Chris Hoy of Britain is a four-time Olympic and 10-time world champion cyclist.
CRUCIAL: British face action-packed five days against traditional rivals
MELBOURNE: THE Olympic gold-winning credentials of track superpowers
Great Britain faces a crucial test this week when traditional rivals
Australia host the 2012 World Championships.
Held over five, action-packed days at the Hisense Arena, the event
will serve as a pre-London tune-up for most and a crucial stepping
stone on the way to Olympic qualification for others.
By Sunday, there should be little room for doubt concerning Olympic
selection. For those already assured of a place, what needs done to win
Olympic gold in five months' time will remain the biggest concern.
Given their resounding success at the 2008 Olympics when they won
seven of 10 track gold medals, most would expect Britain to be
strutting towards their home Games in July.
However, changes to the Olympic programme -- the men and women now
compete in the same five events and only one competitor is allowed per
event -- as well as efforts by rival teams to close the competitive gap
mean Britain are no longer assured an easy ride.
Australia claimed only one medal, a sprint silver thanks to Anna
Meares, in Beijing but are now confident of challenging in most of the
10 Olympic events.
"I don't think I'm being unrealistic in saying that we're in the
hunt in most of the Olympic events," Australia's high performance
director Kevin Tabotta said recently.
Today the Australian men's team pursuit are expected to duel with
Olympic champions and world record holders Britain as they aim for their
third world title since Beijing.
Australia set a winning time of 3:54.615s, just outside the world
record of 3:53.314, to beat Britain at the World Cup last month -- a
defeat that Britain are desperate to avenge, preferably in London.
"We will go to Melbourne to win, or at least to close the gap,"
said Britain's start man Ed Clancy after Great Britain finished in
3:56.330.
In the women's team sprint, the two-lap power event which will make
its Olympic debut, Anna and partner Kaarle McCulloch are widely
expected to come up against British duo Victoria Pendleton and Jess
Varnish.
In London last month Anna and Kaarle beat their own world record,
before it was then eclipsed by Victoria and Jess as the Brits took a
surprise gold.
While Britain and Australia are expected to stake claims for medals
in the women's team pursuit and omnium, other nations will be among the
reckoning for the men's and women's sprint events of the sprint, keirin
and team sprint.
Despite being a four-time Olympic champion and the reigning champion
in the sprint, keirin and team sprint Sir Chris Hoy is duelling with
England's Jason Kenny for the sole sprint spot for London.
The Scot underlined his Olympic ambitions in London last month when
he won the sprint and keirin titles and took silver in the team sprint,
but despite that success his place is not guaranteed.
"Obviously selection hasn't been finalised for the British team yet
so I'm looking forward to putting in another good performance,
hopefully in the sprint, keirin and team sprint and try and stake my
claim for selection," said Hoy.
As well as from Kenny, Hoy is expected to meet stiff opposition from
Frenchman Gregory Bauge, Australian Shane Perkins and a strong German
team that also have eyes on the three-man sprint title. AFP
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