AUSTRALIA’S reigning criterium champion, Cameron Meyer will be one of the cyclists to watch in tonight’s MyJet street classic in Bendigo’s CBD.
A six-time world champion on the track, Meyer will start his Bendigo campaign by racing in the one-hour duel along Pall Mall, down Bridge Street and through Rosalind Park.
Racing will start at 6.30pm and finish near the Shamrock Hotel.
Many of the stars racing in Sunday night’s McCaig Airconditioning and Daikin-backed Bendigo International Madison will be in the criterium.
Germany’s Leif Lampater has won many street classics in his homeland.
Lampater won the 2010 Harlem Skyscraper Criterium in New York.
Lampater and countryman Christian Grassman have the pace to instigate or chase breakaways, and also figure in the sprint for glory.
A star-studded field of internationals includes New Zealand’s Shane Archbold, Marc Ryan and newly-crowned world omnium champion Aaron Gate.
Swiss star Franco Marvulli is always a crowd-pleaser, whether it’s the criterium or the track.
Belgium’s Kenny de Ketele will race in Bendigo for the first time.
Gold medallist in the madison at last year’s world track titles in Melbourne, de Ketele’s major focus will be Sunday night’s big race.
The internationals will not have it all their way in the criterium against the likes of Mandurang’s George Tansley, South Australia’s Alex Edmonson, and New South Wales cyclists Luke Davison and Scott Law, and Bendigo’s Brendan Schultz.
The madison carnival began at last night’s track racing at the Tom Flood Sports Centre.
Highlight of the night was the Frank McCaig Memorial Wheelrace (2000m), which honours the long-time madison teams co-ordinator and committee member.
The McCaig family has been an instrumental player in all 42 years of the Bendigo International Madison carnival.
In last night’s race, South Australia’s Miles Scotson (15m) sprinted to victory ahead of Maiden Gully’s Braeden Dean (60), WA’s Sam Welsford (20) and Bendigo’s Mark Flood (100).
While the madison is contested for the 41st time, the inaugural women’s madison, backed by Regional Academy of Cycling Excellence is on tomorrow from 8.25pm.