Crash ends medal hopes at world junior cycling

A bad crash has thwarted the medal efforts of Auckland cyclist Myron Simpson on the final day of track competition at the UCI Juniors World Championships in Capetown, South Africa today.

Simpson, who won a silver medal in the gruelling Omnium in last year’s world championships, was brought down and damaged his shoulder at the Bellville Velodrome today.

The BikeNZ rider had high hopes of emulating the feats of kiwi Hayden Godfrey, who won the Omnium title at the elite world championships, a five event competition that consists of 200m sprint, 5km scratch race, 3km individual pursuit, 15km points race and 1km time trial.

He finished second in the opening 200m sprint, with his strength in the later endurance events.

Simpson, the top seed, was well place in the 5km scratch race when the Colombian rider Jefferson Rueda Tobon tried a passing move well inside the blue line and was unable to get around the bend, crashing instead into the side of the New Zealander.

The kiwi rider was taken to hospital with a suspected broken collarbone.

“It was very gutting for Myron,” manager Craig Adair said. “Crashes are part of our sport but this was a crazy move.

“Myron was riding very well this week for his specialist event and very hopeful of adding to our medal count, possibly with a gold medal. It was so unnecessary and stupid thing for the other rider to do.”

The only other New Zealander in action tonight was Cromwell’s Tom Scully who finished eighth in the 10km Scratch Race final.

Scully was well placed but missed the six-strong break that managed to put a lap on the field which proved the decisive move of the race.

There is a day off tomorrow before the men’s and women’s time trial on Saturday (NZ time) and road race on Monday (NZ time).

New Zealand results, day 5, UCI Juniors World Championship, Capetown:

Scratch Race final: Michael Vingerling (NED) 1, Carlos Linares Zambrano (Ven) 2, Alexander Caselles (ARG) 3. Tom Scully (NZL) 8.