Edmondson siblings claim Australian Omnium titles

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The weekend of track cycling in Melbourne as part of the 2014 Omnium Track National Championships and National Madison titles was cleaned up by the Edmondson’s. Alex Edmondson secured his maiden omnium national crown at 19-years-of-age while Annette Edmonson, 22-years-old, etched her name in the record books by becoming the first woman to win three national women's omnium titles.

For the first time, Cycling Australia awarded national champion status to the madison event and it was the Edmondson's who repeated their efforts in event. Annette teamed up with Jess Mundy for the win while brother Alex, with Luke Davison, were third overall but as the best placed Australians won the crown. Alex also celebrated his 20th birthday on Sunday.

Alex Edmondson claimed his maiden omnium national title as he survived challenges from reigning Oceania champion and recent Mexico Track World Cup gold medallist Luke Davison and 2011 champion Scott Law.

Reigning team pursuit world champion Edmondson (13pts) won three of six rounds to finish ten points clear of Law (23pts) and a further 17 ahead of Miles Scotson (30pts) who took the bronze.

"It's pretty cool to say I'm the omnium champion," said Edmondson. "It's the heptathlon of cycling, it's the best of everything. The longer races suit me, I'd prefer to line up for the points race and the one race I don't want to do and I'm scared of is the flying lap, but that's the thing about the omnium, some events suit some people and not others.

Annette Edmondson blitzed the field to cement her title defence after entering the weekend unsure of her form."I was off the bike for a couple of weeks and I really had no idea where I was going to be at," said Edmondson. "I think the pursuit shows where I'm at and in the bunch races I was coming off wheels instead of leading out like I sometimes do.

"In the end, it came down to tactics rather than physical ability and I'm really happy to get this one because it was an important one for me. I am sick of getting second and thirds, yes it's really nice to get a world's medal but to come so close to the rainbows every time is pretty hard."

West Australia's Isabella King (17pts) took the silver medal and 2010 and 2012 champion Ashlee Ankudinoff (NSW) claimed bronze on 21 points.

Omnium
In the Women's race, Edmondson and Mundy (19 pts) claimed three from a possible five sprints to clinch the title by a narrow two points to Josie Talbot/Ashlee Andkudinoff (17 pts).rounding out the podium was Western Australian's Isabella King/Melissa Hoskins on 11 points.

"It's pretty big," said Annette Edmondson. "It's an amazing opportunity to make a difference in Australian cycling. First to have the event, but to have it come down to the final sprint is huge."

"I think today's strongest rider was Jessica Mundy. I didn't have too much to do and luckily she slung me in at the right time for the sprint as that's all I had in me."

Mundy punctured early in the race but returned in time to chase down a dangerous breakaway from King and Hoskins. "It's a great honour to pull off the win with Nettie," said Mundy.

In the men's event it was international pair Kenny De Deketele (BEL) and Leif Lampater (GER) who stole the show by winning the national championship. De Deketele and his European partner Lampater took two laps on the field to steal the honours from fellow European's Christian Grassman (GER) and Franco Marvulli (SUI).

Alex Edmondson and Luke Davison (Jayco-AIS) were presented with the Australian Madison title as the highest placed Australian team in third place.
"We gave it our all and to come away with the national title is pretty cool," said Edmondson. "It would have been nicer to win the race instead of getting the jersey from third but in saying that, it is a national title and I am not taking anything away from it."

Marvulli and Grassman took the first lap of the night at the halfway point of the race but De Deketele and Lampater were quick to respond with a lap of their own. Jack Bobridge and Glenn O'Shea, Davison and Edmondson and Tyler Spurrel and Luke Parker then all gained laps to stay in contention.

Davison and Edmondson were leading the charge on 21 points when De Deketele and Lampater attacked once again to earn a second lap on the field before a last ditch effort by Marvulli and Grassman saw them also earn a second lap as the bell lap sounded. Edmondson and Davison finished the race one lap down in third place.

"The Europeans are crafty in the madison as it's their bread and butter," Davison said. "We knew [the race] was probably going to be taken on laps and the pace was on the whole way. I am so thankful to come away with the national title and well done to Kenny and Lampater."