World Cup News: Aussie Teenagers World Cup Debut in Manchester

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Two of Australia’s emerging junior track cyclists in Joshua Harrison and Elissa Wundersitz will get their first taste of the world’s best elite competition when they contest the UCI Track World Cup in Manchester this weekend.

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Part of the Australian team that dominated the 2013 UCI Junior Track World Championships in Scotland in August, the teenage pair will contest the men’s and women’s team pursuits respectively at the opening round of the three-round UCI series to be held at the British National Cycling Centre.

Harrison’s stellar junior worlds campaign included gold in the team pursuit (with Jack Edwards, Sam Welsford and Callum Scotson and bronze in the Madison (with Welsford).

In Manchester, Harrison, 18, will line up with elder statesmen Luke Davison, Alexander Edmondson and Mitchell Mulhern in the event, with the eighteen-year-old eager to get out on the track with his senior teammates.

“It’s (being in the team) pretty phenomenal,” said the Adelaide-based cyclist. “To race with and against these guys who are pretty high in world cycling is something I can’t really fathom at the moment. I am really looking forward to the experience, seeing what it’s all like, seeing how they (senior team) operate themselves and getting into the routine of what they do.”

“The experience I can get off of my team mates as well will be crazy,” he added.

Similarly Wundersitz, 18, is eager to get out on the track with Annette Edmondson, Georgia Baker and Rebecca Wiasak to form Australia’s first ever female team pursuit quartet in international competition.

The Manchester UCI Track World Cup provides the first opportunity for Australia to field a four-rider team for the 4000m distance since the UCI announced expanded the format for the 2013/14 international season.

“I am really looking forward riding with experienced riders and just being with the chain,” remarked Wundersitz, who went agonisingly close to claiming two rainbow jerseys in Scotland. The Perth cyclist finished just one point off the gold medal in the points race and claimed an emphatic bronze in the team pursuit in world record time.

“I’m so excited to be able to travel and learn from the likes of Annette (Edmondson) and Anna (Meares) because they are my idols. To be with them is just really exciting and I am really hoping to ride the best I can,” she added.

Australian Team for World Track Cup

Great Britain Team for World Track Cup

Welsh Team for World Cup

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