Jayco Flyers

IT SHAPES as one of the biggest pound-for-pound battles seen on a bike.

Long-retired footy warhorses Danny Frawley and Jason Dunstall in a three-lap sprint for bragging rights at Hisense Arena on Wednesday.

"Spud" and "The Chief" will contest the highly-anticipated undercard face-off at track cycling event Revolution 4, which features Tour de France stage winners Robbie McEwen and Baden Cooke.

But the two champions came face-to-face yesterday at a familiarisation session at Darebin International Sports Centre.

Having squeezed into the figure-hugging Jayco Flyers lycra, Frawley and Dunstall shaped up for a three-lap race that would be about staying upright as much as crossing the line first.

"Can you hear the seams screaming?" Dunstall asked.

Frawley took off hugging the inside, but hadn't counted on The Chief, despite coughing and spluttering up the back straight, unleashing a burst of speed around the outside to take victory.

The pair didn't waste time with traditional cat-and-mouse tactics. It was just a thigh-burning push for the win.

"What was Spud doing?" Dunstall said as he sailed over the line.

Replied Frawley: "I sh.t myself."

Still panting 10 minutes later, Dunstall resisted the urge to gloat.

"I think Spud is saving himself and he's going to humiliate me on the night," Dunstall said.

"But that's OK because I can at least say I beat him in practice, even though I can barely breathe now.

"Once I get up high my weight and gravity combine to give me some good downhill pace.

"It's scary up there, though. It's funny because you watch them on TV and think it would be fun to get up there like that, but it's bloody confronting when you get high up on the bends.

"Spud's been training for this event. I've spent two months drinking and eating since the footy finished and somehow we're going to get a race out of it.

"Spud's got one big decision to make on the night and that's whether he goes around me, through me or over me. He's a little bit competitive, our Spud. The competitive juices will get him, don't worry about that."

Frawley admitted: "That's the issue. I haven't got a lot of ability, but once you hear that crowd it could be something else.

"I just hope we get over the line in one piece."

But Frawley's renowned white-line fever may be tempered by orders from home.

"I'm under strict instructions from my boss and wife Anita, because we're flying out the next morning so she said if you come home on a stretcher I'll be staying home," he said.

"But the courage factor, I'm struggling at the moment. I might need a nappy."

Check out the video of the boys on the track. http://player.video.news.com.au/heraldsun/#4LCHjAZisWMiiJ0sG6uB47Gp0Vr1vEXx