The first round of the UCI World Cup Classics series, held in Sydney Australia (at the Dunc Gray Velodrome), will see all 15 of the reigning world champions start their quest for Olympic track qualification.

Held from 30 November to 2 December 2007, some 395 riders from 48 countries will compete in 17 events. The list of riders includes:

The reigning 2007 World Champions:
Katherine Bates (AUS - T-Mobile) womens points race
Gregory Bauge (FRA) mens team sprint
Theo Bos (NED) mens sprint
Mickael Bourgain (FRA - Cofidis) mens team sprint
Edward Clancy (GBR) men's team pursuit
Yumari Gonzalez Valdivieso (CUB) - womens scratch race
Sarah Hammer (USA - Ouch Pro Cycling) women's 3km individual pursuit
Chris Hoy (GBR) mens keirin and kilometre time trial
Alois Kankovsky (CZE) men's omnium
Juan Lllaneras Rosello (ESP) - mens points race
Anna Meares (AUS - Team Toshiba) - women's 500m time trial
Victoria Pendleton (GBR - Science in Sport) - womens sprint, team sprint and keirin
Arnaud Tournant (FRA - Cofidis) mens team sprint
Bradley Wiggins (GBR) men's team pursuit, 4km individual pursuit
Kam Po Wong (HKG) men's scratch race

The reigning Olympic Champions:
Ryan Bayley (AUS - Team Toshiba) - keirin and sprint
Anne Meares (AUS - Team Toshiba) - 500m time trial (no longer an Olympic event)
Chris Hoy (GBR) kilometre time trial (no longer and Olympic event)
Bradley Wiggins (GBR) 4km individual pursuit
Stefan Nimke (GER) mens team sprint
Graeme Brown (AUS) mens teams pursuit and madison
Brett Lancaster (AUS) mens teams pursuit
Luke Roberts (AUS) mens teams pursuit
Mikhail Ignatiev (RUS) mens points race
Olga Slyusareva (RUS) womens points race

UCI Vice President and Sydney resident, Ray Godkin, is quoted as saying that "the Sydney World Cup will be the most competitive ever and I believe the field assembled in Sydney boasts some of the riders who will win gold next year in Beijing."

www.bikeradar.com/road/news/...

Mark Cavendish will also be there, teaming up with Wiggins. Both have had a layoff following their road season, recently using the Madison race at the Ghent six day to get back into form.

www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news...

As an aside, the cyclingweekly link gives us news of yet more Under-25 success in the shape of Adam Blythe and Peter Kennaugh.

… and they say it’s the off season!