UCI Track Cycling Championships - Day 3 Qualifying

BikeNZ riders Alison Shanks and Jaime Nielsen will ride for medals on the third night of finals at the UCI Track Cycling World Championships in The Netherlands today.

Shanks will take on world record holder Sarah Hammer (USA) for the gold medal after posting the second fastest time while Nielsen will take on Lithuania’s experienced Vilija Sereikaite for bronze in the women’s individual pursuit.

Shanks clocked 3:33.789, which was just 25/100ths of a second behind Hammer’s time, with the New Zealander controlling her pace well to finish strongly and set up an intriguing battle for the final.

Nielsen went 3:38.921 in qualifying to be fourth fastest, just 8/10ths slower than Sereikaite.

Mid-Canterbury’s Lauren Ellis posted the eighth fastest qualifying time of 3:44.165.

Meanwhile Shane Archbold lies 10th after two events of the men’s omnium with the elimination race to complete the first day later in the evening programme, while tom Scully competes in the men’s points race.

The evening programme begins at 6.30am NZ time with the points race scheduled at 7.30am, women’s individual pursuit at 8.30am and the omnium elimination race at 10am.