HONG Kong is now on Blake Agnoletto's list of destinations as the cycling ace pursues selection for this year's Paris Olympics.
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Before another hit-out in Asia, Agnoletto returns to his home town to race in the 50th edition of the Bendigo International Madison on March 10.
"I am stoked the Bendigo International Madison is back on," Agnoletto said.
"For it to finally be on again is something so many people are excited about," he said of the two day athletics-cycling carnival run at the Tom Flood Sports Centre on the Labor Day holiday weekend.
Agnoletto will team with Oliver Bleddyn in the country's biggest madison, which has not been run since 2020 because of COVID and then trackworks.
At the age of 21 Agnoletto goes into Bendigo's classic as reigning national madison champion following his victory with Kell O'Brien last December, and also as a national under-23 criterium titleholder.
"Racing in Bendigo is so challenging," Agnoletto said of the switch from the steep banks and indoor velodromes to a D-shaped track of 403 metres and outdoors.
Although he had not raced in Bendigo for a while, Agnoletto's winning streak in the latest Christmas carnival included the Lindsay Harrington Memorial Wheelrace.
"I have raced the track since I was 12 or 13, but it's always challenging to race on, especially if you have had a break from there or never raced on it."
Agnoletto and Bleddyn teamed up in the madison in Adelaide.
Both bring plenty of sprinting power, but also the endurance built from training for many other track disciplines and the road.
Leg two in the UCI Track Nations Cup will be raced from April 15 to 17 in Hong Kong.
Agnoletto made a great start to the three-leg series as he won silver in the elimination and teams pursuit at this month's opening round in Adelaide.
He will be in contention to race elimination, madison and teams pursuit.
The series is used to determine qualification for the Paris Olympics in August.
For Agnoletto to be chasing a berth for Paris is in stark contrast to just a few years ago when he contemplated giving cycling away.
Among those to play a key part in his support to return to the sport were parents Sandy and Robyn, and national track cycling coach Tim Decker.
Those in Agnoletto's corner now include Glenn O'Shea, who made his way from Eaglehawk to be a world champion in the omnium, silver medallist in teams pursuit at the 2012 London Olympics and dual Bendigo International Madison winner.
"The work Tim and Glenn have done in helping me get this far is incredible," Agnoletto said.
"Tim is coach of the team pursuit squad and Glenn is coach for bunch races such as elimination, points score and madison."
Soon Agnoletto will be striving to join O'Shea and Decker as a BIM champion.
The madison is number one goal, but there's also the lure of a second victory in the carnival's Golden Mile Wheelrace sponsored by Agnico Eagle Fosterville.
