience the thrills, spills and pure adrenalin pumping action of the 2012 UCI Track Cycling World Championships at Melbourne’s Hisense Arena (4-8 April).

The UCI Track Cycling World Championships is the pinnacle of world track cycling, attracting up to 350 of the world’s best cyclists from over 40 countries. With Melbourne recognised as Australia’s first Bike City, as well as the country’s events capital, the buzz around cycling is at an all time high and unprecedented demand for tickets is expected.                               

 

The 2012 Championships is the final qualifying event in the lead-up to the 2012 London Olympic Games ensuring all fans will witness the best track cycling on offer as cyclists vie for an Olympic berth and a prestigious rainbow jersey.
          
The 2012 UCI Track Cycling World Championships offers an unparalleled opportunity to experience five thrilling days of world class action in Melbourne. Over 42,000 spectators are expected to travel to Melbourne for the highly anticipated event and with tickets strictly limited to just over 4000 seats available per session, prime viewing positions located in the front and back straights will go fast!

Track cycling in Melbourne has received unequalled interest in recent times, with sell outs recorded at Hisense Arena for the 2006 Commonwealth Games track cycling sessions, plus the 2004 World Championships.

The Australian Cyclones’ dominated the 2011 UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Apeldoorn last March, topping the medal tally after claiming eight of a possible 19 gold medals including six of the ten Olympic events.  This proves that the team will tough to beat on their home soil.

New Zealand will be among the major challengers for the rainbow jerseys at the 2012 UCI Championships, recording the fourth fastest time in history in the team pursuit at the Oceania Track Cycling Championships in Invercargill last month (November).

 

New Zealand quartet of Marc Ryan, Sam Bewley, Aaron Gate and Jesse Sergent took two seconds off the national record to post the fourth fastest time in history.

Their time of 3.55.295 makes them the second fastest nation, with Great Britain the only nation to go faster. It tops Australia’s fastest time by just over one tenth of a second.

Just as strong in the women’s event, Alison Shanks, Lauren Ellis and Jaime Nielsen posted the second fastest time in history (3:19.759) to smash the national record they set earlier that day by four seconds.

Alison Shanks (individual pursuit) and women’s sprint pair Natasha Hansen and Katie Schofield also set New Zealand records in some fast racing at Invercargill.
 

Eight-time world champion Anna Meares (SA) and 2011 keirin world champion Shane Perkins (VIC) believe the 2012 UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Melbourne will provide the perfect launch pad for the Olympic Games in London later next year.

“I’d just like to say to the fans, if you’ve never been to the track cycling before it’s an experience on its own. You never realise how close you are to the action, how close to the riders you are and how fast the action is. You can literally feel the wind brush your face as the bunch of riders go past. To see a sport that close, and that intense is unique,” said Meares.

“The ticket sales have been going really fast and I encourage all the fans to get onto the tickets urgently.”

For Perkins, the chance to race in front of his local Victorian crowd is not to be missed, particularly in the lead-up to what may be the final puzzle piece in his very successful career.

“Being the reigning world champion from the Keirin event this year it’s definitely going to be a really big challenge to back up. But having the home support of the crowd, I’m going to be wanting to go out there and give it my best in front of family and friends,” Perkins said.