March 29/08 10:51 am - Track World Championships: Day 4
Posted by Editoress on 03/29/08
Track World Championships Manchester UK
Photos
Men's Madison
Women's Points Race
Women's Sprint semi & final
Men's Keirin
Great Britain continues to dominate these world championships, taking three of the four gold medals available, and boosting their total world title count to nine. Chris Hoy took his second title of the week in the Keirin, as did Victoria Pendleton in the women's Sprint and Bradley Wiggins in the Madison, partnered with Mark Cavendish. Marianne Vos of the Netherlands gave the Dutch their first gold medal at the championships in the women's Points race. Canada's Madison team of Ryan Mckenzie and Martin Gilbert did not finish the 50 kilometre race, while Gina Grain was 17th in the Points Race.
The women's sprint took up where it left off last night, with the semi final round putting American Jennie Reed up against defending champion Pendleton, while Simona Krupeckaite (Lithuania) rode against last year's silver medalist Shuang Guo (China). Pendleton was too strong for Reed, coming by her on the finishing straight to move on to the gold final in two rides. Krupeckaite also moved on in two rides.
In the finals, Pendleton again overpowered her opponent to take the title in two straight wins, having not lost a heat the entire competition, but it took Reed three rides to win the bronze, when the Chinese rider was able to win the second heat.
Vos won the women's Points Race with surgical precision, able to ride away from the field almost at will. The young Danish rider Trine Schmidt was the first to take a lap on the field, but Vos then jumped across as well at the halfway mark. Vera Carrara (Italy) also managed to get across in the final third of the race, but had no other points and was not in contention for the win. Vos had only a three point lead going into the final laps, and Schmidt attacked, hoping to win the final sprint and take five points. Vos reacted instantly, dropping the field and soloing away to win the last sprint and seal her victory. The win means that Vos has now won road, cyclo-cross and track world titles.
Gina Grain rode a conservative race, with the primary goal of securing a spot for the Olympic Games. Shortly after Vos had lapped the field, Grain went with two other riders, and came within 75 metres of lapping the field herself, before dropping back. However, the results have mathematically assured Grain of a spot in Beijing (official standings will come from the UCI next week).
"The early part of the race wasn't very active, which isn't the way I like to race," Grain commented. "It looked like we might get a lap at one point, but the pace picked up and we just didn't have the gas. The main goal was Beijing, and it looks like I have the final spot, since the Mexican rider didn't gain any points on me."
The podium for the 200 lap Madison looked to be locked up at the halfway point, with Belgium, Switzerland and the World Cup champion Danes having stolen a lap on the rest of the field. However, this championship belongs to the Brits, and when Wiggins and Cavendish decided to join the leaders, it took less than 15 laps before they too were a lap up. Significantly, the British team had also been amassing points prior to taking a lap, so when they did join the frontrunners they immediately leapfrogged into the lead. Germany and Spain made late moves to take a lap, with the Germans eventually taking silver ahead of Denmark.
The Canadians struggled with the pace, particularly Mckenzie. After falling off the back of the field they were eventually lapped three times and eliminated with roughly 70 laps to go. This, combined with the stronger showings by New Zealand (9th) and Japan (12th), has eliminated them from the Olympics.
Both riders were bitterly and visibly disappointed, and did not speak much before leaving the velodrome.
"I had a good day myself," commented Gilbert "but it takes two strong riders to do the Madison."
Mckenzie stated "I'm pleased with our performances [this season], and how hard we have ridden with little support. This (not making the Olympics) isn't our fault."
The final event of the day was the crowd pleasing men's Keirin. Chris Hoy is the defending champion in the event and he did not disappoint, dominating every heat he was in on his way to victory. The French, who have traditionally been a powerhouse nation in the Keirin only managed to place one rider in the final - Arnaud Tournant, who finished fourth. Among the other favourites who did not make the final were Theo Bos (Netherlands), Kevin Sireau (France) and Micka?l Bourgain (France), who was disqualified after causing a crash in a first round heat which took down Josiah Ng.
Race Notes
- Travis Smith will race tomorrow's Omnium for Canada. The Omnium consists of a 200m, Pursuit, Scratch Race, Points Race and Kilo.
- Zach Bell is 'on the bubble' for his Olympic aspirations. His DNF in the Points Race yesterday didn't help his qualification, but the ranking is based on a matrix of national results in both the Points Race and the Madison. The results of the Madison shouldn't impact his overall standings too much. We will know in the next week or so, when the UCI release rankings after the Worlds.
