New Zealand celebrating their bronze medal. Photo: Will Palmer/SWpix.com
New Zealand track cyclists bagged two medals in the key Olympic discipline of team pursuit to continue their strong form on day three of the UCI World Championships in Glasgow.
The women won the silver medal and the men claimed the bronze to double the medal haul with three days remaining in the track campaign at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome.
The women's combination of Michaela Drummond, Ally Wollaston, Emily Shearman and Bryony Botha started strongly to edge Great Britain at the 1000m mark with the teams locked at the halfway point.
The hosts turned up the heat to open a two second advantage at 3000m and went on to win in 4:08.771 with New Zealand just over four seconds in arrears.
It was just the second time New Zealand women have won the silver, the last in 2009, along with three bronze medals, the last four years ago.
"We put out three rides that we an be proud of. We are a reasonably new team and this is our first ever world championships together and so a silver medal is not something to sky away from," said Ally Wollaston.
"As athletes we always strive for more. We wanted the gold tonight. I think we were capable of a little it more tonight and it is exciting for the future and we can take a lot of confidence from the three rounds we have done here."
The men's team pursuit of Nick Kergozou, Tom Sexton, Campbell Stewart, and Aaron Gate had the bronze medal sewn up in the first lap dafter the Australian starter slipped his pedal, with the new ruling meaning only a mechanical issue can gain a restart.
By the time the Australians recovered the men in black had a three second buffer, which they continued to build, going through the 3000m in 2:562 and catching their opponents to secure the third placing.
Later Denmark finished the stronger to claim the gold medal by two seconds over the Olympic champions, Italy.
"We felt that we well composed and prepared for the race. Of course it was disappointing for the Australians when they had a mishap at the start, although I felt we were in a good position with the way we were riding," said coach Adrian Hegyvary.
Michaela Drummond, Ally Wollaston, Emily Shearman, Bryony Botha of New Zealand receiving their Silver medals after the Women’s Elite Team Pursuit final. Photo: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
"Mishaps can happen and of course a year ago it was Australia benefitting when the boys crashed at the Olympics while in the lead in the bronze medal ride."
Ellesse Andrews started impressively in winning her first round race in the women's keirin, a year to the day from winning the silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics.
She pushed to the lead with a lap to go and held off all challengers to move through to the semifinals tomorrow.
Sam Dakin got his campaign off to a solid start, qualifying for the match racing phase of the men's sprint with a 9.9s qualifying effort over the flying 200m. He drew Olympic and world medallist Jack Carlin (GBR) in the first round, going out in a tight finish.
He will reset for his favoured keirin competition in two days.
Day four action tomorrow will see Sexton in the individual pursuit, Stewart in the omnium and Drummond in the elimination race, chasing her third medal, while Andrews lines up in the keirin semifinals.
The Europeans continued their domination of elite mountain bike with victory in both elite men and women finals at Fort William in the Nevis Range.
The weather broke as rain lashed the exposed Scottish course, with Austrian Valentina Holl defending her world title to finish two seconds clear of Camille Balanche from Switzerland and Marine Cabirou from France.
Last year's junior world champion, Jenna Hastings (Pivot Factory, Rotorua), recently returned after injury, was the best of the kiwis in 17th and Kalani Muirhead (Wanaka) 26th in the challenging conditions.
Great Britain's Charlie Hatton surprised with victory in the elite men with the top five riders within 1,5 seconds despite the conditions.
Best of the kiwis was two-time national champion George Brannigan (NS Bikes UR, Queenstown) in 27th with Sam Blenkinsop (Crestline, Christchurch) 32nd leading the way.
The road programme got underway with rain providing challenges to the tight city circuit in Glasgow.
The junior women race, five laps of the 14km circuit, saw Frenchwoman Julie Began prevail in a solo break, nine seconds clear of Cat Ferguson (GBR) and Fleur Moors (BEL).
Best of the kiwis was Bonnie Rattray (Black Magic Women's Cycling, Auckland) in 48th in the second bunch.
Denmark's Albert Philipsen soloed to victory in the junior men's race over nine laps (127kms) with Finn Wilson the best of the kiwis in 55th.
Michaela Drummond, Ally Wollaston, Emily Shearman and Bryony Botha of New Zealand on the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome in Glasgow. Photo: Will Palmer/SWpix.com
