Knipe, Andrews grab more medals in world junior track cycling

New Zealand riders picked up two further medals to Southland riders Bradly Knipe and Ellesse Andrews on the third day of the UCI Juniors Track Cycling World Championships in Switzerland.

Knipe took out the silver medal in the 1000m time trial in a powerful performance at the UCI Velodrome at their headquarters in Aigle.

The national junior champion clocked 1:01.987 to be pipped by Canada’s Stefan Fitter by 0.2 seconds for the battle for gold. The Kiwi rider was the fastest on the track at the 700m mark while the Canadian managed to finish the stronger, with the pair the only riders under the 1:02 barrier.

Teammate Tom Sexton was 10th in 1:04.115.

Andrews, just 16 and a first year junior, earned her second medal of the championships after her gold medal with Emma Cumming in the team sprint on the opening day.

She was fourth fastest in qualifying for the 2000m individual pursuit in 2:23.898 just ahead of teammate Nicole Shields in 2:24.550, with the top four advancing to the medal rides.

Andrews, from Wanaka, produced a superb ride for the bronze medal ride against third qualifier Nikola Pozynska of Poland, with a stunning 2:22.695 for the 2000m. Her time was only 0.28s off the world record set in qualifying by Russia’s Maria Novolodskaya who went on to win the gold medal.

It brings New Zealand’s to five medals in three days with the opportunity for more to come.

Cumming will take on time trial winner Pauline Grabisch (GER) in the semifinal of the individual sprint.
The Southland rider was only 10th fastest in qualifying in 11.615, but showed her racing nous to dispose of Korea’s Seolhwa Jeong in the first round, the highly fancied Chinese rider Yufang Guo in the second round and another Chinese rider Chaoyue Shen in the quarterfinal.

Manawatu’s Campbell Stewart sits in second place after three events in the six-discipline omnium, where he defends the world title he won in Kazakhstan last year.

Stewart was fifth in the scratch race, fourth in the individual pursuit in 3:19.140 and was too classy in winning the elimination race.

He is currently six points behind leader Julius Johansen from Denmark who won the scratch race after lapping the field and also the individual pursuit in 3:17.868.

The second day of omnium competition comprises the flying lap, 1000m time trial and pivotal points race.

Meanwhile Connor Brown, a member of the champion team pursuit yesterday, was 13th in the points race.

The championships continue until Monday (NZ time).

Results:

• Men 1000m time trial: Stefan Ritter (CAN) 1:01.673, 1; Bradly Knipe (NZL) 1:01.897, 2; Junggyu Na (KOR) 1:02.573, 3.
• Women 2000m individual pursuit qualifying: Maria Novolodskaya (RUS) 2:22.410, 1 (Wold Record); Jade Haines (AUS) 2:23.213, 2; Nikola Rozynska (POL) 2:23.365, 3; Ellesse Andrews (NZL) 2:23.898, 4; Nicole Shields (NZL) 2:24.550, 5.
• Gold medal ride: Novolodskaya bt Haines. Bronze medal ride: Andrews bt Rozynska.