Three medal haul for New Zealand cyclists in World Cup

New Zealand has taken gold in the men’s pursuit at the UCI World Cup in unusual circumstances, while claiming silver medals in two other races on an eventful second day in Colombia.

After running second to world champions Australia in yesterday’s qualifying in the men’s pursuit, the New Zealand quartet were awarded the gold medal after their opponents crashed out on the first straight.

The Australians were not awarded a restart and therefore the New Zealand team of Jesse Sergent, Sam Bewley, Aaron Gate and Marc Ryan won the gold medal.

No doubt the New Zealand team would have preferred to race as they prepare towards the big season ahead.

Earlier the women’s team pursuit won the silver medal after world champions Great Britain proved too strong in the final. The Brits set the early pace to open up a gap of more than a second before the kiwi trio of Alison Shanks, Lauren Ellis and Jaime Nielsen clawed their way back. But the kiwis dropped Nielsen two laps from the finish with the Great Britain trio moving away for the win.

“We started in the first six laps really focussing on our own pace and setting out what we know we can do and then race them for the last six laps,” said Lauren Ellis. “It was only the last two laps really that didn’t go to plan. We still went out there to execute the best ride we could, and sometimes it is not always perfect.”

Ellis said while there were no excuses, the group found this week tough after competing in the Oceania Championships last week before facing the 30-hour trip to Colombia.

“We raced on the Thursday night then flew our Friday. It’s a long way over here. We got in on Sunday and then to race on Wednesday and Thursday is tough.

“It’s just the start of our season and we are all in good shape and looking ahead now.”

Manawatu sprinter Simon van Velthooven continued his powerful form to grab the silver medal in the men’s 1000m time trial. He powered home in 1:01.160, which 3/100ths of a second outside the national record he set in last week’s Oceania Championships.

Frenchman Francois Pervis took out the gold in 1:00.075 but van Velthooven put up his hand for a potential medal in next year’s world championships in Melbourne.

The rest of the sprint team had less good fortune after former triple world junior champion Sam Webster crashed during the second lap of the team sprint after a puncture during qualifying. Teammate Eddie Dawkins was left with no room to manoeuvre and crashed also. It was initially thought the team were not allowed a re-run, but in face Webster’s injuries, while not too serious, ruled him out of the competition.

The leading German team broke the world record in a time of 42.914, which was 35/100th of a second inside the old mark set by Great Britain at the Beijing Olympics, beating another German trio in the final.

New Zealand’s starter Ethan Mitchell had the BikeNZ trio on a fast pace with the third quickest time for the first lap of 17.463s.

It has also been a mixed start for Shane Archbold in the men’s omnium. He was third fastest in the flying lap in 13.173, which was another personal best after his 13.192 at last week’s Oceania Championships.

He lost two laps to finish 22nd in the points race and was one of three riders disqualified for racing infractions in the elimination race.

Results:

Women’s team pursuit, 3000m gold medal ride: Great Britain 3:31.835, 1; New Zealand (Lauren Ellis, Jaime Nielsen, Alison Shanks) 3:37.072, 2. Bronze ride: USA 3:44.274, 3; Lithuania 3:55.010, 4.

Men’s omnium:

Flying lap: Bryan Coquard (FRA) 13.128, 1; Zach Bell (CAN) 13.155, 2; Shane Archbold (NZL) 13.173, 3.

Points race: Ho Kwok (HKG) 64, Eloy Teruel Rivira (ESP) 56, Lasse Hansen (DEN) 52. Archbold 22nd.

Elimination race: Coquard 1, Michael Freiberg (AUS) 2, Gijs van Hoecke (BEL) 3. Also: Archbold dsq.

Men’s 100m time trial: Francois Pervis (FRA) 1:00.075, 1; Simon Van Velthooven (NZL0 1:01.160, 2; Filip Ditzel (CZE) 1:02.009, 3.

Men’s team pursuit, 4000m, gold medal ride: New Zealand (Jesse Sergent, Marc Ryan, Sam Bewley, Aaron Gate) 1, Australia dnf, 2. Bronze medal:

Men’s team sprint: Germany 43.311, 1; (World Record); Team ERD (Germany) 44.230, 2; Venezuela 43.991, 3. New Zealand dnf.