Bulling, Ellis enjoy cycling success in Rio Olympic preparations

Lauren Ellis leads the women’s team pursuit during the national championships earlier this year. Credit: Dianne Manson.

New Zealand track cyclists have enjoyed further success on both sides of the Atlantic as they continue preparations towards the Rio Olympics.

In Europe, Piet Bulling, a member of the men’s track team pursuit, has won the omnium competition at the UCI Category 1 meet in Brno, Czech Republic.

Bulling won by two points from German Maximilian Beyer after an exciting final points race with another German Lucas Liss third.

The New Zealander was fifth in the 15km scratch race, won the 4000m individual pursuit in 4:40.963 and was third in the Elimination on the first day. Today he won the opening 1000m time trial in 1:05.929 and the Flying Lap in 22.550s before finishing second in the final 30km Points race behind Beyer.

It was enough for Bulling to win the honours in 217 points from Beyer 215 and Liss 207.

Meanwhile across the Atlantic, Lauren Ellis won the UCI omnium competition at Trexlertown in Pennsylvania.

Ellis is part of the women’s endurance squad training in USA. She finished on 19 points to edge out her teammates Rushlee Buchanan on 16 and Holly Edmondston on 10. Ellis secured the victory with she won the final sprint in the Points race to break the deadlock between herself, Buchanan and Edmondston going into the last event.

Buchanan had some revenge when she won the three mile scratch final ahead of Ellis.

Hawkes Bay rider Luke Mudgway also enjoyed success at T-Town, winning the five mile feature and the 12-lap Preme along with the men’s omnium.

Rio hopeful Simon van Velthooven finished fourth in the final of the men’s keirin won by Canada’s Hugo Barrette.

The women’s squad will be trimmed to five at the end of the month as they head to Europe for the final phase of the preparations for Europe.