Agnoletto joins Madison greats

THERE was plenty of incentive for Bendigo-raised Blake Agnoletto to win the 50th edition of the Bendigo International Madison track cycling classic.

As he realised what was once a boyhood dream, Agnoletto joined many of the country’s best as a Bendigo International Madison. “What a great feeling… it’s just incredible,” Agnoletto said after the 200-lap showdown on Sunday night at Tom Flood Sports Centre.

He added his name to an honour board that includes two key figures in his cycling career, Tim Decker and Glenn O’Shea who are national track endurance coach and bunch race coach respectively for Australia.

Two of the country’s young guns, Agnoletto and Ollie Bleddyn put on a Madison masterclass.

The G.J. Gardner Homes team built a 20-point lead in the first sprint session and answered every attack from there on.

In a race determined by laps taken and sprint points, Agnoletto and Bleddyn scored 95 points to be the champions.

Although the Madison had not been run since 2020 because of COVID and track works, plenty of fans braved the hot conditions across the two-day athletics and cycling carnival.

Agnoletto was ecstatic about the result and to have raced so well before family and friends.

“Ollie rode at another level night. He was sensational.”

There was little time to bask in the glory as the dynamic duo were bound for Hong Kong on Monday to compete in the second round of the UCI Tissot Nations Cup.

The meet runs from April 15 to 17.

Agnoletto and Bleddyn will team up in Sunday night’s Madison.

At last month’s Nations Cup in Adelaide, Agnoletto earned silver in the teams pursuit and in the elimination.

The Nations Cup plays a crucial part in qualifying for the Paris Olympics.

Third and final rounds will be in Milton, Canada in mid-April.