BikeNZ juniors win two medals on opening day

New Zealand riders have won two medals in an outstanding start to the UCI Juniors World Championships in Capetown, South Africa today.

Gemma Dudley won a silver medal and Jason Christie a bronze medal with the New Zealand team also picking up a fourth and fifth placings at the Bellville Velodrome, a 5000 seat stadium which is South Africa’s only covered cycling facility.

Dudley (Levin) was prominent throughout the 7.5km scratch race, as a group of 10 riders pushed clear to lap the rest of the field.
She sprinted hard on the final lap but was only just pipped by Australia’s Megan Dunn for the win.

Christie (Ashburton), who competed in last year’s BikeNZ team at the world championships, produced a personal best 3:26.685 in qualifying in the 3000m individual pursuit to earn a place in the medal ride-off. His team-mate Aaron Gate (Auckland) set an excellent time of 3:28.219 which was fifth fastest of the 20 finalists, just missing out on a medal ride.

The remarkable Beijing-bound Taylor Phinney, son of the cycling legends Davis Phinney and Connie Carpenter-Phinney, won the gold medal comfortably over Australia’s Rohan Dennis.

Christie was in command in his bronze medal ride-off, riding to pre-race instruction to beat off Australia’s Luke Durbridge in 3:29.987.

The New Zealand team sprint trio of Aucklanders Ethan Mitchell, Myron Simpson and Sam Webster were edged out of a medal by just 16/100th of a second in the bronze medal ride-off against Poland. There was only 8/100ths of a second separating the two teams in the qualifying.

“It was a great start for the team,” manager Craig Adair said. “We won four medals in last year’s world championships, so to win two on the opening day was fantastic.

“It could so easily have been more with the men’s sprint team riding so well.

“The team has prepared really well at our camp in Perth and since we have been in Capetown. These results have given the team r real boost and we looking forward confidently to the rest of the championships.”

There are two further days of track competition before the time trial and road races.

New Zealand results, day 1. UCI Juniors World Championship, Capetown:

Men’s team sprint:
Gold medal ride-off: France 46.600, 1; Australia 47.261, 2.
Bronze medal ride-off: Poland 48.041, 3; New Zealand (Ethan Mitchell, Myron Simpson, Sam Webster) 48.205, 4.
Qualifying: France 46.523, 1; Australia 47.089, 2; Poland 47.756, 3; New Zealand 47.832, 4.

Individual pursuit, gold medal ride-off: Taylor Phinney (USA) 3:23.759, 1; Rohan Dennis (AUS) 3:27.422, 2.
Bronze medal ride-off: Jason Christie (NZL) 3:29.987, 3; Luke Durbridge (AUS) 3:31.068, 4.
Qualifying: Phinney 3:20.264, 1; Dennis 3:22.764, 2; Christie 3:26.685, Durbridge 3:27.240, 4; Aaron Gate (NZL) 3:28,219, 5.

Women’s 7.5km Scratch race: Megan Dunn (AUS) 1, Gemma Dudley (NZL) 2, Colleen Hayduk (USA) 3.