UCI Track Cycling World Championships

New Zealand cyclist Alison Shanks came within a blink of regaining her rainbow jersey on the third night of finals at the UCI Track Cycling World Championships in The Netherlands today.

Shanks led world record holder Sarah Hammer (USA) for all but the final lap of their 3000m individual pursuit final before the American unleashed a blinding finish to pip the New Zealander by 29/100th of a second in the gold medal ride at the Apeldoorn Velodrome.

While it was a bitter blow for the 2009 world champion from Dunedin, Shanks was pleased with her performance in a well judged ride.

“When you get as close as that it’s pretty gutting. So the first reaction is pure disappointment but I think also I have to be very happy with the ride I executed. Sarah was the better rider today. She went faster,’ said Alison Shanks.

“I have to be pleased with my performance but today it was only good enough for silver.
 I had to go out on my own race plan and then race her in the second half and I did. I was up on her with four laps to go and it was even with two to go. She just had that little bit extra and it was only 2/10ths of a second in the end.

“I put everything out there on the track today so I can’t be too disappointed. She just went faster and I have to be satisfied with silver today.”

Shanks made a strong start to be up by 2/10ths of a second at the 1km mark and extended to 8/10ths of a second at the 2km. The lead was still 4/10ths at the 2500m and even with a lap to go before Hammer edged ahead to clock 3:32.933 to the time of 3:33.229 for Shanks.

Teammate Jaime Nielson was beaten by Lithuania’s experienced Vilija Sereikaite for bronze in her first time in an individual medal ride at a world championship for the former rower.

Earlier Shanks clocked 3:33.789 in qualifying, which was just 25/100ths of a second behind Hammer’s time, with the New Zealander controlling her pace well. Nielsen went 3:38.921 in qualifying to be fourth fastest, just 8/10ths slower than Sereikaite.

Mid-Canterbury’s Lauren Ellis posted the eighth fastest qualifying time of 3:44.165.

Meanwhile Shane Archbold is in fourth place after the first day of the men’s omnium, a six-discipline event staged over two days.

Second overall in the world cup rankings, the 22-year-old had a splendid flying lap, finishing fourth fastest in 13.457, only just outside his personal best despite the heavy track.

Archbold struggled with the pace in the points race but rode cleverly to avoid going down a lap to finish 12th which dropped him back to 10th overall.

He rode with real maturity and nous to finish fourth in the exciting elimination race which jumped him to fourth overall. The key to a medal tomorrow will come in the individual pursuit and kilo time trial, with the scratch race also on the programme in this gruelling event.

Earlier Tom Scully did not finish in the men’s 40km points race.

Tomorrow’s programme features the final day of the men’s omnium with Shane Archbold, first day of the women’s omnium with Joanne Kiesanowski and the men’s keirin with Simon van Velthooven and Eddie Dawkins.

Results, day 3:
Women’s 3000m individual pursuit, qualifying: Sarah Hammer (USA) 3:33.522, 1; Alison Shanks (NZL) 3:33.789, 2; Vilija Sereikaite (LTU) 3:38.073, 3; Jaime Nielsen (NZL) 3:38.921, 4.
Gold medal: Hammer 3:32.933, 1; Shanks 3:33.229, 2. Bronze medal: Sereikaite 3:37.643, 3; Nielsen 3:40.138, 4.

Men’s omnium, flying lap: Zach Bell (CAN) 13.320, 1; Bryan Coquard (FRA) 13.362, 2; Alois Kankovsky (CZE) 13.378, 3. Also: Shane Archbold (NZL) 13.457, 4.

30km points race: Juan Arango Carvajal (COL) 36, Luis Mansilla (CHI) 35, 2; Eloy Teruel Rovira (ESP) 34, 3. Also: Archbold 0, 16.

Elimination: Bryan Coquard (FRA) 1, Elia Viviani (ITA) 2, Luis Mansila (CHI) 3. Also: Archbold 4.

Points after 3 races: Coquard 18 points, 1; Viviani 21, 2; Michael Freiberg (AUS) 22, 3; Archbold, Rovira, Mansilla all 24, equal 4.

Men’s points race, 40km: Avila Edwin (COL) 33, 1; Cameron Meyer (AUS) 25, 2; Morgan Kneisky (FRA) 23, 3. Also: Tom Scully (NZL) dnf.

Image credit: Gerry McManus-BikeNZ