BRENDAN LINES
THE Riverland will be treated to a taste of the Tokyo Olympic games when members of the Australian track cycling team compete at the 2021 Tour of the Riverland this weekend.
Men and women from the Australian Olympic team will join up to 160 local and interstate competitors for the 47th running of the event.
Berri will host the teams’ final road racing run ahead of the cyclists departure to Tokyo in nine weeks’ time.
Tim Decker, Australian cycling coach, said there is “anticipation and excitement” after the games were postponed from COVID in 2020.
“They really want to get it done,” he said.
“The athletes have been preparing for this their whole life, they have all had dreams of getting to the Olympics.”
Sam Welsford, four-time world champion, and winner of the 45th Tour of the Riverland will be joined by his Olympic teammates Kell O’Brien, Luke Plapp, Alex Porter and Leigh Howard.
The women’s team includes Annette Edmondson, Georgia Barker, Alex Manly, Maeve Plouffe and Ash Ankudinoff, joined by coach Glenn O’Shea.
Decker said the event was a part of the teams’ preparation.
“This will be one of their last competitions before Tokyo,” he said.
“It’s pretty important they all get through well and get that endurance race behind them.
“The race has been extended to 98km… which is a good thing for us.
“It fits well for the endurance phase we’re in at the moment.”
Over two days the peloton will venture out from the Berri Hotel, with Saturday’s 98km handicap Barry Skinner Classic to Loxton and Sunday’s 72km road race around Lyrup.
Local riders to watch will be Clint Bambrick, who recently won the Mildura 100km Autumn Classic riding off scratch, and Lee Stevens, who finished third in the event.