Shanks starts shakedown at RaboPlus NZ Cycling Championships

World champion cyclist Alison Shanks reckons she won’t have things her own way in the RaboPlus National Track Championships in Invercargill starting tomorrow.

Shanks (Dunedin) is using the championships to kick-start her final six-week campaign to the defence of her world individual pursuit title in Copenhagen.

The three-day championship are the final selection event for the world championships as well as a key test for Commonwealth Games selection.

Shanks said the burgeoning women’s track programme means there is hot competition this weekend chasing places in the team for the world championships.

“There’s so much competition happening within the squad now. There are only four places for the worlds so it’s very competitive,” Shanks said.

“It can only help everyone go faster with the competition.”

The championships are the start of her final six-week push through to Copenhagen.

“We are now into final track preparation. The next six weeks will be a lot of time going around in circles on the boards here in Invercargill.”

She is in stronger shape but is unsure what she will produce at the championships.

“My strengths are in different areas this year. I’ve got a really good endurance base and the next six weeks will be about pure strength and top end work.

“We are basically training through the championships and a lot will depend on the track conditions on the day. From Beijing we know where my form was at but since then it’s be back into hard training. Anything could happen on Friday.”

Shanks will try some different events including the team sprint, on the programme for the first time for women this year.

The event has attracted most of the candidates for the Commonwealth Games track team, with dispensation for pursuiters Sam Bewley and Jesse Sergent, both competing for their professional road teams overseas.

Also missing is double Olympic medallist Hayden Roulston, who withdrew due to tight timeframes and commitments with his HTC Columbia professional team, who he is set to re-join on Monday after competing in the recent Tour Downunder.

“It is a real shame I can’t make it to Invercargill but the timing is just too tight,” Roulston said.

Fellow Cantabrian Hayden Godfrey, the former Omnium world champion, has also withdrawn from injuries received when he was hit by a vehicle while training..

Tomorrow’s action includes the time trials with the prestigious Kilo Time Trial the feature of the evening programme.

Friday’s programme includes the keirin, individual pursuit and points race for men and women, with the sprints, team pursuit and scratch race on Saturday.