After claiming victory in the team sprint on Saturday with teens James Brister and Matthew Richardson, Thomas Clarke backed up to defeat his younger team mates in the individual sprint on Sunday.
“Honestly I don’t think it has sunk in," said Clarke who also claimed silver in the team sprint at last week's New Zealand round. "I still can’t believe it. I woke up this morning with no expectations apart from qualifying the best I can and having good races.
“I took it one race at a time, had a few close calls to make it through and then couldn’t believe it when James and I both made the gold medal ride off."
On Saturday in his first international omnium, nine-time track world champion cyclist Cam Meyer claimed gold.
"(I am) a little bit shocked and surprised," the 31 year old said. "But I knew I had good condition coming off the road racing in Australia with the Tour Down Under, but I didn't know what to expect in my first omnium at a World Cup level.
"My goals were to find out what the omnium was about. It is an Olympic event, it is something that I can target, so I wanted to see where the level was at and where my level is at compared to the other competitors."
Teenage debutant Alexandra Martin-Wallace starred in the scratch race, coming over the top of a fast finishing bunch to claim silver.
“I am really happy, certainly wasn’t expecting a medal going into the event,” Martin-Wallace said.
“I was so nervous, my goal was to just get as much experience as I could, got some wise words before the race from my coach Rohan Wight, and I am just over the moon with the result.”
Somewhat heartbreakingly Sam Welsford and Kelland O'Brien missed out on 30km madison gold, edged out by New Zealand in the final sprint of the 120-lap race.
“It was pretty hard out there, we knew we had to be on our game,” said Welsford. “We knew we had to score early and take a late lap if we needed and we did that. But we just got caught behind a few riders and missed out on that final sprint.”
Alex Manly claimed bronze in the women's omnium after an epic performance in the last 20 laps of the points race.
“I had a bad scratch race, so I knew I had to have a good points race and use my strengths,” said Manly. “With 20 laps to go I knew it was my last opportunity, so I went as deep as I could because I knew if I did I was guaranteed to win a medal. It was a major fight, but I got there.”
In the team pursuit on Friday, teens Jarrad Drizners, Godfrey Slattery, Conor Leahy and Luke Plapp (with Welsford subbing in for Slattery in the post qualifying rounds), nabbed bronze in just their second World Cup event posting a time of 3mins 53.889secs in Friday’s first round.
“It is crazy to ride a three-fifty three, particularly in these cool conditions,” said Welsford. “I only came in to ride the first round to give a little direction in the middle, to set the pace. But hats off to the boys, they were holding the pace as good as, if not better than me.”
Across the last three days, Australia bucketed three gold, three silver and two bronze. The team won 34 medals across the six-round series including 13 gold, 12 silver and nine bronze.
“It is a great team effort, a mixture of committed athletes, committed staff, everyone working together, I think it is a great thing to celebrate,” said Jon Norfolk, Head of Performance Pathways and People, Cycling Australia.
