Shepparton Cycling Club gears up for year-end track event

Shepparton Velodrome is in picture-perfect condition to take its usual spot on the sporting calendar after the 2022 event, while eventually able to proceed, was touch-and-go at one stage after the October floods.

Shepparton Cycling Club again takes the lead for the event, with Olympic gold medallist Brett Lancaster heading the charge as the countdown continues.

The all-day festival is set to kick off with junior competitions commencing at 11am, while senior riders will take centre stage from 6pm.

Lancaster is buoyed by the interest he has witnessed.

“This track carnival has been around for many, many years,” Lancaster said.

“There were six or eight country carnivals in the past, but nowadays it’s just Castlemaine, Bendigo and Shepparton.

“We’ve kept it going, though, because we’re a strong club.

“We’ve got about 60 starters so far and it’s about half and half between juniors and seniors, so it’s getting up there.”

That number will surely climb with registrations remaining open until Monday, December 18.

The schedule is busy across what should comprise almost 12 hours on the track, with categories ranging from under-9 racing up to the Masters competition.

Traditional Madison events will feature across many divisions, where riders can slingshot one another with an almost tag-team philosophy.

The more conventional sprint races and handicap distance events will also be on show, with state titles on the line.

Lancaster won’t take delivery of the event for granted, especially given the near-miss circumstances of 2022.

“It’s been around a long time, but it’s good to have it on again,” Lancaster said.

“We got it up and going with a lot of work last year and we’ve still got a couple of working bees between now and December 30.

“We want to get the track looking really good with the help of club members and any other volunteers.”