By Dave Goosselink
Two young Southland cyclists are expected to play a major part in Bike New Zealand's world championship campaign later this month.
Eddie Dawkins and Tom Scully are now considered genuine contenders after victories on the international stage.
Twenty-year-old Dawkins is full of confidence ahead of this month's world champs. The big sprinter they call 'Whopper' is certainly in form, after grabbing three golds and three records at the recent national champs, and he has some firm goals.
"Opportunities, doors are opening," he says. "Team sprint - medal, sprint - top five, kilo - top five."
Southland teammate Scully, nicknamed 'The Scud', is another rising star on the international stage, winning five medals in his last two World Cup outings.
"It's just really put more dreams into reality, so just hopefully run with that," he says.
And the pair admit having the country's only indoor velodrome on their back door is a definite advantage.
"Maybe we'd be doing the times, but we wouldn't be doing them in New Zealand," says Dawkins. "I wouldn't be living in Southland, I'd be over in America or Europe somewhere training."
And while the Southland teammates are making their marks in different events, they have a huge respect for each other.
"Tom, he's just a machine, you know," says Dawkins. "Mountain bike background coming in, he's just got the biggest lungs you've ever seen in your life, and he can go nonstop all day."
"Always travelled really well together," says Scully. "I think Mexico, Beijing, been all around the world together, so have to get on pretty well."
They're expecting to add Copenhagen to that list, where the all-important world track champs begins later this month.
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