Former French Cycling Champion Frederic Mange, who won three World Keirin Championships and is now National Director of the Japan Cycling Federation, has notified the Sports Carnival Association of Tasmania that Japan will be sending a team of four elite cyclists to compete in the UCI sprint series to be held at this year's Christmas Carnivals. The series will carry qualification points for the Beijing Olympics.
Japan's participation is a great win for the sprint series and the carnivals in general, the organizers said, adding that they expect cycling at this year's carnivals to reach a new level and deliver a boost to the carnivals. SCAT is hopeful of announcing other competing teams for the sprint series in the next few weeks, with the Australian Institute of Sport already confirming its intention to send a team of elite cyclists for the sprint series.
