World champion Alison Shanks will lead an 11-strong Otago team at the New Zealand elite track cycling championships in Invercargill beginning tonight.
The event will be the last opportunity for the country's best cyclists to impress the selectors before the national team is named for the world championships in Copenhagen next month and the Commonwealth Games in India in November.
Shanks won the gold medal in the women's 3000m individual pursuit in Poland last year and was gearing up for the London Olympics and a possible gold medal until the event was chopped from the cycling programme.
It was bitterly disappointing for the 27-year-old, who was hoping to follow in the footsteps of 2004 Olympic champion Sarah Ulmer.
"I am getting on with things but every time someone brings it up it still kind of niggles.
"But there is absolutely nothing I can do about it."
Shanks will compete in three events at the national championships: the 3000m individual pursuit, 500m time trial and, with Katie Schofield, the team sprint.
Shanks' younger sister, Nicola, (24) is also scheduled to ride in the individual pursuit, setting up some friendly sibling rivalry.
Alison Shanks should have no problem defending her national pursuit title and experienced Otago rider Katri Laike is a medal chance in the points and scratch races.
Kathryn Jones is also an outside chance in the same events.
Anthony Chapman is one of the best points race riders in the country but he crashed at the elite road championships and broke his sternum.
He has been back training for the last few weeks but question marks remain over his fitness.
Sprinter Matt Archibald is another rider who might surprise.
Most of the country's leading riders will be competing, including Beijing Olympics double medallist Hayden Roulston.
Olympic team pursuit bronze medallists Jesse Sergent and Sam Brewley are riding in tours for their respective professional teams and have been granted dispensations, while outstanding Invercargill rider Tom Scully will have a light workload at the championships due to a hectic schedule during the past three months.
Otago team
Track cycling: Katri Laike, Alison Shanks, Nicola Shanks, Kathryn Jones, Katie Schofield, Anthony Chapman, Matt Archibald, Willie Trew, Nathan Seddon, Alex McGregor.
