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THE big guns of Australia's track cycling have started to arrive for this weekend's Bendigo International Madison carnival.
Hours after touching down from a successful stint in the London Revolution, Glenn O'Shea and Jack Bobridge were at last night's carnival launch at Bendigo Town Hall.
Both won silver at the recently-run world track titles in France.
O'Shea, a joint winner in the 50th Bendigo Bank Bendigo Advertiser-Prime 7 Sports Star of the Year will chase a second Bendigo International Madison victory in the city where he grew up.
Bobridge is yet to win Bendigo's track classic.
Among the guests at the launch were national road champion Peta Mullens and talented all-rounder Tayla Evans who will race on the streets and track.
Mullens will be among the stars to watch in Friday night's RACV-backed women's criterium.
A top performer on street or road circuits or the mountains, Mullens is a dual monthly winner in Sports Star.
"It's great to have a criterium back on this weekend, and the women's madison being on again," Mullens said of the RACV and Innes Motors-Honda sponsored events.
"The madison is unbelievably difficult. It's a tough task for every rider."
A big campaign for Mullens includes the national MTB championships in Bright the weekend after the madison.
Contenders in Saturday night's women's madison will be Bendigo's Tayla Evans joining forces with Hayley Jones in the 10-team race.
"It's my favourite race of the year," Evans said.
The Bicycle Superstore team member will also race in the criterium.
"There are a lot of strong girls in the madison.
"Because there's two national time trial stars in the field it will be important not to let them get away."
It's almost a year on since Bendigo's Sam Crome and Dutch ace Roy Pieters achieved one of the biggest upsets in BIM history.
Two key players in Crome's career have been Bendigo cycling greats, Tony Hughes and Rik MccCaig, now BIM executive officer.
"Last year's win was extremely special," Crome said.
The lead-up includes Thursday's track racing where the Frank McCaig Memorial Wheelrace (1600m) is the feature event.
Friday's women's criterium will be followed by the Andy's Earthmovers men's criterium.
