Saturday 23 February will see the final round of the 2nd Cycling Australia National Junior Track Series be rolled out at the Darebin International Sports Centre (DISC).

The NJTS has been a roaring success and the superlatives to support this exhilarating event for U15 and U17 cyclists continue to be received from Clubs and State/Territory Associations through to High Performance coaching staff witnessing the series in action.

The inaugural NJTS was held over the 2011/12 track season, providing five rounds of fast paced, carnival style racing for aspiring junior cyclists. In its very short time on the calendar, the NJTS has proved to be a worthwhile investment from Cycling Australia and its series sponsors, Santos Tour Down Under and Healthwise Active Travel and supporters Jayco and GreenEDGE.

In the 2012/13 series, Round 1 in Sydney saw a record number of starters, with 149 riders representing their Clubs (or a combine of clubs) in 10 hours of racing over two days. Round 2 in Perth saw an increase in riders contesting the round in the west, with 100 cyclists converging on the SpeedDome to continue amassing points and in some instances extending their leads. Round 3 in Launceston was a weekend affair, with 121 riders making the trip from the mainland to contest not only two days of the NJTS, but also participate in track training sessions and the Launceston Cycling Classic. Round 4 of the NJTS, held at the Adelaide Super-Drome on Tuesday 22 January and in conjunction with the Santos Tour Down Under (TDU) saw 135 juniors continue the battle for NJTS honours and soak up the atmosphere of the TDU at the same time.

Round 5 in Melbourne will be a fitting finale for the NJTS, with the overall series winners for each age division being crowned and the overall winning Club/Combine being announced. Riders will have having the opportunity to qualify for the Junior Austral via NJTS events and either compete and/or stay on to watch the Austral. If the juniors have not had enough, they will also have the opportunity to contest the Preston Junior Track Carnival on Sunday to really make it a complete weekend of track cycling.

The racing includes the usual track suspects; points races, scratch races, derbies and eliminations but includes the newly created cyclone sprint (2 lap dash from a standing start) and the introduction of keirins. This year madison workshops were introduced for U17 riders and were hugely popular. The NJTS Organising Team is already exploring the inclusion of madison racing for the 2013/14 series as well as further educational opportunities.

The fields are big and the improved confidence and skills of these riders from round to round is evident and exciting for the future of the sport. Individual battles in each age division show the depth of talent that is developing in the wings and the number of junior cyclists enjoying the thrill that track racing provides.

Throw in some visits from our elite riders, including Olympic Sprint Gold medallist and World Record Holder Anna Meares, Olympic Sprint Bronze medallist and member of the 2012 World Champion Team Sprint Team, Shane Perkins and former World Sprint Champion Sean Eadie at Round 4 and you have a series that junior riders are aspiring to be a part of.

Round 5 of the NJTS commences on Saturday from 10.00am and is followed by the 115th Austral Wheelrace, commencing from 6.30pm.

Cycling Australia