Two pairings with Olympic pedigree and Tasmanian origins should garner plenty of home-state support at the inaugural Launceston Madison on Thursday.
Just a few months after returning to the Olympic program, the frenetic two-rider team endurance race is also coming back to the Silverdome.
Headlining a strong men's field will be Melbourne's Tokyo Olympic bronze medallist Luke Plapp, whose family hails from Burnie, and Launceston's Josh Duffy, who narrowly missed out on a hat-trick of home-town wheel race wins at Tuesday's Launceston Carnival.
Meanwhile, the women's race reunites Launceston's former state teammates Georgia Baker and Lauren Perry - the former having finished seventh when contesting the event at her second Olympics in August.
However, both pairings face stiff competition, not least with Victorians Jensen Plowright and Graeme Frislie teaming up just days after winning the Hobart and Launceston wheel races respectively.
Baker's fellow Australian Cycling Team members Alex Manly and Chloe Moran will join forces, as will Sophie Edwards and Maeve Plouffe, while Irish Olympian Shannon McCurley will join up with South Australian Kat Chung-Orr.
Despite COVID-enforced restrictions, a strong international flavour also sees riders lining up from Canada, the Netherlands, New Zealand and the US.
Organised by Launceston City Cycling Club, the Launceston Madison is the feature event on an action-packed program running from midday to 6pm.
The program will also feature scratch races, keirins, Italian pursuits, points scores, derbies as well as the national elimination final.
Tickets are available on the door, as well as online at Ticketek. Spectators are reminded it is a masked event.
Rob Shaw
Heralding the impact of Tasmanian sport without saying "punching above its weight" is not as easy as it sounds.
Heralding the impact of Tasmanian sport without saying "punching above its weight" is not as easy as it sounds.
