Welsford backs measures after horror Tokyo Games crash

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Welsford backs measures after horror Tokyo Games ******

Sam Welsford has backed the measures taken at AusCycling since Alex Porter’s horror Tokyo Olympics ****** and is confident history will not repeat in Paris.

In qualifying for the team pursuit, Porter’s handlebar snapped off at 60km/h and he had a sickening face plant onto the track.

HIs teammates, including Welsford, rallied to win bronze, but the accident came to symbolise Australia’s terrible track cycling campaign at Tokyo.

The bronze was Australia’s only medal, its worse performance in Olympic track cycling since Moscow in 1980.

AusCycling commissioned an inquiry into the Porter accident and has tightened its quality control with equipment.

“Obviously Tokyo was a huge disappointment and quite a disaster for all of us,” Welsford said.

“It also brings a lot more strict testing … because we know this can happen. They always say at the Olympics, anything that can happen, will happen.

“We’re doing everything we can to make sure this doesn’t happen again.

“You always have that in the back of your mind, to make sure everything is right. Thankfully AusCycling have been really transparent with us and clear with how we’re running things now.”

Now a well-credentialled road sprinter with the BORA-hansgrohe team, Welsford will return to the track to ride the team pursuit and madison at the Paris Games.

He also won silver in the team pursuit at the Rio Olympics.

“It’s been good to really hone in on that road, endurance engine. The way team pursuiting is going, it’s really promoting those road abilities,” he said.

“For us road guys to come in and do a camp, it really important for us to get that strength back on the track.”

AusCycling has developed its own bike for the team pursuit, in conjunction with the Factor brand, and Welsford is looking forward to seeing how well they perform in Paris.

“It’s pretty cool we’ve developed a bike in-house, AusCycling and Factor have worked super-hard in making something that’s our own,” he said.

“It’s interesting – I’m looking forward to riding it (at the Games). It’s a big improvement to have a fast bike.”

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