After a few big training weeks with the team pursuit lineup at the Mattamy National Cycling Centre in Milton, anticipation was high going into the 2nd nations cup of the season. Training in Milton during the prep camp was a great opportunity to get some high quality efforts on a world class track while dialing in our distribution and strategy with a new lineup. After setting some solid times in Milton the team decided to set a goal of scoring Olympic qualifying points in Cairo which meant a top eight finish.
After arriving in Cairo and spending a day catching up on sleep and exploring the city, we finally headed to the track for our first session.
The team, accustomed to the calm facility that is Mattamy Cycling Centre, was quickly forced to adapt to the crosswind plagued boards of the Cairo International Velodrome. After a few sessions we felt comfortably uncomfortable holding line whilst occasionally being battered by a gust of Egyptian wind.
Race day(or night) came quickly. The qualifiers being late into in a cool evening meant slower times. We knew it would be crucial to race a controlled race under these slower conditions as we'd seen team after team go out too hard and blow up; a consequence of not respecting the conditions.
We qualified 7th within a few seconds of 4th. Our goal of a top eight and Olympic qualification points was secured and now we had a chance to make medal rounds.
We found better conditions in round one the following afternoon. Despite that, we didn't quite ride the race we wanted to and failed to make the medal round, finishing the event in 7th.
Overall the team left Cairo happy to have hit the goal of earning Olympic qualifcation points, but also with lots to improve upon at the final nation's cup of the season in Milton this April.