Ivo Oliveira Chasing Success At World Track Championships

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By Sean Weide
11 Apr 17

The Axeon Hagens Berman Cycling Team will be represented later this week by Ivo Oliveira at the UCI Track Cycling World Championships presented by Tissot in China.

Oliveira will compete in the individual pursuit for Portugal on Friday and the omnium on Saturday. The 20-year-old said racing on the road this spring in his first season with the American Under 23 development team has prepared him well.

"I am feeling quite good," Oliveira said on Tuesday, two days after arriving in Hong Kong. "The road races I did with the team gave me a lot of rhythm, endurance and power that will help me on the track as well."

Oliveira is the reigning Portugese national champion in the individual pursuit, the omnium and the points race. This week, he joins Joao Matias as Portugal's only two entries in men's competition.

"The individual pursuit is pretty special because it is the event where I was the world and the European champion as a junior in 2014," Oliveira said. "But the omnium is also special to me because it is an Olympic event."

His twin brother, Rui, was the silver medalist in the scratch race at the Portugese national championships in February. But Rui will not compete in Hong Kong after twice finishing runner-up on stages at the Joe Martin Stage Race earlier this month while earning "best young rider" honors.

Ivo said his first four months with Axeon Hagens Berman have absolutely flown by.

"I am enjoying every single minute with this team and learning a lot," he said. "The races so far have been good and I cannot wait for the next races and the rest of the season."

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