Track World Championships – Day 1 Qualifying Update

New Zealand will take on Olympic champions Great Britain for the bronze medal in the team pursuit on the opening night of finals at the UCI Track World Championships in the Netherlands today.

The BikeNZ combination were the fourth fastest on a cold and sluggish track at the Omnisport Apeldoorn, where Commonwealth Games champions Australia were the fastest. They meet the fast improving Russians in today’s final, while New Zealand take on Great Britain for the bronze.

The New Zealanders were solid without being spectacular to be fourth fastest in 4:04.184 on a day when no team went under the four minute barrier although they will be disappointed have been only the sixth fastest in the closing kilometre.

The track proved a challenge with the host nation Netherlands only sixth fastest ahead of another top hope in Germany, some four seconds slower than New Zealand.

The young kiwi combination of Ethan Mitchell, Sam Webster and Eddie Dawkins finished sixth fastest in qualifying for the team sprint.

They clocked 45.032, just outside their best but only a second slower than top qualifiers and world champions France.

The top five spots went to powerhouses France, German, Great Britain, Australia and Russia.

The finals session starts at 7am NZ time with the team pursuit rider off expected at 8.15am.