Wiasak ready to take on Comm Games

Commonwealth Games hopeful Rebecca Wiasak is happy to be back on the track after a concussion kept her off the bike for 10 days last month.

Rebecca Wiasak, Cycling Australia, 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games

Rebecca Wiasak in action at the 2018 Cycling Australia Track National Championships. Source: John Veage

Two-time world champion Rebecca Wiasak is happy the concussion protocols have tightened since her last head knock in 2012.

On that occasion, Wiasak admits she probably got back on her bike too soon.

Knowing how that felt, the 33-year-old has no complaints despite a frustrating wait to be cleared after a sickening crash at last month's Tour Down Under.

Battered and bruised, with plenty of skin off her face, it took 10 days until she was deemed fit to ride.
The looming Commonwealth Games selection deadline didn't help the nerves, but after an impressive third in Friday night's individual pursuit at Brisbane's national championships behind champion Ashlee Ankudinoff and Amy Cure, she can afford to relax a little.

"My brain was so muddled and I was on a really restricted program," she said after claiming bronze.

"I was confident, but a little bit of doubt did creep into my mind (about being fit for the Commonwealth Games) ... the crash wasn't my fault, that made it easier to deal with."
While disappointed not to defend her crown, Wiasak is hopeful of going toe-to-toe with her team pursuit partners on the same boards in April's Games.

"This is my event, I'm two times world champ and defending champion, so it's disappointing but I'm happy," she said.

"For many years we've exchanged the top three steps of the podium; we've all won a few and again it's us in the final ... it's just as hard to win an Australian title as it is a world title."

The Australian track team for April's Games was chosen before the titles began on Thursday, but has not yet been announced.

If selected in the squad, Wiasak hopes to be given a chance in the individual pursuit where Australia will hunt a clean sweep of the podium.

But she says the team pursuit is the main driver ahead of Tokyo's Olympic Games in 2020.

"It's not until your bum's on a bike on the start line that you're satisfied," Wiasak said.

"Fingers crossed I guess, for selection ... our focus is the team pursuit - an Olympic event, that's what we work towards - after that everything's a bonus."

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Published 5 February 2018 9:58am
By Cycling Central
Source: Cycling Central


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