Cycling Australia

Bobridge, 21, scorched around the hot and humid Dunc Gray Velodrome to post the new mark of 4mins 10.534seconds, eclipsing the 15 year old record of 4mins 11.114seconds set by Great Britain’s Chris Boardman at the 1996 World Championships in Manchester.

"I can't really explain it at the moment, I am still stunned,” exclaimed Bobridge, “I didn’t think that (record) was going to come for a long time, I certainly didn’t think it would come while I was on the track.

“To come around and see that on the board, I was honestly quite shocked.

"I thought the clock had stopped a lap early, so I had to look at it a few times, but then I saw everyone going crazy, and then it started to get a little overwhelming,” added Bobridge.

Before his record breaking ride, Bobridge was forced to watch as fellow South Australian Rohan Dennis posted the second fastest time in history with 4mins 13.399seconds during his heat.

Dennis’ time broke the Australian, Australian Championship and the All Comers record for fastest time on Australian soil, set by Bobridge in his gold medal ride in the pursuit final at the 2010 National Championships in Adelaide.  

“Today, when Rohan came out before me and pulled a 4.13, I was sitting in my seat and I was definitely scared,” said Bobridge, adding “But I am quite a competitive bike rider and obviously I didn’t want all my records to be taken.”

Bobridge’s last competitive individual pursuit came at last November’s Oceania Championships, where he took the silver medal in a time of 4mins24.042seconds behind Queensland’s Michael Hepburn.

In January, he was crowned Australian elite men's road race champion and finished runner up in the time trial at the Cycling Australia Road National Championships, before contesting the Tour Down Under in South Australia with his professional team Garmin-Cervelo.

“I had no idea that I was going to ride that today as I haven’t really been on the track since Oceania’s last November, and have been training hard on the road, so to come here and ride that it is a massive surprise,” said Bobridge.

“This morning I decided to come down a gear because it is quite humid in here and obviously it was the right decision, it was perfect gearing.

“Then after the first few laps, once I got my breathing right, I knew I was on.

"I really controlled that third kilometre and tried to stay comfortable and then really let everything out over the last four laps.”

It promises to be a blistering final tonight, with Bobridge and Dennis to face off in the gold medal ride. West Australia’s Luke Durbridge (4mins21.681secs ) to face Michael Hepburn (4mins18.852seconds) for bronze.

“It is definitely going to be close race in the final, it always is when Rohan and I come up against each other,” explained Bobridge adding, “He is going to put up a fight the whole way and if I give him an inch, he will roll me.

"So it will definitely come down to the wire.

“But I don’t know if I can go any quicker. I think that will stand as my PB for the next year I think,” added Bobridge.”

The 2011 Scody Cycling Australia Track National Championships will be held from Sunday January 30 to Sunday February 6 at Sydney’s Dunc Gray Velodrome.

A detailed event schedule, ticketing information, entry list and results can be found on the Cycling Australia website.