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For many of the thousands of fans who watched Sunday night’s Bendigo International Madison, Rohan Wight and Alex Porter were relative unknowns.
Most people were there to see the expected showdown between race favourites Cam Meyer and Callum Scotson and speed machines Sam Welsford and Kell O’Brien.
By the end of the race, Wight and Porter showed why they are team-mates of the above mentioned quartet in the Australian team for the world track championships in Hong Kong next month.
Wight and Porter’s gutsy, and ultimately, madison-winning surge to gain a lap on the field inside the final 35 laps surprised many, but not their national endurance squad coach Tim Decker.
The former Bendigo-based coach knew his young tyros had the legs to take down the big guns and cause an upset – much like he did himself with Chris White 21 years earlier.
“They (Porter and Wight) waited for their opportunity to pounce because one of the most beautiful things about the Bendigo Madison is that an opportunity always opens up,’’ Decker said.
“The bigger teams were marking each other… Rohan and Alex waited and waited and grabbed their chance.
“They weren’t seen as one of the great madison teams going into the race, but that doesn’t mean they’re not great athletes. They’re learning all the time about madison racing.
“You can’t disregard the fact Rohan was world junior madison champion two years ago with Kell O’Brien. Alex has been a specialist in the team pursuit in the past two years, but this year we’ve been expanding his cycling career and teaching him more about points score racing, madison racing and scratch racing.
“The talent was there and it all came together for them on Sunday night.”
Decker wasn’t disappointed in the performance of Meyer and Scotson.
The hot favourites tried valiantly to crack their rivals, but couldn’t gain a lap.
“Cam and Callum didn’t do a lot wrong. Whatever they did they were going to be marked,’’ Decker said.
“They had to try and take a lap and they tried hard to do that, but it’s hard to do that on the Bendigo track, particularly when you have the rest of the field watching every move you make.
“Sam Weslford was the fastest guy on the track, so if it had have come down to a sprint battle, Cam and Callum would have been in trouble.”
Decker and his national endurance squad now focus on next month’s world titles.
Meyer and Scotson are expected to ride in the madison, while Porter and Wight will have other goals.
“Alex and Rohan’s priority at the world titles will be the team pursuit,’’ Decker said.
“Alex has the potential to ride in the scratch race as well, while Rohan has the potential to ride in the individual pursuit.
“The madison at the worlds is a completely different race to Bendigo. It’s only 50km, raced on a 250m track and taking a lap is worth 20 points.
“That’s what makes Bendigo so special, there’s nothing like it in the rest of the world.”