- I wonder if the British Royals ever compare notes on their encounters with members of the Canadian cycling community? Yesterday, Zach Bell met Prince Edward. Zach explains: "I was sitting there, with my headphones on and my head down, so I didn't see him arrive. Then he bent down and said something to me, and I went 'What??' "
Zach says he then, without thinking, stuck his hand out and the Prince did shake hands with him (it is a breech of protocol to initiate physical contact with the royals), and had a short chat.
However, this is by no means the first time Canadian cyclists have gotten 'familiar' with the royals:
Gina Grain, at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia was training in the Village and heard that the Queen was in the Village, so she wandered over to see if she could catch a glimpse of Her Majesty. Gina explains in her blog (www.ginagrain.com) that she was standing next to one of the Queen's bodyguards, chatting with him, when the Queen came over. Without thinking (are you catching a theme here?), Gina said 'Hi Queen' and stuck her hand out. The Queen did shake her hand and had a brief chat.
Then there is the (in)famous incident a few years ago when former Olympian and now cycling mogul Louis Garneau asked her Majesty if he could have his picture taken with the Queen after attending a luncheon in Ottawa. When she said yes, he put his arm around her shoulder, and the story made the newspapers worldwide. Louis told us "I'm just a friendly guy..."
Canada - home of the friendly cyclists...
| Women's Sprint | ||
| SemiFinal | ||
| Heat 1 | race 1 | race 2 |
| 1. Victoria Pendleton (Great Britain) | 11.972 | 11.697 |
| 2. Jennie Reed (USA) | ||
| Heat 2 | ||
| 1. Simona Krupeckaite (Lithuania) | 12.046 | 11.381 |
| 2. Shuang Guo (China) |
| Final | |||
| Ride for gold & silver | race 1 | race 2 | decider |
| 1. Victoria Pendleton (Great Britain) | 11.747 | 11.551 | |
| 2. Simona Krupeckaite (Lithuania) | |||
| Ride for bronze | |||
| 3. Jennie Reed (USA) | 12.055 | 12.044 | |
| 4. Shuang Guo (China) | 11.498 |
Men's Keirin
Round 1
Heat 1
1. Chris Hoy (Great Britain)
2. Toshiaki Fushimi (Japan)
3. Teun Mulder (Netherlands)
4. Sergey Ruban (Russia)
5. Andriy Vynokurov (Ukraine)
6. Hodei Mazquiaran Uria (Spain)
7. Athanasios Mantzouranis (Greece)
Heat 2
1. Azizulhasni Awang (Malaysia)
2. Shane Perkins (Australia)
3. Arnaud Tournant (France)
4. Theo Bos (Netherlands)
5. Ricardo Lynch (Jamaica)
6. Sergey Borisov (Russia)
7. Filip Ptacnik (Czech Republic)
Heat 3
1. Ross Edgar (Great Britain)
2. Shane John Kelly (Australia)
3. Carsten Bergemann (Germany)
4. Kévin Sireau (France)
5. Denis Spicka (Czech Republic)
6. Roberto Chiappa (Italy)
7. Mohd Rizal Tisin (Malaysia)
Heat 4
1. Christos Volikakis (Greece)
2. Matthew Crampton (Great Britain)
3. Ryan Bayley (Australia)
4. Josiah Ng Onn Lam (Malaysia)
5. José Antonio Escuredo Raimondez (Spain)
6. Stefan Nimke (Germany)
First 2 riders in each heat qualify to second round, remainder to first round repechage.
