SHE has taken on – and beaten – the best female track cyclists in the world, but when Kaarle McCulloch lines up at the Bathurst Velodrome next weekend, it is the men who should fear her.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Australia representative and three-times world champion is one of the big names who will compete in the third edition of the Bathurst Track Open, a one-day event featuring a host of different track disciplines.
McCulloch said she plans on testing her legs against some of the male entrants as she tries to push herself to the sort of level required when wearing green and gold.
“That’s definitely going to happen. One of the things that I have found really beneficial when I go back to Sydney to train … I have to find people at my level to ride with and that has generally been some of the junior boys or some of the senior boys,” she said.
“It’s actually been really good for my development riding against the boys, I’d probably say that they’re at the level that I need to be racing against at worlds. It definitely pushes me a lot more, which is fantastic.”
Given her competitive nature, McCulloch will be pedalling hard to beat home her male rivals and has even got a term for when that happens.
“We call it ‘being chicked’ and they don’t like ‘being chicked’. I know that when I am racing them, it’s against people who are desperate not to get beaten, but that makes me ride at another level, I am just as desperate to beat them,” she said.
“It’s really good because it brings that world championships level, that finals level type competition for me, so when I do go and race world champs finals, I’ve already been there numerous times through the year.
“It’s good for them when they win, but better for me when I win.”
With the selection trials for the Commonwealth Games looming – a level at which she has previously won gold – the Bathurst Track Open forms an important part of McCulloch’s preparation.
It will give her an indication of her form and help her ‘fine tune’ before the selection races.
“I actually have the belief that racing is the best training, so even if it’s being on an outdoor track which isn’t the same as being on the boards, it’s still that intention of going out there and racing in front of a crowd and practising all those things that can upset you when you go to a big race and haven't raced in a little while,” she said.
“It’s perfect preparation for me, so I’m really excited to get out there and have a crack at a track I’ve never ridden on.”
The other motivation for McCulloch to compete at Bathurst is simply to enjoy racing in an environment which carries less pressure.
“I need to go and do more races, which sort of brings out the reason I started riding, which is carnivals, having a bit of fun, going there and riding with people who just really enjoy riding rather than having that pressure all of the time,” she said.
“It’s just a little bit of a reminder for me as to why I started riding.
“I am really excited because there is something about the concrete that suits my style of riding, I am quite a strong rider and concrete requires you to be strong – it’s another reason why I enjoy doing it.”
The Bathurst Track Open will be staged at the Bathurst Velodrome