Southland riders in action at world track cycling champs

The New Zealand men’s team pursuit finished a blink away from qualifying for the bronze medal ride on the opening day of the UCI Track cycling World Championships in Paris.

After qualifying fifth fastest, they were chasing the fourth fastest time in the first round of the 4000m event to earn a ride for the bronze medal at the Saint Quentin En Yvelines Velodrome.

The quartet of Aaron Gate, Southlanders Tom Sexton and Nick Kergozou, and Campbell Stewart rode 3:48.920 to be beaten in their ride against top qualifiers Great Britain. Chasing one of the two remaining fastest times to make the bronze medal ride, they finished 0.015s slower than Australia who claimed the fourth and final spot.

Olympic champions Italy will take on Great Britain tomorrow for the gold medal while Australia face Denmark for the bronze.

Caption: NZ men’s team pursuit in action. Photo: Guy Swarbrick

In qualifying, the New Zealand team pursuit combination clocked 3:49.498 to be fourth fastest through to the first round. They went through the opening 1000m in 1:02.8 and reeled off consistent 55-second laps to come home 1.4s from top qualifiers Great Britain.

In the first round, New Zealand opened faster against Great Britain than in qualifying, and despite a stunning 55.05s third kilometre, they could not finish it off with a 56.02 final 1000m to miss out by the narrowest of margins.

“It was a little bit disappointing because we had built with a solid qualifying effort,” said Gate. :It probably reflected the more limited build-up to these world championships, with the Commonwealth Games as our big focus this year.

“That said, it was a good chance to compete on the track for the Olympics, and it will fire us up for what we know we can do and look ahead to the big dance in a couple of years here.

“Now the boys can focus on the individual races to come.”

Earlier World Tour road professional Michaela Drummond gave further evidence of her impressive return to the track with fifth placing in the women’s 10km scratch race.

Drummond, who rides for the Italian BePink road team, made a return to world championship track competition last year also in France. She carried this form on to win two silver medals at the recent Commonwealth Games in the team pursuit and scratch race.

Caption: NZ’s Michaela Drummond in the scratch race. Photo: Guy Swarbrick

She looked for cover early on in the scratch race, and moved up the field with four laps remaining, pushing into the front group with a lap to go. While she was squeezed for room, the kiwi rider finished strongly to be only a length away from the medals in an impressive fifth place, saying she was a little under-geared for the sprint finish.

Day two action features Ellesse Andrews in sprint qualifying, Ally Wollaston in the women’s elimination and Gate in the scratch race.

Results:

Men Team Pursuit Qualifying: Great Britain 3:48.092, 1; Italy 3:38.243, 2; France 3:48.845, 3; New Zealand 3:49.498, 4.

First round: Australia 3:48.773 bt Germany 3:52.057; Denmark 3:46.754 bt Belgium 3:53.242; Italy 3:47.203 bt France 3:50.681; Great Britain 3:47.057 bt New Zealand 3:48.920.

Women’s Scratch Race 10km: Martina Fidanza (ITA) 1, Maike van der Duin (NED) 2, Jessica Roberts (GBR) 3. Also: Michaela Drummond (NZL) 5.