First Round Repechage
Heat 1
1. Teun Mulder (Netherlands)
2. Sergey Ruban (Russia)
3. Josiah Ng Onn Lam (Malaysia)
4. Denis Spicka (Czech Republic)
Heat 2
1. Arnaud Tournant (France)
2. Ricardo Lynch (Jamaica)
3. Athanasios Mantzouranis (Greece)
4. Kévin Sireau (France)
5. Hodei Mazquiaran Uria (Spain)
Heat 3
1. Carsten Bergemann (Germany)
2. Theo Bos (Netherlands)
3. Andriy Vynokurov (Ukraine)
4. Stefan Nimke (Germany)
5. Mohd Rizal Tisin (Malaysia)
Heat 4
1. Ryan Bayley (Australia)
2. Filip Ptacnik (Czech Republic)
3. José Antonio Escuredo Raimondez (Spain)
4. Roberto Chiappa (Italy)
5. Sergey Ruban (Russia)
First 1 rider in each heat qualify to second round
Round 2
Heat 1
1. Chris Hoy (Great Britain)
2. Christos Volikakis (Greece)
3. Teun Mulder (Netherlands)
4. Shane John Kelly (Australia)
5. Shane Perkins (Australia)
6. Ryan Bayley (Australia)
Heat 2
1. Matthew Crampton (Great Britain)
2. Arnaud Tournant (France)
3. Toshiaki Fushimi (Japan)
4. Ross Edgar (Great Britain)
5. Carsten Bergemann (Germany)
6. Azizulhasni Awang (Malaysia)
Top 3 in each heat to 1-6-final, rest to 7-12 final
Final 1-6
1. Chris Hoy (Great Britain)
2. Teun Mulder (Netherlands)
3. Christos Volikakis (Greece)
4. Arnaud Tournant (France)
5. Toshiaki Fushimi (Japan)
6. Matthew Crampton (Great Britain)
Final 7-12
7. Shane John Kelly (Australia)
8. Ross Edgar (Great Britain)
9. Ryan Bayley (Australia)
10. Carsten Bergemann (Germany)
11. Shane Perkins (Australia)
12. Azizulhasni Awang (Malaysia)
| Women's Points Race | |
| 1. Marianne Vos (Netherlands) | 33pts |
| 2. Trine Schmidt (Denmark) | 25 |
| 3. Vera Carrara (Italy) | 20 |
| 4. Olaberria Dorronsoro (Spain) | 11 |
| 5. Yoanka Gonzalez Perez (Cuba) | 10 |
| 6. Svetlana Paulikaite (Lithuania) | 8 |
| 7. Olga Slyusareva (Russia) | 7 |
| 8. Rebecca Quinn (USA) | 7 |
| 9. Pascale Jeuland (France) | 6 |
| 10. Jarmila Machacova (Czech Republic) | 6 |
| 11. Wan Yiu Wong (Hong Kong) | 6 |
| 12. Katherine Bates (Australia) | 6 |
| 13. Yan Li (China) | 5 |
| 14. Belem Guerrero Mendez (Mexico) | 5 |
| 15. Maria Luisa Calle Williams (Colombia) | 5 |
| 16. Charlotte Becker (Germany) | 4 |
| 17. Gina Grain (Canada) | 2 |
| 18. Lesya Kalitovska (Ukraine) | 2 |
| 19. Elizabeth Armitstead (Great Britain) | 0 |
| 20. Aksana Papko (Belarus) | 0 |
| 21. Catherine Cheatley (New Zealand) | 0 |
| 22. Min Hye Lee (Korea) |
| Men's Madison | |
| 1. Great Britain (Mark Cavendish/Bradley Wiggins) | 19pts |
| 2. Germany (Roger Kluge/Olaf Pollack) | 13 |
| 3. Denmark (Michael Morkov/Alex Rasmussen) | 11 |
| 4. Belgium (Kenny Ketele/Iljo Keisse) | 8 |
| 5. Switzerland (Franco Marvulli/Bruno Risi) | 3 |
| 6. Spain (Joan Llaneras Rosello/Carlos Torrent Tarres) | 1 |
| 7. France (Matthieu Ladagnous/Jérôme Neuville) | 15 (-1 lap) |
| 8. Argentina (Juan Esteban Curuchet/Walter Fernando Perez) | 12 (-1 lap) |
| 9. New Zealand (Greg Henderson/Hayden Roulston) | 11 (-1 lap) |
| 10. Netherlands (Jens Mouris/Peter Schep) | 5 (-1 lap) |
| 11. Italy (Angelo Ciccone/Fabio Masotti) | 0 (-1 lap) |
| 12. Japan (Makoto Iijima/Kazuhiro Mori) | 5 (-2 laps) |
| 13. United States (Michael Friedman/Colby Pearce) | 4 (-2 laps) |
| 14. Czech Republic (Alois Kankovsky/Petr Lazar) | 3 (-2 laps) |
| 15. Ukraine (Lyubomyr Polatayko/Volodymyr Rybin) | 0 (-2 laps) |
| DNF. Canada (Martin Gilbert/Ryan McKenzie) | |
| DNF. Korea (Sun Jae Jang/Jae Wan Jung) | |
| DNF. Russia (Mikhail Ignatiev/Alexei Markov) |
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