Rider pushes hard

Top Hamilton rider Jaime Nielsen's own high expectations meant she was never going to just be a mediocre cyclist.

And now, only 16 months after turning her back on a blossoming rowing career, she's at the top of a new sport and still pushing herself for more.

Nielsen is one of eight Waikato-Bay of Plenty cyclists competing in the Elite Track Cycling Nationals in Invercargill starting tomorrow.

The meet doubles as the latest in a long line of chances for the national selectors to judge the form of the top riders to see who should be going to the World Champs and Commonwealth Games.

Nielsen and her Waikato-Bay of Plenty team-mates Sonia Waddell and Rushlee Buchanan are favourites to regain the national teams' pursuit title, but selectors will be watching the individual and team event to judge form.

"I just want to improve my best times ... Nationals are key for selection," she said.

Nielsen is expected to race in both the individual and teams' pursuit, but said she might try her hand at the 500m time-trial for start practice.

After rowing for New Zealand at under-23 level, Nielsen said any move to a new sport was going to be tough, but she had to do well.

"I'd made it to a reasonably high level in rowing and to give that up, I knew I had to do well in cycling," she said.

She's a long way from where she wants to be and admits to having a lot to learn, but she's already represented New Zealand and has a world championship silver medal for the teams' pursuit.

Riding in traffic could still be "overwhelming" she said, but when it comes down to power and strength, Nielsen more than makes up for any other perceived deficiencies.

Because of the Commonwealth Games and the inclusion of the women's pursuit in the Olympic Games, there is more focus on the women's teams' pursuit, making 2010 a busy year for Nielsen.

Consistency is her main aim for now. "I've got very high expectations of myself and I'm really competitive so I want to do the best I can all the time," she said.

Waikato-Bay of Plenty squad: Rushlee Buchanan, Peter Latham, Jaime Nielsen, Ben Oleson, Vanessa Quinn, Shem Rodger, Sonia Waddell, Ryan Wills.

- © Fairfax NZ News