UCI JUNIORS TRACK WORLD CHAMPS – DAY 2 WORLD WRAP

A brave attack on the opening lap led to victory for Belarus rider Anton Muzychkin in the men’s scratch race on the second night of finals at the UCI Juniors Track Cycling World Championships in Invercargill, New Zealand tonight (local time).

Muzychkin joined with Columbia’s Jordan Parra Arias and Kazakhstan’s Robert Gaineyev with an attack on the first of 40 laps and they ultimately put a lap on the field with 27 laps remaining.

The Belarusian proved the strongest in the final sprint to win the gold medal with Parra Arias finishing with the silver and Gaineyev the bronze – all securing the first medals for their respective countries at the championships to date.

“I’m very far away from our home and I’m very happy to be a winner here. It’s an incredible feeling for me.”

“It was a very tight race, very dangerous. I’m very lucky because I was in front of the group.”

Australian Zachary Shaw produced a huge personal best to clock 1:02.303 in winning the men’s kilometre time trial.

New Zealand’s Dylan Kennett, a medallist in the omnium at the world championships in Moscow last year, set a national record of 1:02.957 to grab the early lead until Shaw’s great ride with Jakub Vyvoda (CZE) third.

It proved another top night for Australia with Taylah Jennings earning her fourth world junior title with victory in the points race. She dominated winning seven of eight sprints to claim the gold to go with the omnium and team pursuit honours she won last year and the world record win in the team pursuit last night.

“That was great. I was really happy with that ride tonight. To win a fourth rainbow jersey is special. My mum joked that we are running out of space on the walls,” Jennings said.

New Zealand’s Sophie Williamson, third in this event last year, finished strongly for second place with Amy Roberts (GBR) third.

The men’s omnium is led by Colombia’s Ferando Gaviria Rendon after three events on five points from Australian Tirian McManus on 13. The Colombian got back into the elimination race after a crash to finish second and extend his lead.

Tomorrow’s women’s sprint semifinals will pit Paige Paterson (NZL) against Caitlin Ward (AUS) with Daria Scheleva (RUS) against Jennifer Valente (USA) in the other.

Day 2 results
Men’s scratch race (10km): Anton Muzychkin (BLR) 1, Jordan Parra Arias (COL) 2, Robert Gaineyev (KAZ) 3.
Women’s sprint quarterfinal 1: Paige Paterson (NZL) bt Kate Dunlevey (NZL) 2-0, Jennifer Valente (USA) bt Lidia Pluzhnikova (RUS) 2-0, Daria Scheleva (RUS) bt Elis Ligtlee (NED) 2-0, Caitlin Ward (AUS) bt Victoria Steel (NZL) 2-0.
Fifth to seventh place: Pluzhnikova 5, Dunlevey 6, Steel 7.
Men’s Kilometre Time Trial: Zachary Shaw (AUS) 1:02.303, 1; Dylan Kennett (NZL) 1:02.957, 2; Jakub Vyvoda (CZE) 1:03.906, 3.
Women’s Points Race: Taylah Jennings (AUS) 37 points, 1; Sophie Williamson (NZL) 22, 2; Amy Roberts (GBR) 14, 3.
Men’s omnium standings after three rounds: Fernando Gaviria Rendon (COL) 5, 1; Tirian McManus 13, 2; Vladyslav Kreminskyi (UKR) 14, 3.