FIVE of Bendigo and District Cycling Club's rising stars will represent Victoria at this week's national junior track championships at Anna Meares Velodrome in Brisbane.
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The titles are on from March 24 to 27 and most of Victoria's squad will be heading north on Tuesday.
Victoria's under-17 girls squad includes Bendigo clubmates Lucy Hall, Haylee Jack and Lilyth Jones.
Riders in the under-15 class include Maddie Douglas and Chase Hadden from Bendigo DCC.
Selection capped many hours of training, great performances at carnivals across the state, and the Victorian titles.
Maddie Douglas is aiming to compete in the keirin, scratch, and time trial at her first national titles.
The talented all-rounder has strong family links to the sport.
"My brothers - Harry, Nick and Chris all raced," Maddie said of taking on a sport where she has great support from parents Tim and Rachel.
"It's such a great sport to be in," said Maddie.
"Every race I have done is a lot of fun."
It's a sentiment shared by Haylee Jack who like many clubmates first started in J-Cycle where Paralympian Noel Sens leads a coaching crew for the up-and-comers on Sunday mornings at the Tom Flood Sports Centre.
"Noel and my dad (Edsell) raced motorbikes together," said Haylee Jack.
"I had been competing in BMX, but Noel spoke to dad about having a go at track cycling.
"I went along to J-Cycle, had a great time, and after one session Noel said I was ready to race."
Selected for her fourth nationals, Haylee will mark a second start after two previous were abandoned because of Covid.
"The 500 metre time trial is one of my best events," Haylee said of a program that may include the 200m fly, scratch race, points score, team sprint, and keirin.
"The shorter, sharper events are the ones I really like."
A highlight of Haylee's season was second in the under-17 girls' Austral Wheelrace on the Darebin Velodrome boards.
The youngest of the Hadden brothers, Chase will race at the nationals for the first time.
His campaign in Brisbane could include individual pursuit, scratch race, sprint, and 500m time trial.
"The pursuit and time trial are the two events I have really worked on in training a lot," said Chase.
The teenager followed older brothers Jackson and Nate into racing.
All three of the Haddens have claimed at least one category in Bendigo's track championships.
This season, Nate won the men's elite title and Chase the under-15s.
In 2020-21, Jackson was the men's elite champion.
The pursuits of all three are closely followed by parents Paul and Andrea.
Chase's run at Brisbane will be followed by Nate as he competes in the under-19s division.
National championships for elite, para, and under-19s will be run from March 26 to 30 at Anna Meares Velodrome.
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