Marvulli, Hayles headline Australian madison event

Former madison world champions Franco Marvulli and Rob Hayles will headline the 2009 Australian Madison Championship, to be contested on February 28 at Melbourne's DISC velodrome. Marvulli, a two-time world champion in both the madison and scratch race, will partner Germany's Leif Lampater, a former winner of the madison at the UCI Track World Cup series in 2005.

The riders are headed for Australia having wrapped up the European six-day series at the Lotto 6 - Daagse last weekend. Lampater paired with Erik Zabel in January to successfully defend their title at the Six Days of Bremen, with Marvulli and partner finishing in second place.

Hayles, the Athens Olympic Games madison bronze medallist, will team up with former UCI Junior World Champion Peter Kennaugh. The international riders will take on locals Sean Finning (Castlemaine CC), James Langedyk (Geelong CC), Tim Decker (Bendigo & Districts CC), Luke Durbridge (WA), Luke Davison, Richard Lang, Alex Carver and Aaron Donnelly.

The Australian Madison Championship program will also feature the Sid Patterson Grand Prix, featuring local and international competitors, as a support event.