In April Buckell was named in the Under-19 Australian team to compete at the Mountain Bike World Championships in Cairns.

However, before the Mountain Bike World Championships in September, Buckell has a trip to Italy to prepare for after this week being picked in Australia’s squad of 15 for the Junior World Track Championships. 

The track championships will be held from August 23 to 27 in Montichiari, with 17-year-old Buckell among 13 debutantes in the Australian team.

The final team of 15 was trimmed from a squad of 21.

Buckell has been selected as part of the men’s endurance team, along with Stephen Cuff, Tyler Lindorff, Cooper Sayers and Godfrey Slattery.

“It should be an awesome experience… I’m really looking forward to it,” Buckell said on Wednesday.

“We’re not sure which events we’ll be doing yet, but I’d really like to ride the team pursuit and madison.”

Buckell earned his spot in the Australian team after strong performances at the Under-19 National Track Championships in Brisbane in March.

Buckell – a Year 12 student at Bendigo Senior Secondary College – and fellow Victorian Slattery won the 120-lap madison.

Buckell also teamed with Slattery, Riley Hart and Jensen Plowright to win the team pursuit, setting an All Comers Record of 4:05 minutes.

Buckell, a Bendigo District Cycling Club member, first began competitive racing as a four-year-old with BMX.