By Jonathan Leask  January 30 2010

It may be a silver sparkle in her eye but it’s a glimmer of gold that is her vision.

Lauren Ellis is off to a flying start this year on the bike after winning silver in the team pursuit at the world cup in Beijing, which also happened to be the team’s fastest time.

 The year could get even better if Ellis and her pursuit team can go one better than the silver medal effort at last year’s world championships and a similar result at the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.

 The pursuit team of Allison Shanks, the individual pursuit gold medallist, Rushlee Buchanan and Ellis set the fastest time in qualifying in Beijing last weekend.

 With Jaime Nielsen coming in for Buchanan, the team finished in its fastest time, but was edged out by 0.9 seconds in the gold medal ride by Australia.

 From now on the schedule is a busy one for Ellis with the nationals just around the corner being the start to what is shaping as a big year.

 “There are nationals in a few weeks and after that there is selection for the world champs in March and then the Commonwealth Games in April,” Ellis said.

 The international cycling season normally centres on the four world cup events and culminates with the world championships, but this year has the extra incentive of a Commonwealth Games medal.

 Ellis was a part of the team pursuit combination that won gold at the world cup event in Melbourne last year after they lifted the silver at the world championships earlier in the year.

 Another successful ride last weekend will have further pushed Ellis towards her goal of competing at the 2012 London Olympics.

 “We were in good form but didn’t expect to ride that fast, it really surprised me,” she said.

 Her Olympic dream was nearly in doubt when the Olympic committee considered removing the pursuit from the track programme, which could have forced her to change events or into road cycling.

 “I like track better but really they go hand in hand. I do most of my training for track out on the road.”

 Fortunately for Ellis the individual pursuit was axed which was disappointing for team-mate Allison Shanks, who was a serious contender for the gold.

 With the goal already set, Ellis has taken positive steps towards achieving it and is well on her way in terms of preparation.

 “I train six days a week. I train about nine times on the bike and have started going to the gym twice a week. It’s really helping and the gym company has been a big help,” Ellis said.

 Ellis nearly had some major drama prior to the Beijing event when her training bike folded.

 “Luckily, Paul Wylie gave me a bike to use for training, otherwise I would have been lost without it.”

 She has also been hampered by a slight strain in her left leg, but after the Beijing silver medal effort Ellis was taking a few days off for recovery before returning to the bike, along with some help from the physio.

 She won’t be stationary for too long though with the national track championships in Invercargill on February 10.

 “I’ll get into doing speed work to get faster. Then if it all goes well at nationals I’ll hopefully make the world champs selection.”

 Ellis has also been busy off the bike as well, graduating her diploma in sport and fitness from Aoraki Polytechnic in December, and has been busy organising studying business at Massey University extramurally.

 “There’s not really a lot else, just relaxing. “You’re usually quite tired from training.”

 Ellis should be inclined to enjoy her brief rest period, even if it is only a few days, because as soon as they are over, she gets back on the bike and its full steam ahead, all the way to New Delhi.

Pictured: Ashburton cyclist Lauren Ellis with the silver medal she won for New Zealand in the team pursuit at the world cup event in Beijing. - Photo Kirsty Graham 270110-KG-206