Read what our Austral winners and new elite national champions had to say about their victories in Melbourne from the Quest Ivanhoe 128th Austral Wheelrace week.
Quest Ivanhoe 128th Austral Wheelrace - Liam Walsh
"It means a lot. I got close a couple years ago, so for it to go so flawlessly was everything I'd hoped for," Walsh said.
"There's lot of class names on the honour roll so to have my name alongside them makes me very proud.
"The plan (pre-race) was to have no plan. There was a big group off 40 so I had to get to them and sit tight until the race came to me.
"I knew Noah (Blannin) would be the favourite from that group, so when he went so far out, I knew it suited me more than a later charge. That move kept us backmarkers moving really quick coming into the last two laps which gave me the best chance to step off at a lap and a half to go.
After that point, I backed my speed and knew that because I was coming from second to last, I was basically racing the guys in front and didn't have to worry about a challenge from behind."
Quest Ivanhoe Women's Austral Wheelrace - Leani van der Berg
More to come.
2025 AusCycling Madison National Championships (Elite Women) - Nicole Duncan and Maeve Plouffe
"Well to be honest our plan, because we weren't really the favourites going into the race whatsoever ... our plan was to stay relaxed, stay calm, stay in the wheels for the first few sprints," Plouffe said.
"We didn't take that plan. What did we do?"
"We went for the first two sprints and got them relatively easy and kind of just worked off that," Duncan said.
"Conserved energy, just went for the easy points as well but I think we work pretty well together."
Did you know that if you won the last sprint that you would win the race?
"Yes [laughing], she (Duncan) wasn't quite sure. I was a little bit unsure with people sending it off the front," Plouffe said.
"I was thinking that maybe we could go for a lap there but then I could tell that Nicole had really good sprinting legs.
"So, I knew that if I set her up and that if some of the other teams didn't feature in the top one or two - if we just hit them really hard and got a gap I really trusted Nicole to come through and deliver and get that.
"And I knew that if we won it (the last sprint) that even if some teams also featured, on countback we'd still be winning."
What did Maeve say to you when she slung you in for the last time?
"She said you've got to win this sprint," Duncan said.
"I just went as hard as I could. I knew going into the race she said the last sprint was going to be the one we would try and win and she was going to set me up good.
"Saw her coming into the final lap and knew she was off the front and I knew she had done the work to get off the front so I knew had to hold that and I backed my sprint.
"I saw the Japanese rider coming and I was like, nup, not today. I've worked too hard in this race so we're going to get it on the line.
2025 AusCycling Madison National Championships (Elite Men) - Blake Quick and Liam Walsh
"I haven't worn a national champion jersey for, uh, since January 2022, I think. So, it's been a while but it's nice to be back," Quick said.
"I've given myself some new goals back on the track, so, I'll be back here to stay for a while."
"I've come close a couple of times with (Graeme) Frislie and with Noah (Blannin) last year. It's been a race that I've been chasing for a little bit and it feels good to finally get the green and gold, and props to the Japanese guys," Walsh said.
"They set us up and rode that race really well but I'm really proud to be the best in Australia and we put our best forward all night. Very proud of this result.
"The Madison is always a big fight for position and that was something that I think we did really well today while trying to keep our nose out of trouble.
"There's obviously always a few sticking points where you get jumped but I think that was a key part of our race today and what made the sprints so good for us and a real strong point."
2025 AusCycling Omnium National Championships (Elite Women) - Alyssa Polites
"Definitely felt a bit of imposter syndrome! But most of all just super stoked and grateful that I was able to race against a great group of girls that I’m able to dually call most of them my role models and friends, and having my family watch the battle play out in the stands in support was also very warming," Polites said.
"Coming into the points race I was torn on whether to play it out defensively and mark riders or whether to just treat it like a normal points race and race it aggressively. Didn’t take long until I was already doing the latter! I was super lucky none of the top five girls scored in the last sprint which could’ve been a definite upset! Such a close battle in points which I hope made it all the more entertaining to spectate!"
2025 AusCycling Omnium National Championships (Elite Men) - Wil Holmes
"It was a great feeling that I haven’t had for a couple years now since my last national title. Just relief and super happy," Holmes said.
"I feel like I’ve come back (to the track) a lot stronger now (after racing on the road all year), and with the confidence that I can make it through a full day of omnium racing. Good to know that my track legs are still there and I think the road just keeps helping it.
"I had the same attacking mindset all day and was just trying to be in as many attacks and moves as possible. Anytime I saw riders attacking I was just trying to follow and luckily, I had the legs to keep backing up each race."
To see all winners from the week, click here.
Feature picture: Con Chronis