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REIGNING champions Sam Crome and Roy Pieters will attempt to defy the long odds when they chase back-to-back wins in this Sunday night's McCaig Daikin Airconditioning Bendigo International Madison track cycling classic.
In its 44-year history, just three teams have won the great race in consecutive years.
Crome's knowledge of his home track in Bendigo and the strength of Pieters from Holland were factors in last year's triumph.
Their solo attack in the last fifth of the 200-lap duel paid enormous dividends as they lapped the field and captured the title.
A year on and both know the task is even greater against a field that includes three other previous winners.
"The underdog tag sat well with us last year," Crome said ahead of his third start in the race.
Pieter's warm-up for another campaign "down under" included eighth placing in the teams pursuit at the recently-run world track titles in France.
"The Bendigo International Madison was my biggest victory of last year," Pieters said yesterday on the Tom Flood Sports Centre track.
"This madison is special, The big crowd, the field, and the shape of the track are amazing."
Sunday night's race will be his fourth start in Bendigo's great race.
A lot of Pieters' racing in the past year was in Holland and Belgium.
Pieters contested the Tour of China and raced in Turkey.
On Sunday night he and Crome pit skills against German stars Leif Lampater and Christian Grassman, and Bendigo's Glenn O'Shea chasing a third madison on his home track.
This time O'Shea joins forces with Bobridge. Both are mutliple world track champions.
Crome and Pieters spent Saturday training on the track and will do plenty more.
Both said race tactics would change as the race rolls on.
"Plans do change, sometimes from lap to lap," Crome said.
"A lot depends on how you are feeling, and what other teams are doing."
Win on Sunday and Crome and Pieters join Keith Oliver and Bob Whetters, Brett Aitken and Scott McGrory, and Leigh Howard and Glenn O'Shea as teams to have won Bendigo's madison in consecutive years.
A big week includes Thursday's racing on the track for the Frank McCaig Memorial Wheelrace (1600m), Friday night's criterium, and then track action Saturday and Sunday.