BMX world champion Caroline Buchanan is starting a push to build an Olympic-standard track in Canberra and will meet with officials this week to investigate potential locations as part of a bid to host the Australian championships.
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Buchanan is back in Australia just days after winning the opening round of the BMX World Cup in Manchester.
The 2012 Olympian is home for 13 days before continuing her whirlwind international season. She is aiming to reclaim her Australian title in Shepparton next week.
The ACT BMX championships were not part of the national series this year because the Melba track did not meet new regulations.
But with the aim of one day racing at the national championships in Canberra, Buchanan is starting work behind the scenes, including identifying potential sites, to build a new Olympic-standard track in the capital.
"It's another project I'm looking at ... everything's in the works with that one," Buchanan said.
The Gold Coast has the only Olympic-standard track in Australia and required significant investment to meet requirements.
Mt Stromlo could be the new home for a track. There are already mountain bike, cross country, downhill and four-cross tracks, and a criterion.
Buchanan won the four-cross world title at Mt Stromlo in 2009.
As well as her vision for a new track, Buchanan hopes to release a range of children's bikes this year and is helping usher in a new generation of BMX riders by recruiting Mikayla Rose and Paige Harding to her "Next Gen" stable.
Buchanan is Australia's BMX queen and has set her sights on an Olympic berth at the Games in Rio in 2016.
She took a break from BMX last year to focus on an audacious bid to win three world championships in three different bike disciplines.
The 23-year-old was successful in claiming two world titles and is now back in BMX mode, her World Cup victory last weekend sending a statement to rivals.
After racing at the national titles, Buchanan will compete in the Netherlands and Germany for more World Cup events before returning to Australia.
She will also race in Spain, Argentina, the Caribbean, Canada and the US.
"You can't take my batteries out, I'm always on the go," Buchanan said.
"I'm stoked to start that World Cup comeback with a bang. My goal is to win the World Cup season this year so to get those early points is really pleasing and a big boost ahead of the national titles.
"It was a crazy goal to try to win three world titles in 56 days in three sports ... it was a challenge but I've grown so much from that and it was a good, refreshing break in a way."
The Rio Olympic selection process will start at the third World Cup event in Berlin in June.
Buchanan will then turn her attention to defending her world championship in Rotterdam in July.
"The sport's progressing so much, it's going to take me to some cool places this year," Buchanan said.
"I did the biggest training block I've ever done so I knew I was mentally and physically prepared the best I could be and I think it's paying off."
