DEFENDING champion Conor Leahy will be a starter in next month's Bendigo International Madison men's race at the Tom Flood Sports Centre.
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Bendigo's most famous track race will make a long-awaited return for the first time since 2020 over the Labour Day long weekend, with the fields for both the men's and women's madison races taking shape.
The 200-lap men's madison will feature 14 teams and 28 riders competing in what will be the 50 year celebration of the event.
With just over a month until the madison is contested on Sunday, March 10, 24 of the 28 riders for the men's event have been confirmed.
Among the starters will be 2020 winner Leahy, who teamed with Josh Duffy for the victory.
No madison since 2020
There has been no madison held since 2020 with the 2021 and 2022 carnivals both cancelled due to uncertainty around COVID and last year called off because of delays to the upgrade project at the Tom Flood Sports Centre.
With the race finally returning this year Western Australia's Leahy will team with Victorian Graeme Frislie.
Fellow 2020 winner Duffy isn't among the confirmed field, but Madison carnival secretary Rick McCaig hasn't ruled him out yet.
Bendigo's Blake Agnoletto will have plenty of hometown support as he teams with Ollie Bleddyn.
Agnoletto is the reigning Australian madison champion after teaming with Kell O'Brien to win the national title in December.
The men's madison also features a pair of Germans teaming up in Moritz Augenstein and Moritz Malcharek.
"Augenstein, who has raced here previously, and Malcharek are German champions, so it's great to have them racing," McCaig said.
"We've got a couple of New Zealand young guns in James Gardner and Bailey O'Donnell, whose aggressive style will suit the Bendigo track.
"Local champion Blake Agnoletto will team with Ollie Bleddyn and will be a hard to contain as both riders have had super form."
Women's race over 70 laps
The women's madison, which will also be raced on the Sunday night of the two-day carnival, will be contested over 70 laps and feature 10 teams.
Like the men's madison, there are still four women riders to be confirmed.
The women's madison will include an all-Bendigo team of Lilyth Jones and Belinda Bailey, while fellow Bendigo rider Milana Freer will also be lining up alongside Western Australia's Isla Carr.
The last women's madison in 2020 was won by the duo of Ruby Roseman-Gannon and Alex Martin Wallace.
"Not having the Madison carnival for three years we have missed out on having that continuity in terms of getting riders back, so there's a lot of new blood coming into both races," McCaig said.
"We've really called on the contacts that we've built up over the years to put together a great field for both races.
"The women's race features national riders Chloe Moran and Sophie Edwards who are a super strong combination and will certainly make their presence felt.
"Classy New Zealand riders Prudence Fowler and Georgia Simpson will be right in the thick of the action and local stars Belinda Bailey, Lilyth Jones and Milana Freer will give Bendigonians plenty to cheer for throughout."
The women's madison will be raced at 6.50pm on March 10, while the men's madison will close out the carnival from 8.15pm.
Among the marquee events the previous day on the Saturday night of the carnival will be the Golden Mile Wheelrace final, now sponsored by Agnico Eagle Fosterville Mine, from 8.30pm.
All tickets for the Bendigo International Madison carnival are for the first time being pre-sold online.
Information and ticket sales at www.bendigomadison.com.au
Lining up so far are ...
Confirmed men's madison teams: Team 1 - Connor Leahy, Graeme Frislie. Team 2 - Bailey O'Connell, James Gardner. Team 3 - Blake Agnoletto, Ollie Bleddyn. Team 4 - Wil Mathwin, Kalan Tucker. Team 5 - Sam McKee, TBC. Team 6 - Dylan Eather, Tom Lynch. Team 7 - TBC, TBC. Team 8 - Kurt Eather, James Moriarty. Team 9 - Jack Dohler, John Carter. Team 10 - Angus Miller, Leo Zimmerman. Team 11 - Wil Holmes, Zac Marriage. Team 12 - Stephen Hall, TBC. Team 13 - Moritz Augenstein, Moritz Malcharek. Team 14 - Sam Washington, Oscar Gallagher.
Confirmed women's madison teams: Team 1: Keely Bennett, Haylee Fuller. Team 2 - Milana Freer, Isla Carr. Team 3 - Sally Carter, Keira Will. Team 4 - Ali Anderson, Leani Van der Berg. Team 5 - TBC, TBC. Team 6 - Georgia Simpson, Prudence Fowler. Team 7 - Chloe Moran, Sophie Edwards. Team 8 - Ella Sibley, Summer Nordmeyer. Team 9 - TBC, TBC. Team 10 - Lilyth Jones, Belinda Bailey.
